LOCATION: Roscommon, MI ADDRESS: 6376 Forest Dunes Dr YARDAGE: 7,104 yards ARCHITECTS: Tom Weiskopf YEAR OPENED: 2003 PHONE: (866) DUNES-MI WEBSITE: www.forestdunesgolf.com

There is a purity of both design and experience that resides at only a few modern golf clubs. Where designer Tom Weiskopf has stamped, very lightly, the imprint of golf on the wilderness beauty of the Huron National Forest. Forest Dunes stands out as a remarkable natural gift to players and residents. To play the course is to understand Golf Digest’s number 20 ranking under America’s 100 Greatest Courses you can play.

Only North America’s Great Lakes region could produce the sand dunes, pine forests, birch groves and grasslands that authenticate the name Forest Dunes. As an Audubon International Certified Gold Signature Sanctuary, one of only 16 in the world, Forest Dunes is formally entrusted with the conservation and preservation of this Great Lakes’ gift!

The challenge to players of all experience levels is as varied as the golf course and lake views enjoyed from woodland homes that are barely visible from the course.

“When you’ve finished playing 18 holes, you’ve used every club in your bag,” said General Manager Mark Gurnow, PGA. “No two holes are the same.”

The course length varies as well, with six tee placements stretching the layout from 3,000 yards at the junior tees to 7,100 from the tips. Forest Dunes also features a 19th hole, complete with a mid-green bunker, on which bets may be settled. Furthermore, members can brush up on their technique at the 20-acre practice facility, which features a dual-ended driving range, bunkered greens and a short game area that encourages practice from uneven lies.

Forest Dunes’ golf reputation is no local secret. Since opening several years ago, it has attracted members from Alaska to Florida and all points in between. Members enjoy luxurious men’s and women’s locker rooms, spa and fitness center, formal dining, grill dining, a bar and private meeting rooms in the soaring Adirondack-style clubhouse. A Stay and Play Foursome Package is a great way to enjoy the amenities available at Forest Dunes.