Arcadia Bluffs Golf Guide: Everything You Need to Know Before You Play

What Makes Arcadia Bluffs Worth the Trip

There are courses in Michigan that are good. There are courses that are great. And then there is Arcadia Bluffs, which occupies a category of its own. Sitting on the Lake Michigan bluffs above the small town of Arcadia, it has been one of the most talked about public golf destinations in the Midwest since it opened in 1999. The views are genuinely unlike anything else in the state and the golf matches them.

What most people do not know when they start planning a trip to Arcadia Bluffs golf course is that there are now three distinct experiences on the property. The original Bluffs course, the South course which opened in 2018, and The Dozen, a newer 12 hole addition that gives the property a third and more accessible option. Knowing which one to prioritize and how to combine them is one of the first real decisions you will need to make when building your trip.

The Bluffs Course

The Bluffs is the reason people make the drive to Arcadia. Designed by Warren Henderson, it plays along the top of the Lake Michigan bluffs with views of the water on nearly every hole. The routing takes full advantage of the natural terrain with dramatic elevation changes and exposed holes that play differently depending on the wind. And the wind off Lake Michigan is a real factor. A calm morning and a breezy afternoon on the Bluffs are essentially two different golf courses.

It is a genuine test. The par 3s are some of my favorites in Michigan and the closing stretch along the bluff edge is as memorable as any finish I have played in Midwest public golf. For serious golfers this is the must-play round. For groups with a wider handicap range the openness of the fairways makes it more accessible than its reputation might suggest.

Green fees here sit at the premium end of Michigan public golf and include a cart and unlimited range access. May and shoulder season pricing comes down meaningfully, which makes those windows the better value if you are watching the budget.

The South Course

The Arcadia Bluffs South Course sits inland from the bluffs and plays through rolling terrain with a links influenced design inspired by the early days of American golf. Large greens, wide fairways, and a bold bunkering style give it a completely different character from the Bluffs. Where the Bluffs is dramatic and exposed the South is strategic and precise.

It plays at a lower price than the Bluffs and is a strong value, which makes it a smart companion round for groups that want two distinctly different experiences on the same trip. If budget is a consideration and the group can only play one, the Bluffs is the clear choice. But if the appetite is there for 36 holes, same day combo packages are available at a meaningful discount compared to booking both rounds separately.

The Dozen

The newest addition to the Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club is The Dozen, a 12 hole layout featuring 6 par 3s and 6 par 4s. It is shorter, more accessible, and the most affordable round on the property. For groups that want to maximize their time at Arcadia without committing to another full 18 holes, The Dozen works well as an add-on. Same day combo packages pair it with either the Bluffs or South course and are worth considering if the group has the energy.

Which Course Should You Play

Play the Bluffs if this is your first time at Arcadia and you have one round to spend there. It is the course that earned the reputation and the one your group will be talking about on the drive home.

Play the South if you have already played the Bluffs or if budget is a factor and you want a strong round without the premium price tag. It is a genuinely excellent course that stands on its own.

Play The Dozen as an add-on when the group wants more golf without another full 18 holes. The combo packages make it an easy yes if the timing works.

Play all three if your group is serious about golf and wants the most complete Arcadia experience available. Very few public golf destinations in the Midwest give you this much variety on a single property.

Best Time to Play Arcadia Bluffs

May and June are strong windows. The courses are in excellent shape coming out of spring, the crowds are lighter than peak summer, and pricing is meaningfully lower than the June through October peak rates. For groups where budget matters May is one of the best months in Michigan golf overall.

July and August are peak season. The courses are at their best conditioning but tee times fill fast and prices reflect the demand. Book well in advance if your group is set on a summer trip.

September is arguably the best month to play. The summer crowds have thinned, the courses are still in great shape, and you might catch the early fall color on the inland holes of the South course. Twilight rates starting at 3pm in September create an affordable window for groups that can tee off in the afternoon.

What Arcadia Bluffs Costs

Arcadia Bluffs sits at the premium end of Michigan public golf, and the Bluffs is the most expensive round on the property. The South course is a step down in price and a strong value for the quality you get. The Dozen is the most affordable way onto the property and an easy add-on. Rates move with the season, so the same round costs noticeably less in May and the shoulder months than it does at the summer peak.

Same day two round packages are available across all course combinations and offer real savings for groups planning a big day. Twilight and late twilight rates are also available on the Bluffs and South course for groups that can start in the afternoon.

Groups of 16 or more should contact the Arcadia Bluffs groups coordinator directly rather than booking online.

How to Build a Trip Around Arcadia Bluffs

Arcadia sits on the western Lake Michigan coast near Manistee, about an hour and a half south of the Petoskey and Charlevoix corridor where most Northern Michigan golf trips are based. That geography shapes how you build the trip.

The most natural approach for groups driving north from Detroit or Chicago is to treat Arcadia as an arrival day round. The drive up the Lake Michigan coast puts it naturally on the route and a late morning or early afternoon tee time works well after a morning departure. From there the group moves north to their base for the rest of the trip.

For groups that want to build the entire trip around Arcadia the property has lodging on site and the Manistee area has rental home options worth exploring. Playing all three courses across two days is a legitimate trip in its own right without driving anywhere else.

What does not work well is trying to combine Arcadia with Boyne Highlands or Bay Harbor in a single day. The drive between them is long enough to make a two round day feel exhausting. Build the itinerary so Arcadia gets its own day and the group is not spending more time in the car than on the course.

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