Review Date
May 27, 2008

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by: cboscout, Shoots in the 70s

Summary:
I have wanted to play Arcadia Bluffs for quite sometime. Got a chance at a Memorial Day discounted rate of $110 plus $75 for a replay round.

If you read the other reviews on this page they are quite accurate. 95% of the people that play it will say it is the best course they have ever played. The views are great. It is a unique course in that it drops hundreds of feet from its highest to lowest point in a steady decline. As the wind blows off of Lake Michigan, the downhill holes play into the wind and the uphill holes play downwind. Picking the right club is a challenge.

The course is very good, but not outstanding. The best holes are fairly early in the round. The third through fifth are terrific, interesting and fun. After that there are many good holes, a few strange holes (10 and 11 play through dramatic canyons, but better fit a desert course and seem contrived) and no truly bad holes.

However, I feel it is an underwhelming design. The bluffs that the course is on are poorly utilized. Only two holes really use the lake as a hazard and they allow the player to bail out if necessary. It just does not seem very well thought out. The par-3s are over the top in their difficulty. Awkward targets, long and greens that did not hold. The course lacks a fun driveable par-4 as well.

The course does not play that hard from the tee. There is only one truly tight tee shot (14) and not many bunkers in play unless the ball is really hit badly.

The green complexes are ridiculous and somewhat unfair. They are almost like they decided to stitch three small bowls together to make a green. If your ball ends up on the wrong side of a ridge it is an automatic three putt or worse. The player is better off missing the green 40 feet away than having a 40 foot putt as most chips can be hit into a side of the bowl near the flag and will funnel towards the cup. If chipping from on the green wasn't taboo, my group would have done it four or five times. I was lucky enough to be hitting the ball mediocre and missing greens, but getting up and down. My buddy hit 11 greens and took over 40 putts.

The design is not a links. The course does not play firm and fast and does not have the random bunkering and sandy packed soil of a links. It is quite lush and was in very good shape for May in Michigan.

It is as stunning a piece of property as any golf course I have ever played (including Bandon Dunes). Any course built here would have been great. The layout is just average given the property that it is on.

In summary, I would recommend it highly. It is gorgeous. Its shortcomings would likely not be noticed by most golfers.

Customer Service:
The restaurant was just fair and overpriced. We ate lunch and dinner there. The food was bland and overpriced. We wanted breakfast, but strangely it is not available. The town of Arcadia is tiny and only has a couple of restaurants that were not open in the morning. We did not see a grocery store. Bring some fruit if you are staying nearby.

We stayed at the Pleasant Valley Motel in Arcadia. Small Mom and Pop motel. Really clean. Friendly people. It was $60 for a double and good enough for guys that came for the golf.

One of the guys was not feeling well and set out in search of some Rolaids. He found an ice cream shop that was open and the lady that owned it woke up her husband to open the gas station / convenience store for him. Nice people again.

Similar Courses Played:
Arcadia is a really one of a kind. Have played Bandon Dunes, Pacific Dunes and Bay Harbor on similar land and find those layouts much more fun and interesting.

Review Date
February 24, 2008

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Visitors rate this review
2.00 of 5, 2 votes

Reviewed by: ajavidi, Shoots in the 80s

Summary:
A MUST PLAY. Great views and a great exprience. Words are not enough. Try it yourself and rave in your own review.

Customer Service:
Good

Review Date
December 20, 2007

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Reviewed by: danperry, Shoots in the 80s

Summary:
I played Arcadia Bluffs with my wife (Kate) in June of 2006. The funny thing about this course is that it is built about a half hour north of where I grew up (Manistee). I never imagined that a course of this caliber would be located so close to my hometown. Now I have an additional reason to take the 5-hour drive to visit my parents!

We played in the early afternoon, teeing off around 1, so we had plenty of time beforehand to peruse the golf shop, which had some very nice, distinct items (Kate was already thinking of Christmas presents, so we left with a bagful). We also had time for lunch, and it was definitely a few steps above most clubhouse fare. Lots of choices too. If you go save time for lunch before or after your round.

My review is too long (over 4000 characters) to post in its entirety, so here's a link:

http://danperry.com/wordpress/arcadia-bluffs-golf-course/

Over 100 pictures too.

Similar Courses Played:
Whistling Straits, Irish Course Kohler

Review Date
November 1, 2006

Overall Rating
 1 of 5

Value Rating
 1 of 5

Reviewed by: EFConn, Shoots in the 70s

Summary:
I am absolutely befuddled by the very poor customer service at Arcadia Bluffs. They did not answer their telephone on several attemps, they did not reply to messges left, and they acted in a condescending manner to my golf buddies.

Here is the deal, due to an unexpected death in the family, we could not play golf in the afternoon. Arcadia Bluffs stated that they did not open until noon on that particular day.

Several attempts to play 2 hours earlier and 1 hour earlier were met with hostility and anger from the staff.

Had they answered the phone or responded to messages, we would not have driven 90 minutes "out of our way" to even get there.

I have played the course 4 times over the past 3 years and used to "sing their praises" to all, but NEVER again.

Customer Service:
Even though the course is very nice, their poor customer service has guaranteed that I will not play golf at Arcaida Bluffs again.

If the course were 60 miles from civilization, they might be able to get away with their poor service and attitudes. When they are a "3 hour drive away" for most luxury minded golfers, they need to be better at customer service.

Similar Courses Played:
I have played both Whistling Straits courses (Straits and Irish), the Grande Dunes, the Samoset Resort, Wentworth by the Sea and have played the Ocean Course and Turtle Point at Kiawah and these are similar waterfront courses but obviously they treat customers with the respect befitting their higher prices.
Arcadia is not in the class of these course when it comes to customer service.

Review Date
May 24, 2006

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Reviewed by: skurra, Shoots in the 100s

Summary:
Arcadia Bluffs is the most beautiful Golf Course I have ever seen or played. I have been to Pebble Beach to witness the Pro-Am in 2003 but Arcadia exceeds it in sheer beauty. I had a great two and a half days of golfing here and would come back in a heart beat!

Customer Service:
Excellent !!! Very friendly and courteous staff. They treat you like you are royalty!!!