Arcadia Bluffs Review

Great course, that lives up to the hype. Well manicured, and exactly what everyone said. Staff was wonderful, and the food at the clubhouse was top notch.

Beautiful course. Fast and tricky greens. Make sure you hit the practice green before your round. Informative GPS system with some tips on how to play each hole. Played twilight rate of $110. Nice staff. I would play it again, but only for the twilight rate.

Arcadia Bluffs is one of our favorite spots! We are not golfers but the bar and restaurant has a marvelous view. The employees are always great.

Amazing staff at Arcadia. I swear some people must sleep there because they were always available if we needed anything. Food was great, weather was great, and our cottage was perfect. Did I forget anything....oh yeah the golf! As usual the Bluffs and South course were in perfect condition. My appreciation of these courses grows each time I am lucky enough to play them. I can't wait for another opportunity!

Located directly alongside Lake Michigan, Arcadia Bluffs is a wonderful example of the new breed of top-quality "retro-links" golf courses. These inspiring and headline-grabbing layouts replicate "seaside golf as it used to be". The golf course and onsite facilities puts this superb Stay&Play venue in the same elevated league as the likes of Whistling Straits, Bandon Dunes and Canada's Cabot Links.

The Pebble beach of the Midwest!! Great course with excellent service!! Check out the South course also. Great links style course with tough square greens

We had a great two days golfing. This was our first visit. We stayed in Frankfort at Jacobson's Marina as we came by boat from Wisconsin. They picked us up at the marina which was appreciated. We played the South Course with a 4:25 Tee time and it was perfect. We ended play just before dusk. The down side was the bar carts were off the course, but Gary the starter sent Melanie back out to meet us at the third hole! Great customer service. Super challenging greens. We had lunch at the course before hand and it was great. The Salmon burger was wonderful. Will our server was spot on. The next day we golfed the main course. It was in great shape. Our caddy, Nick was well worth the money as he had extensive playing knowledge of the course. The views of Lake Michigan make even the limited amount of wait worth it. We ended the night with a wonderful dinner, sunset, wine and the bag piper playing at sunset. Brandy our server was super pleasant.

Top golf destination in Michigan. Everything was exactly as you would hope from an establishment of this scale. Everything was amazing from the views to the food to the service of the staff.

Treated like a millionaire great course thank you Mr S

Just a beautiful course... Well worth the money, and just an outstanding restaurant and facility

Off the charts excellent. Spectacular panoramic views. Gourmet food. People were everywhere ready to take care of every possible request, yet they were never in the way. I honestly don't know what could be improved on. And the golf... wow. Now I understand why serious golfers so revere Arcadia Bluffs. Every hole is an artistic expression both visually and as a challenge to the golfer. Unforgettable.

Amazing views. Let me say it again, amazing views. I don't golf, so I won't speak to that. Restaurant was mediocre. Table service was great. No complaints. However, they really screwed up the reservation and the food wasn't great. We made a reservation for nine, outside, a week in advance, and when we got there they said the manager decided to give us an indoor table. It was set for eight. When you see the view, you'll understand why we wanted to sit outside. Anyway, we carried on with our ~$35 a plate orders, and the food was truly mediocre. Chicken nearly inedible, although on the menu it was called 'airline chicken's so maybe I could have guessed. Trout was ok, not good. Blackened swordfish was good. $12/bottle wine coat $24.

The restaurant is beautiful. Some Fridays and Saturdays there s a person playing bagpipes, which makes it magical. The food and drinks aren t amazing, you are mostly paying for the setting.

Fabulous, but.....
One of the most gorgeous courses I've ever encountered. It is so visually stunning that it can distract you from the task at hand. It was a delight to play both times, but a few overzealous rangers nearly ruined our round -(subtracted a star for this), - pushing us even though the next group was a hole behind, still an absolutely must play. So beautiful that 24 golfers stuck around after their rounds to watch the sunset

Pricey but you cannot beat the beautiful setting. On weekends you can enjoy a bagpipe player on the hour starting at 7pm(outside) our server was amazing! Definitely worth the trip off M22!

The view was spectacular, the dinner wonderful and the waitress "Lisa" was the best we have ever experienced. The only thing I was disappointed in was the whole idea of traveling 31/2 hours for a Birthdays surprise for my boyfriend was to hear the bagpiper play. I searched everywhere on the internet and was so happy to find a Scottish bagpiper for my Scottish boyfriend. Sure it was raining a little but that never stopped the golfers from playing and there was a covered porch plenty of big enough for a piper. Very disappointed. Be careful travels the entertainment may be misleading.

Played the Bluffs course at twilight. Best golf experience in my life! Friendly and helpful staff, used brand new Callaway rental clubs and enjoyed every minute of this course. Every hole has a view of the lake and so many are along side or have the lake as a backdrop. Course was in great shape! Palyed the back nine- 18 with the sun setting behind us while listening to bagpipes. Golf heaven! Can't wait to return with a group of golf buddies next year!

Can't say enough about the course, the resort and the staff. From parking lot to rooms to restaurant to golf course, 5 stars all around.

Astonishing piece of property. Tremendous customer service and golf course. Struggling to find something I would try to improve.

I don t know where to start, to tell you about the great dining experience we had at Arcadia Bluffs Dining Room.

The gorgeous view of Michigan lake, inviting appetizers, ours consisting of crab cakes and octopus, a generous choice of dishes rich in high quality ingredients, good wine and coffee...

We want to extend a big thanks to Catalin, Arcadia Bluff s talented chef, whose wonderful dishes delighted our palates and contributed to a perfect dining experience.

My husband, who moved to Michigan from northern Italy in the recent years, was pleasantly impressed by the authentic and very well prepared pappardelle alla putanesca, which, he said, were as good as, or even better than, their Italian, freshly made sisters.

Thanks again for a memorable dining experience!

I have been a very lucky golfer having played some amazing courses from Beijing to Charleston for work and pleasure. Yesterday, I experience something I have never witnessed anywhere, and it was the attention to details and customer service that every golf club should take notice of. We tee'd it up late in the afternoon on a Saturday and figured it would be a 5 hour round. What we hoped was that we wouldn't be behind a slow slow slow group. Unfortunately, by the turn we were at least 15 minutes behind. BUT this is where the staff at Arcadia Bluffs stepped up. They put a staff member with the slow group. Yes, they literally put a staff golf ambassador with the group to speed them up. It wasn't a lip service, "We are trying, thanks for your patience" effort...they stepped up and put a member of their golf team with the slow group to help them find balls, be faster around the greens and move quicker from Tee to green and greens to tee.
It was the most impressive thing I have ever witnessed in terms of understanding that one group was slowing a field of groups down and that intervening meant making a more enjoyable round of golf for a number of groups. This gesture changed our day. I hope it changed the bad groups day, but most of all Arcadia Bluffs won me over again. The course is hard and for the average handicapper, probably overwhelming at times The beauty and the attention to placement on the course can be difficult, but being slow is no excuse and fixed by a great team & great staff.
So the staff is great, everyone from golf star to wait staff in the restaurant. Well done Arcadia Bluffs, I will be back!

If you go to Michigan again, you must visit the golf course. It's a bit expensive, but given the well-maintained course and the unusual scenery, I recommend a round.
Pasave was a very difficult course if you could not keep the fairway.
If you tee off around 13 o'clock, you can enjoy the best scenery to watch the setting sun after the workout and into the 18th hole in front of the clubhouse and Lake Michigan (the sun goes into the water in a circle because there are almost no waves).

Beautiful course with dramatic views and a wonderfully great price! However, it took 5hrs and 10min to play. Really took the pleasure out of the round.

Wish we actually had more time to finish our 9 holes..

Most beautiful course in Michigan. Stunning and extremely challenging. Bring a good camera and a good golf game.

Amazing views overlooking golf course and Lake Michigan. The food is out of this world. The service was friendly and polite.

On 7/24/16 my wife and I took the scenic drive for our Anniversary to dine at Arcadia Bluffs. Having been here before to lodge and dine we anticipated the view, the friendly staff and fine food we've expert in the past. Ordered the Tomahawk Ribeye "a perfect med- rare, please". We dove in, then saw it was overcooked, med-med well. I would never return a 32oz steak, knowing the cost to the kitchen the toll would take. We consumed most of it, still with wavering pleasure. The drinks were great. Appetizer (Tuna TarTar), not bad, just needed some seasoning. View, astounding and the service by Sarah and acknowledgement by Jae Mi outstanding. May I suggest, however, that a large cut of steak be panseared over indirect heat to possibly avoid overcooking, then rested just before the ordered temp. Other than that, we'll be back again. Couldn't stay for the Bagpipes.Thank You

Just played Arcadia Bluffs yesterday, and all I can say is wow. A buddy and I drove 14 hours round trip just to play here. First off is the entrance. Coming up the driveway seeing the club house sitting on the top of the hill is pretty neat. Once you make it to the top of the hill, you have the best view in the Midwest in my opinion. Seeing the rolling hills of the course against the backdrop of Lake Michigan is priceless. Now on to the actual course.

This course is HARD. I am a pretty decent player (low single digit handicap) and this place tore me up. The undulation on the greens is the most I have ever seen and the greens are faster than most tour courses, but they bite which is good. Definitely the nicest course I have ever played, but also the hardest (I've played Firestone South two days after the Bridgestone Invitational). It is a true links style course. I will be back for sure. Would be a great course for a US Open but due to the extreme hills and fescue, I don't believe it would work. Regardless, make sure you check this course off of your bucket list

A great challenge....A great course....A great memory. AAA

Incredible golf course, pricey but well worth it for the views

This place has some of the best views in the world. In comparison to Whistling Straights or Kiawah, I d say they are better.
The golf course itself is tough. But manageable.
However...
The service is terrible! Every bartender acted like they hated their life. I got two rounds at the inside bar and both times it was miserable.
The starter spent 5 minutes telling us to be on pace. How pace of play was the most important thing. He said nothing about the course.
We had a caddy and decided to walk. The caddy met us at the first tee box. So we had to carry our bags to the range, to the first box. During the round, the caddy huffed and puffed without any direction. Then after the round, (after we gave him the biggest tip of any caddy ever since the clubhouse didn t state a preferred amount) the caddy told us he deserved more money from us.
When I heard about Arcadia, someone called it the poor man s Whistling Straights. That is exactly what it is. I got treated the same as if I was at a pasture field public course in the middle of nowhere from all employees.
If you want to shell out extra cash to hack a ball around to for it. If you are looking for the top experience that other courses provide, this ain t it.

Follow up to this review: Arcadia called me after I posted this. A lot of my problems stemmed from poor communication with the pro shop. The call was greatly appreciate. Such a bad experience when I place has so much potential.

Worth every penny. Bagpipes and sunsets are incredible.

Everything was absolutely amazing! From the second you drive up to the clubhouse until the second you walk back to the car. The staff is extremely friendly, the course is immaculate and the dining is exquisite. The only thing that was kind of rough was the pace of play, but in my opinion it just gives you more time to take in the scenery!

Beautiful setting right on the bluffs. Golf course is challenging and has plenty of elevation. Clubhouse has a very upscale restaurant with an amazing view of Lake Michigan. Sunsets are breathtaking. Pricey accommodations and a round costs much more than the average public course but it's all about the view.

Disappointed at excruciatingly slow pace of play and then forced to rush finish in the dark.

Golfed here a few weeks back.... the round will take around 5 hours so plan your tee time accordingly to guarantee that you ll finish a full 18....

This is an incredible course and is undoubtedly my new favorite course.... the food hear is also really good and the views from the course are amazing.

This was a few years back but still worth sharing. My wife and I arrived late in the evening for a tee time in the morning. I mistakenly left my golf shoes in my car and asked where the valet lot was so I could go get them. I was told they would take care of it and handed over my keys. Lo and behold when we left the room early in the AM my shoes were not only waiting outside the door but they took the time to polish them for me as well. Absolute top notch service and accommodations!

I'm an avid golfer and have been lucky enough to play at some of the top courses in the US, Pebble Beach, TPC Sawgrass, Kohler WI, Innisbrook to name a few. Arcadia Bluffs was absolutely stunning and a very hard golf course. We played from the Blue at 6950, I'm 54 and my index is 3.2. I couldn't break 90 unless I play a few more times. We did NOT have a caddie which would have helped but the bottom line is the shots you have to hit here!!! you better be on your A game. Greens were very tough, somewhat grainy with alot of sand on them, quick as well. Fairways in excellent shape, stay away from the bunkers and the fesque, both are nightmares. Some of the views are unbelievable, we played in the rain all day until the 18 fairway and the sun came out. Bottom line, if you get the chance to play this course, do it. I will however warn you, the service at this course was not top-notch by any means whether it was in the restaurant or on the course, service was sub par all around for the money, basically got muni service for 190 a round. The course gets a solid 5 and for the lack of service my overall is 4. Play it if you can.

What can I say, this place is amazing. Like everyone says, you need to play here once in your lifetime. We also stayed in the cabins the golf course has right on site that overlook the 3rd hole. The cabins were much nicer that I had imagined and they were able to hold our entire party.

Just do it. It's expensive, but worth it.

Loved the lodge, the food, and the course is as good as any I have played. Rooms are polished and roomy with up to date accutraments. The food was tasty. I would put the course on the same level as the most well known courses in the country.

I've had the pleasure of playing many rounds at this pretty course. Make sure you play an early evening round.....the sunset is absolutely beautiful. My wife and I have also stayed a weekend at the Lodge and it was outstanding! The staff was extremely friendly and the food at the restaurant was delicious. Arcadia is top notch in every aspect.

Great views of lake Michigan, one of very few courses built on the shoreline. Fairways are wide and generous. This is a destination golf course you must add to your bucket list.

Amazing course, I highly recommend playing it at least once. Stay out of the bunkers or you won't have much fun. But seriously, drop a bask in one and try to get out it's kind of fun. Amazing staff. Extremely friendly from the guy that shuttles you from your car to the club house, to the bag drop guys, and pro shop and beer girls. I will return.

This course never disappoints. Everything is top notch from the smallest details in the clubhouse, manicured grounds, and amazing golf course. Play it during twilight and most times you can get 18 holes in and you will not find more value for your dollar anywhere in the U.S.

Great job of promoting the pollution of Lake Michigan. Absolutely unacceptable. The government won't hold them accountable. But customers should.

Arcadia Bluffs is one of the best golf courses I have played, including the best of Pinehurst, Hilton Head, and several World Top 100 courses in Ireland. It is beautiful, yet playable by most players if the correct tee boxes are chosen. (Do not look at yardage, look at the slope!) Do not plan for a quick round, especially for your first time around. Pay attention to the GPS on the carts - very helpful! The Lodge rooms above the clubhouse are very well appointed, including superb showers that relax you after a round. The Restaurant staff was very professional and cordial. Overall, it is an experience well worth the money, and we will be returning at least semi-annually.

Great course, it was both challenging and forgiving. Greens were fast. The staff was great and the views were spectacular. Very windy course, I'm assuming being on the lake it's like that all of the time. Plays like a pro course from the tee's to the bunkers to the greens.

Fantastic course, lodge and restaurant. View from the room at the lodge extraordinary. Enjoyed sitting at 18 cheering on other golfers with a couple drinks. Throw in Lake Michigan and a bag piper playing. Just can t beat it!

Incredible course. Very difficult, but expectantly. Gorgeous views out across Lake Michigan. A definite must play at least once type course for anyone who can make it there.

Truly incredible! We just played on the 27th of October and were greeted with cart covers and small heaters on board...truly a class act!
The course is majestic to say the least...even during this time of year. We will be back over and over again to come play this beautiful place...possibly even stay the night on the grounds to fully experience the magic. Thank you Arcadia Bluffs for an amazing experience!

No doubt places with more history and nastalgia but hard to beat Arcadia Bluffs for scenery and service. Top notch staff and 5 Star rooms with lake views you can't beat.

The starters were rude they follow you almost every hole. There was no one behind us and they said you are 7 minutes behind could not enjoy golf or the course. Over priced go play Manistee National

Never a bad experience at Arcadia Bluffs. The course was in great shape. 35 degrees felt like 50 with the cart covers and heater. Arcadia Bluffs is definitely worth the drive.

Top notch dinner, holy mackerel! Window side view of the course and lake Michigan is awesome. Quiet and cool. Excellent service from Amber. Waiting for the sunset. Feel like a millionaire.

I don't believe there is a such beautiful place like Arcadia Bluffs.

Tremendous customer service, spectacular views, and world-class golf make this an all-around unforgettable experience. We will be back.

Wonderful course. Very challenging for a bogey golfer from white tees. Loved the bagpipes. Barely got done with 18 holes with one of first tee times for twilight rates. Need to take that into consideration with the rates.

Go. If you think the weather will be decent - just go. Unless your home course is Whistling Straits, Bandon Dunes, or a links course in the UK this place will enthrall you. Be sure to play the correct tees for your length, erring on the shorter side. Greens are unworldly fast so tone down your putts accordingly. This was 2x more expensive than any course I've ever played and, remarkably, it was worth it. I took two boxes of balls as insurance and lost only one ball. It is not a place to be if you cannot control your shot consistently. I was in only one bunker during my round but there are hazards everywhere including a 10 foot deep greenside bunker on #10. My non-golfing wife rode along and loved it. We did get pushed by an inconsiderate group behind us who could not see the group in front of us but addressed that problem after a couple holes. We had lunch in the clubhouse afterwards - good food, reasonably priced. The best golfing experience I've ever had. Good thing 'cause it didn't come cheap.

Everything (accommodations, food, staff and golf) was top notch! We played a round of magnificent sunset golf that we ll never forget! Also, on a personal note, I would like to thank Erin (front desk) who ensured my personal bag was overnighted to me after we accidentally left it behind. It included my wallet and other very important documents! I truly appreciate the turnaround time! Kudos to Arcadia for having such an amazing team member!

Great food. Great views. Great service. Easily handicapped accessible. A top notch experience. Will be back!

Excellent place for a 5 star rated golf club. A little pricey, but worth it. Seniors plat for less on Tuesdays.

Views are outstanding, the greens are extremely fast and smooth, definetly 2nd shot golf course.
Customer service is top notch and lodging is superb.

What a great place the best food I've eaten in many year's. Lamb chops were prepared to prefection. Had Scallops as well these were absolutely perfect the chef gets a perfect 10 on these. Was blown away the staff were terrific such a cool relaxed atmosphere did not think that still existed in this world. Love the Bluffs.

The views are spectacular...

My one criticism is that the USB power ports on the carts we had were not functioning...

My phone ran out of battery on the 8th hole and I missed out on some phenomenal pictures...

Hopefully you will remedy this soon...

Everything was really good. The staff were fantastic! The cooler situation was disappointing because we got plastic bags(due to covid), but the beer cart plenty of ice. I do think a picked up some chiggers around my ankles looking for balls, and not the only person. So I would recommend some bug spray, at least around your feet. Overall excellent.

As a golf enthusiast when I review a course I have played whether it be on google, tripadvisor, or any other rating system I review exactly what I am there for; golfing.

I played Arcadia Bluffs at the peak of the season this year and it had actually slipped my mind that my friends and I even played it this year. Which sparked this "6 month later" review.

As we talked about our golfing experience this past weekend at Arcadia it was exactly that; forgettable. The golf course was average compared to other courses throughout the region in the ~$200 range. It was maintained as expected when paying this price so we didn't have much to say about overall condition other than it was fine and it didn't effect gameplay. It is nice to see guests at a course pay attention to their divots on the fairway and fix balls marks on the green. That was a plus for us!

Difficultly of the course was average and if the wind wasn't around it would probably lose a few difficultly points. But Golf is about the natural elements of life so wind, weather and bugs are a mute point in any golf review.

They did a good job preserving what appears to be the natural contour of the landscape which is also a plus. Even if it was designed this way it doesn't appear to have been "sculpted". Which seemed to have created nice fairways.

The greens are on par with typical ~$200 clubs. No complaints and nothing that screams unique or one of a kind.

All in all, the golf (remember the GOLF) is average which is why I rated 3 stars.

I wasn't disappointed in my experience, actually, none of us were. We heard the hype and we decided to play. Will we replay in the future? We don't know.

We do visit Michigan often for golf as it is in our mind a "hidden gem" in the midwest. Plus it gets us out of the city! But I think we have our favorite Michigan course solidified with this trip! I wont name it and be disrespectful to Arcadia.

We have come to the conclusion that this is more of a site seeing experience than a golfing experience. If the golf was rated on the views it would be a 5 star course.

Our friends in Michigan constantly spoke so highly of the course and how spectacular it was and the views are coastal views. They are nice. But we, as golfers, go for golfing and not views. Regardless of the average golf play you cannot take anything away from the coastal location of this course it was very well placed.

If you haven't golfed it add it to your list of considerations for future seasons.

Hopefully my review helps.

**I forgot to add in one thing we did not like. Being rushed. We were keeping track of our pace of play and we were on par with normal pace yet their "ranger" seemed to hang around watching us. It was weird. That was probably the only actual complaint.

An amazing golf course. Well maintained, great layout and fun bunkers. It s the closest you can get to playing on an oceanfront course... in fact Lake Michigan looks like an ocean. The food was good, their smoked old fashion was gimmicky (I ve had better it wasn t the Iron Fish s fault) but you come for the golf. Can t wait to come back someday!

Awesome golf course. Better be straight and realize you are not playing on level land. One more requirement. Know how to putt!
Simply the best course I have seen. That includes Pebble Beach.