Forest Dunes Golf Club, Roscommon, Michigan - A Secluded, Upscale Golf Course in Northern Michigan

Forest Dunes is an 18-hole upscale course at the Forest Dunes Golf Club in Roscommon, Michigan. A Tom Weiskopf design, the course opened in 2002 and traditionally ranks on the Top 100 list of most golf publications. It has also been ranked the #2 course in Michigan by Michigan Golf.

For those who are unfamiliar with the Roscommon area of Northern Michigan, Forest Dunes is truly off-the-beaten path, as Roscommon has a predominantly rural population of around 25,000. That secluded element gives Forest Dunes a wild, natural feel to it, as the course runs through the pine trees and Birch groves of Northern Michigan's Huron National Forest, along a marsh, and through sandy dunes and grasslands.

As Ron Whitten, Architectural Editor at Golf Digest, described the course, "Half the holes at Forest Dunes are Augusta National style rolling down majestic corridors of red and jack pines, with elaborate bunkering of gleaming white sand. The remaining holes bring to mind Pine Valley, with dark, exposed native sand littered with scruffy underbrush. The mix is artfully blended on both nines.''

The par-72 course plays to 7,141 yards from the longest tees, with a USGA rating of 74.8 and a slope rating of 142. According to Wieskopf, commenting on his design, "Forest Dunes replicates classic style and design and emulates a risk/reward involvement on most every hole. I consider this golf course to be one of the best which I have ever been involved in the U.S.''

Golfers who have played this course have said they'd have a hard time picking a favorite hole, as every hole is said to be unique and memorable. Some of the more noteworthy holes, however, include the par-3 No. 3 hole. Nicknamed "Table Top,'' this hole plays to 203 yards from the I (Black) tees, but only 143 from the III (White) tees. What makes it so stunning and challenging is the forced carry over a very large sand bunker/waste area, to a green surrounded by four more uniquely shaped bunkers.

The par-5 No. 5 hole is ranked as the most difficult on the course, and will probably challenge most golfers. The "Mason Trail,'' as it's named, plays to 602 yards from the back tees, and a respectable 567 from the II (Blue) tees. A sharp dogleg left at the landing area will have golfers deciding if they can cut the corner over trees and sand. From there, the fairway is flanked on both sides by trees and two long bunkers/waste areas on the right, and the green features several undulations.

"The Point'' is a par-3 and the No. 9 hole that's both visually stunning and intimidating. The hole plays to 203 yards from the back tees and 151 from the Whites. The challenge is the forced carry over a large water hazard to a wide green flanked by five bunkers.

The finishing hole is called "Eagle Chance'' and is a par-5 that plays to only 531 yards from the back tees and 470 yards from the White tees, hence the name. When golfers first encounter this hole, they may think they're in the desert as they try to stay on the think strip of fairway flanked on all sides by sand and sandy grasslands. As they get closer to the hole, however, they'll encounter a large water hazard that runs along the left and around the green as the putting surface turns out into the water.

An interesting feature of Forest Dunes is its "19th hole.'' Unlike most comparable names, which typically involve a snack bar/watering hole, this is an actual golf hole. The hole features a green with a bunker at its center, and the purpose of the hole is said to allow golfers one additional hole to settle a score.

Practice facilities at Forest Dunes include a dual-ended driving range, bunkered greens and a short-game practice area. The facility also features a spacious Adirondack-style clubhouse with men's and women's locker rooms, as well as a bar, casual and formal dining, as well as spacious decks.