This Is The Best Golf Course In MI, Say Pro Golfers Who’ve Played It

MICHIGAN — Crystal Downs Country Club is the best golf course Michigan has to offer, according to a new ranking developed by golfers themselves.

Golf Digest deploys 1,700 professionally trained low-handicap golfers to continually assess the golf courses. The rankings are based on more than 80,000 evaluations over 10 years looking at criteria such as short options, challenge, design variety, conditioning, aesthetics, and character.

The magazine says Crystal Downs' par-four 5th hole and the par-five 8th hole are frequently cited as two of the greatest golf holes in the world.

"Whomever did it, Crystal Downs has fairways that zigzag and rumble over the glacial landscape and greens that have doglegs in them," according to Golf Digest. "One drawback is that the putting surfaces are so old-fashioned that they’re too steep for today’s green speeds. But that’s part of Crystal Downs appeal. It’s short but has considerable bite."

There are plenty of other courses in Michigan that prioritize the aesthetics of their fairways and greens and test the golfers who play on them with a variety of challenges.

The 10 best golf courses in Michigan, according to Golf Digest are:

1. Crystal Downs, Frankfort
2. Oakland Hills Country Club: South, Bloomfield Hills
3. Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club (Bluffs), Arcadia
4. Kingsley Club, Kingsley
5. Lost Dunes Golf Club, Bridgman
6. Forest Dunes Golf Club, Roscommon
7. Arcadia Bluffs South Course, Arcadia
8. Greywalls at Marquette Golf Club, Marquette
9. Point O' Woods Golf & Country Club, Benton Harbor
10. True North Golf Club, Harbor Springs

This is the 25th edition of Golf Digest’s Best in State ranking, which has been published continually since 1977.