The South Course at Arcadia Bluffs, carved dramatically into the bluffs overlooking Lake Michigan near Arcadia, stakes its claim as an uncompromising test born from a modern sensibility. The Arthur Hills/Steve Forrest and Associates design eschews links-style pretense for a bolder, more visual experience, leveraging the property's dramatic elevation changes. Wide fairways belie strategic bunkering and undulating greens, favoring players who can shape the ball and manage the wind – a constant companion on this elevated terrain. Players are often heard remarking that it’s a pure golfing experience, one where a gentle miscalculation can lead to large penalty. Opened in 2018, The South Course stands apart from its older sibling, adopting a minimalist aesthetic with native grasses framing each hole, lending to the feeling it has always been there. Water hazards are scarce, replaced by strategic mounding and carefully placed bunkers that demand strategic thinking rather than brute force. While not yet a stage for major championships, it's quickly garnered attention from golf purists and those who like a challenge, and offers an alternative experience to other more historic courses that may have come before it. Unlike many clubs steeped in formality, Arcadia Bluffs enjoys a more relaxed atmosphere. Perhaps it's the vastness of the landscape, or the sheer challenge of the course, but there's a camaraderie amongst those who tackle The South. And though it may not be steeped in a century of tradition like many clubs, the clanking of glasses and chatter on the patio suggest new lore is being written here everyday, one round at a time.