Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club, Arcadia, Michigan - One of the Most Visually Appealing Golf Destinations in the Country

Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club opened in 1999 as a daily-fee course and, despite its location off the beaten path in Northern Michigan, it has received raves as one of the most visually appealing golf courses in the country - perhaps even the world.

The links-style course is carved out of 245 acres of windswept land atop the bluffs overlooking Lake Michigan. From its highest point, the course drops 225 feet, and also features 3,100 feet of shore frontage along the lake.

It's been argued that Arcadia Bluffs is not a true links-style course, but more of a seaside links course that features rolling terrain and windswept fescue grasses. Designed by the team of Warren Henderson and Rick Smith, the course is said to evoke memories of courses such as Lahinch and Ballybunion, while contributing some breathtaking views.

The par-72/73, 18-hole course plays to 7,300 yards from the championship tees, and a more manageable 6,702 from the Black tees, with a USGA rating of 72.8 and a slope rating of 147. The course features some of the widest fairways golfers will ever find on a challenging course, along with 120 total bunkers, including 50 sod-walled bunkers, lots of native grasses, and large greens that average 8,000 square feet.

The real challenge of this course tends to show up from 50 yards on in, with greens that are very undulating and sod-wall bunkers that can be so deep that they make the famous "road hole'' bunker in Scotland look tame by comparison. In addition, the terrain is not flat and it's often a challenge to find a level lie. And there are also the wind off Lake Michigan to contend with, which, depending on which way it's blowing, can make club selection another challenge.

Like some of the European links courses, which have been described at times as "quirky,'' Arcadia Bluffs follows a similar non-traditional routing on the front nine. The course begins with a par-5 hole that plays to 519 yards from the longest tees, and ends with a lengthy par-3 of 203 yards from the Championship tees and 176 yards from the Blacks.

The par-5 11th hole is particularly scenic and challenging. The hole plays downhill but to a hefty 633 yards from the back tees, and a respectable 594 from the Blacks. The fairway narrows dramatically once past the landing area, and golfers will often have to contend with an incoming wind as the hole plays directly down toward the water.

Another noteworthy hole, and one of the most difficult par-3s on the course is the 13th. The hole plays dramatically downhill and has a forced carry over rugged rough to a green set against the backdrop of Lake Michigan. The winds and the perception that this hole is longer than it looks will have many tees shots finding either the deep bunker in front or the dramatic slopes to the left. GPS-equipped golf carts are available, as well as a caddy program, to assist golfers with distance and club selection.

The course has received some prestigious awards, including being ranked #10 by Golf Digest among the Top 100 Public Courses, 2009-2010, and a #7 ranking in 2008 from Golf World Magazine among the Top 50 Public Courses.

Practice facilities include a full range and separate short-game facility. There's also a Nantucket, coastal estate-style clubhouse with breathtaking views of the course and Lake Michigan, as well as a Golf Shop and the Restaurant at Arcadia Bluffs for full-service dining.