Forest Dunes is the best all-around golf retreat in the Midwest, and The Loop is the reason serious golfers make it a pilgrimage. Tom Weiskopf's championship course sets a high bar, Tom Doak's reversible 18 gives you two completely different rounds on the same land, and Bootlegger turns every evening into a competition. It's a trip for golfers who want architecture and walking, not a resort with things to do besides golf.
Courses included
The trip experience
Roscommon, Michigan doesn’t market itself like a bucket-list destination; and that’s part of the appeal. This is a trip for people who want golf to be the main event: quiet pine forests, sandy soil underfoot, and a property built around one simple promise; if you love architecture and you love walking, you’re going to leave very satisfied.
At the center is Forest Dunes, a championship course that feels like a modern classic. It’s not tricked up, it’s not trying to overwhelm you with forced carries or visual noise, and it doesn’t need to. The design leans into the natural movement of the land with wide corridors, strategic bunkering, and green sites that make you earn good angles. Forest Dunes is the “honest test” round of the trip; the course you can play every year and still find new decisions to debate. If you want to start the trip with a round that sets a high bar but doesn’t empty the tank, this is the perfect opener.
But the reason Roscommon belongs in the top tier of American golf trips is The Loop; Tom Doak’s reversible 18, where one set of tees and greens becomes two completely different courses depending on direction. The Loop (Red) and The Loop (Black) share the same land, but they do not share the same experience. One direction will ask you to shape a tee shot away from trouble; the other direction will ask you to take it on. A green that plays receptive and friendly one day might play like a puzzle box the next. It’s the kind of concept that sounds like a gimmick until you play it; and then you realize it’s one of the smartest ways golf has found to create variety without manufacturing it.
"It sounds like a gimmick until you play it — and then you realize it's one of the smartest ways golf has found to create variety without manufacturing it."
The Loop is also what makes 36 a day not only feasible, but almost mandatory. This is the rare place where playing the “same course twice” is actually playing two different courses, and it’s the best way to unlock the full value of the property. A classic Roscommon day looks like Forest Dunes in the morning, then The Loop in the afternoon; or, if you’re feeling ambitious, The Loop Red and Black back-to-back with a quick reset in between. The walking is comfortable enough that it’s doable, but the mental challenge is real. Even when the yardage isn’t overwhelming, the questions are. It’s not a place where you sleepwalk through rounds.
Then there’s Bootlegger, the short course, and it’s the ideal third act. Bootlegger isn’t a consolation prize; it’s an essential part of the trip’s cadence. It lets you keep playing without the intensity of another full scorecard, and it’s where groups tend to spend the most time laughing, competing, and hitting “one more ball” until the light starts to fade. If you’re trying to build a trip that feels social without watering down the golf, Bootlegger is how you do it.
The vibe here is pure golf retreat. It’s quieter than the big-name resorts, and it’s intentionally self-contained. You’re not coming for nightlife. You’re coming for the feeling of stepping outside your room, grabbing your bag, and being on the first tee in minutes. The lodging is built for convenience and comfort; exactly what you want when you’re stacking rounds and measuring the day in holes rather than hours.
Seasonally, this is a late spring through early fall destination, with summer as the sweet spot for long daylight and the kind of firm conditions that make the courses play their best. The property rewards the ground game; running approaches, creative bounces, and putts from well off the green; so the firmer the better. Fall can be spectacular for color and cool air, as long as you’re willing to pack layers and accept that the day ends earlier.
Roscommon is the kind of trip that doesn’t need a big sales pitch because the golf is the pitch. Forest Dunes gives you the championship backbone. The Loop gives you the most inventive 36-hole day you’ll find anywhere. Bootlegger gives you the nightly ritual. Put it together, and you get a destination that feels less like a resort weekend and more like a golf idea brought to life; pure, walkable, and impossible not to respect.
Side trips & bonus golf
Arcadia Bluffs is the natural extension for groups with a spare day: 90 minutes northwest, two courses with completely different personalities, and a Lake Michigan backdrop that looks nothing like Roscommon's pines and sand. The Bluffs Course delivers dramatic lakefront golf; the South Course is the strategic counterweight that earns equal time. Treat them as a paired day trip rather than a bonus round on the way out.
The Bear at Grand Traverse Resort, 45 minutes toward Traverse City, fits cleanly into an arrival or departure day: tighter corridors, more punishing green complexes, and a track that contrasts sharply with Forest Dunes. Bay Harbor near Petoskey adds polished resort golf with Lake Michigan frontage, a tonal shift from the pines-and-sand identity that makes a good scenic finale to a northern Michigan loop. Threetops at Treetops in Gaylord is 9 par-3 holes under $50: the low-commitment competitive add-on for a travel day when the group wants one more without another full scorecard.
Sleeping Bear Dunes is about 2 hours northwest and worth a rest-day drive: massive sand dunes rising directly from Lake Michigan with sweeping views of the Manitou Islands. The Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive takes under an hour. It's the one natural landmark in northern Michigan that earns the same "worth the detour" conversation as the golf courses, and fits cleanly into a morning before a South Course afternoon tee time.
Is this trip right for your group?
- ✓Book this trip if the Tom Doak reversible Loop has been on your golf bucket list
- ✓Book this trip if your group values architecture and smart design over spectacle and scenery
- ✓Book this trip if walking 36 holes in a day is something your group actually wants to do
- ✓Book this trip if you prefer a quiet, self-contained golf retreat over a resort with non-golf amenities
- ✓Book this trip if playing the same course twice and having it feel different appeals to your group
- ✓Book this trip if Bootlegger as an evening ritual — 10 holes of music, low stakes, and "one more" — sounds exactly right
- ✓Book this trip if you want a destination that gets better on return visits once you understand the land
- ✗Skip this trip if you need a resort with a spa, beach access, or significant non-golf entertainment
- ✗Skip this trip if your group prefers visually dramatic scenery over architectural depth
- ✗Skip this trip if warm-weather guarantees matter — northern Michigan summers are excellent but not predictable
- ✗Skip this trip if you're not interested in stacking multiple rounds per day
- ✗Skip this trip if you want a wide variety of off-property dining and nightlife options
When to go
- Longest daylight of the year: 36-hole days are genuinely feasible with 9+ hours of light available
- Green fees are highest at $185-215 per round plus $30 cart (May 28-Sep 28)
- The Loop's fescue plays firm and fast in summer: the ideal surface for the reversible routing
- Book 3-6 months out for July and August weekends, which fill the fastest
- Weather is reliably comfortable: highs in the 70s-80s, cool mornings and evenings in the pines
- Green fees drop $30-50 per round from peak; the same architecture at meaningfully lower cost ($145-165/round)
- Fall colors arrive mid-September and make Forest Dunes and The Loop visually spectacular
- September course conditions are excellent: firm fairways, receptive greens, and quieter tee sheets
- Spring (May) means softer conditions, fewer crowds, and cool mornings that warm up by the back nine
- Pack layers: mornings and evenings in shoulder season can drop to the 40s-50s even in late May
- Forest Dunes closes after mid-October; the season runs late April through October only
- Northern Michigan sees snow and freezing temperatures from November through March
- No golf available on property November through late April
- The area is worth considering for snowmobiling or other winter activities if non-golf days are part of the plan
What a Roscommon trip costs
| Item | Peak | Shoulder | Off-Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tee fees (4 rounds + Bootlegger) | $920–$1,035 | $700–$800 | |
| Lodging (3 nights, on-property) | $525–$900 | $300–$600 | |
| Food & drink (on-property) | $300–$450 | $250–$400 | |
| Rental car | $100-$200 | $100-$200 | |
| Total (est.) | $1,845–$2,585 | $1,350–$2,000 |
| Item | Peak |
|---|---|
| Tee fees (4 rounds + Bootlegger) | $920–$1,035 |
| Lodging (3 nights, on-property) | $525–$900 |
| Food & drink (on-property) | $300–$450 |
| Rental car | $100-$200 |
| Total (est.) | $1,845–$2,585 |
Per-person estimates for a 4-round, 3-night trip including Bootlegger. Cart fees ($30/round) are not included in the base green fee and add roughly $120 per person. Excludes flights. All-in: $1,850-$2,600 peak, $1,350-$2,000 shoulder.
How tee times and lodging actually work
- 1The Loop alternates by calendar dateRed routing plays on even calendar dates, Black on odd. You cannot choose your direction — plan your trip dates around which routing you want each day.
- 2Overnight guests book before day visitorsOn-property lodging gives you earlier access to tee times. Confirm your lodge reservation before calling the pro shop.
- 3Prebooked replays must be reserved in advanceA discounted second round on either course can be locked in ahead of time. Availability replays are day-of only and not guaranteed.
- 4Bootlegger is walk-only and opens at 11amElectric carts are not permitted on the short course. Only the first Bootlegger round of the day can be prebooked.
- 5Dress code applies to Forest Dunes and The LoopNo denim; collared shirts required. The rule is enforced at the bag drop.
Common mistakes
- !Not checking the Loop routing before booking datesRed plays on even calendar dates, Black on odd. If you want both directions, your trip needs to span at least two different days.
- !Stacking two full championship rounds on day oneThe courses are walkable but the architecture is mentally demanding. Play fresh on day one; save the 36-hole days for once you know the land.
- !Treating Bootlegger as optionalIt's ten holes of music, low-stakes competition, and the best social energy on the trip. The groups that skip it always regret it.
- !Playing only one Loop direction and leavingRed and Black are genuinely two different courses. Playing just one routing is like reading half a book.
- !Forgetting that cart fees are separateThe $30-per-player cart fee is charged on top of greens fees and adds up quickly on a multi-round trip. Factor it in when planning your budget.
- !Underestimating the Forest Dunes back nineThe exposed native sand areas and strategic green complexes make the back nine significantly harder than the front. Don't get lulled into a false score on the outward half.
- !Missing the Bootlegger Bar after roundsThe covered outdoor bar overlooking the bye hole is the best post-round gathering spot on property. It's where the trip's best stories get told.
What to pack
Sample itinerary
- Day 1Arrive + Forest DunesFly into Traverse City and drive 90 minutes to Roscommon. Forest Dunes opens the trip at a measured pace — get comfortable with the sandy soil and firm fairways before the Loop's creative demands.
- Day 2The Loop + BootleggerDedicate the morning to whichever Loop direction your calendar date gives you (Red on even, Black on odd). Bootlegger in the afternoon — 10 competitive holes that make the evening feel like its own event. Bootlegger Bar afterward.
- Day 3The Loop (second direction) + optional replayThe Loop's other routing turns the same land into a different course: same greens, same fairways, completely different set of questions. After playing both directions back-to-back on days two and three, the comparison becomes the best conversation of the trip. If energy allows, a Bootlegger loop or Forest Dunes replay in the afternoon closes the day out.
- Day 4Forest Dunes + DepartForest Dunes earns the closer slot: once you know the back nine's sand angles and green complexes, the decisions come faster and the scores tend to follow. An early tee time wraps by noon for the 90-minute drive to Traverse City.
Where to stay & eat
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