The best public-access and private golf courses in Michigan, ranked

Looking to play the best golf courses in Michigan? Welcome to our annual Golfweek’s Best ranking of public-access and private courses.

Following are the rankings for both types of courses, as judged by our nationwide network of raters. The hundreds of members of our course-ratings panel continually evaluate courses and rate them on 10 criteria on a points basis of 1 through 10. They also file a single, overall rating on each course. Those overall ratings are averaged to produce all our Golfweek’s Best course rankings.

The courses on the first list allow public access in some fashion, be it standard daily green fees, through a resort or by staying at an affiliated hotel. If there’s a will, there’s a tee time – no membership required.

KEY: (m) modern, built in 1960 or after; (c) classic, built before 1960. For courses with a number preceding the (m) or (c), that is where the course ranks on Golfweek’s Best lists for top 200 modern and classic courses in the U.S.

* indicates new or returning to the rankings

Best public-access courses in Michigan

The Loop at Forest Dunes in Michigan (Courtesy of Forest Dunes/Evan Schiller)

1. Arcadia Bluffs (Bluffs)
Arcadia (T77m)

2. Marquette GC (Greywalls)
Marquette (T107m)

3. Forest Dunes (The Loop Red & Black)
Roscommon (T134m)

4. Forest Dunes (Weiskopf)
Roscommon (T196m)

5. Arcadia Bluffs (South)
Arcadia (m)

6. Belvedere
Charlevoix (T178c)

7. Boyne’s Bay Harbor (Links/Quarry)
Bay Harbor (m)

8. Eagle Eye
Bath (m)

T9. Island Resort and Casino (Sweetgrass)
Harris (m)

T9. Gull Lake View Resort (Stoatin Brae)
Augusta (m)

11. Pilgrim’s Run
Pierson (m)

T12. Sage Run
Bark River (m)

T12. Harbor Shores
Benton Harbor (m)

14. American Dunes
Grand Haven (m)

15. University of Michigan GC
Ann Arbor (c)

16. Boyne Highlands (Arthur Hills)
Harbor Springs (m)

T17. Tullymore Golf Resort (Tullymore)*
Stanwood (m)

T17. Hidden River Golf & Casting Club
Brutus (m)

19. Diamond Springs
Hamilton (m)

20. Pine Mountain Resort (Timber Stone)
Iron Mountain (m)

Best private courses in Michigan

Kingsley Club in Michigan (Courtesy of Kingsley Club/Laurence Lambrecht)

1. Crystal Downs
Frankfort (T13)

2. Oakland Hills (South)
Bloomfield Hills (22c)

3. Kingsley Club
Kingsley (T30m)

4. Dunes Club
New Buffalo (52m)

5. Franklin Hills
Franklin (80c)

6. Meadowbrook
Northville (T125)

T7. Lost Dunes
Bridgman (142m)

T7. Indianwood (Old)
Lake Orion (130c)

9. Orchard Lake CC
Orchard Lake (T144c)

10. Barton Hills
Ann Arbor (T149c)

11. Wuskowhan Player’s Club
West Olive…