Arcadia Bluffs - gorgeous, but is it actually a good course?

[sophie_bakes]

So I finally played Arcadia Bluffs yesterday and I'm still kind of processing it. Drove 3 hours, paid $185 (twilight-ish but not really twilight, they were weird about the rate), and the whole time I kept going back and forth between "this is the most beautiful place I've ever stood" and "wait, am I having fun?"

Some of it is genuinely great. The 12th or 13th (the one right on the bluff with the lake behind it, you know the one) made me audibly gasp. My playing partner took like 40 photos. The conditioning was really solid too, greens were fast but fair, and I never got a bad lie in the fairway. I also brought muffins (I bake, it's a whole thing) and the starter was nice about me sneaking them into my bag.

But here's my problem. Half the holes face away from the lake and turn into "links style golf in a bluffs setting" and I'm just not good enough to tell if that's genius or filler. I lost 6 balls. Six. And like 4 of them went into Lake Michigan, which honestly gave me a stomachache because I kept thinking about the fish and whether they eat golf balls. Do fish eat golf balls?? Please tell me no.

Also I know this is a thing people fight about, but the no walking rule kind of killed the vibe for me. I get it, it's a big spread, but I walked 18 at a Wisconsin muni last month for $28 and had a better time, which feels insane to type out.

Is it a great course or a great view with a course attached? I really can't tell and I've been thinking about it in the car for 3 hours. Somebody who's played it more than once, help me out. Also if you've played Forest Dunes, is that the better Michigan trip? Because I'm already planning next year and my wallet is going to hate me.

[WedgeWizard]

I've been trying to get on Arcadia for two years so no help there, but I did play Forest Dunes last August and yeah, it's the trip. The Loop alone is worth the drive. You play it one direction in the morning, flip it in the afternoon, and it's a completely different course. My brother in law shot 94 then 78, same day, same guy lol.

Also no, fish don't eat golf balls. They sink and sit there forever, which is honestly worse news.

Did the starter actually let you bring the muffins in or did you have to negotiate? Every course I've tried that at has been weird about outside food.