FOREST DUNES GOLF CLUB
🇺🇸 Roscommon, MI, USA
Designed by Tom Doak
Forest Dunes' Black Course, carved from the heart of Michigan's Roscommon forest, presents a stark contrast to its traditionally manicured brethren. A bold experiment in minimalist design, the Black Course demands a raw, untamed approach, embracing the natural imperfections of the landscape.
Designed by Tom Doak, the Black Course, the second 18-hole course at Forest Dunes, eschews the traditional parkland aesthetic for a rugged, heathland character. Wide fairways invite aggression off the tee, but errant shots are swallowed by the surrounding pine barrens and scrub. The course is known for its firm and fast conditions. The strategic use of fescue grasses lends a links-like feel, albeit one deeply embedded in the American Midwest. There are very few forced carries for the average player. The course is an ode to the architecture of the 1920s.
The Black Course is not known as a Major Championship venue, however it stands as a testament to the growing appetite for alternative golf experiences, appealing to those who favor creativity and strategic thinking over brute force. A local membership has quickly embraced the Black Course, making it a staple for those who prefer a change of pace to its sister course.
Reviews
See loop red for review. Only other note is the lack of scenery! Still a fun time!
Firm and fast fescue turf. Hard to go back and forth between this and Forest Dunes bent but definitely preferred playing the Loop both ways over FD. Firm turf and slopes to use the ground is fun
The Loop is a very polarizing golf course, one that I've noticed people either really like or think is gimmicky. I personally love it and think it is one of the best designs in the United States. The ability to create a reversible golf course that is actually interesting in fun to play is truly a masterpiece. You don't realize how good it is until you play it in both directions. I could go on and on about how much I love the routing, the width of the fairways and the firmness of the greens, but it would be better for you to just go play it yourself!
Some big boy par 4s on the back 9 that played into the wind. I prefer the red loop vs the black loop.
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FAQ
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Loop - Black at Forest Dunes Golf Club has a Course Vaults score of 8.2 out of 10 based on 61 explicit golfer ratings.
Loop - Black was designed by Tom Doak.
Yes. Loop - Black at Forest Dunes Golf Club is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Loop - Black is 70.
Loop - Black plays 6,704 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Loop - Black is 131.
