One of the great debates in golf is where you’d move—if money was no obstacle—to be able to play golf all your life. The Monterey Peninsula, the Hamptons or Southern Pines, NC are common answers. Scottsdale, Palm Springs, and take your pick of anywhere in Florida, are tough to argue against. Northern Michigan is usually not included in that conversation, but it absolutely deserves to be.
Michigan is one of the most underrated golf destinations in North America. For public golfers, in particular, it is as good as it gets. In the summer, you can tee off at 6 am and play until 10 at night if you wish, or combine 18 or 36 with another summer activity like hiking, fly-fishing or brewery-hopping. The startling elevation changes make for stunning scenery—and for great buddies trip destinations that won’t break the bank, a picturesque destination in the Lower Peninsula like Traverse City or the Upper Peninsula should be at the top of your list. The quantity of really good public courses can probably only be matched by the Pinehurst area.
Here’s the best of the best of public golf in Michigan, according to Golf Digest’s course-ranking panelists.
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