THE LOOP Reversible Design Offers Unique Golf Experience
Tom Doak's innovative design continues to captivate golfers looking for the ultimate buddy trip
By Brian Weis
Roscommon, MI - Forest Dunes, the award-winning golf destination located in northern Michigan, has evolved into one of the most unique golf experiences in the country. Featuring Tom Doak's reversible design (The LOOP) and one of Tom Weiskopf's best course creations, Forest Dunes is truly one of a kind.
The LOOP opened in 2016 to rave reviews across the industry. Golf Digest named it the Best New Public Course, and GOLF Magazine named it the Best New U.S. Course You Can Play. The two different layouts, Black-clockwise and Red-counter clockwise, alternate directions on a daily basis.
New for 2019; The LOOP will allow golf carts. The course was designed for walking and is especially walker-friendly, and golfers can choose to enhance their experience with the professional caddie fleet offered by CADDIEMASTER, the world's leading caddie company.
Head golf professional Elliott Oscar said adding carts to the mix, however, opens the opportunity to experience the unique design for more golfers.
"The Loop is one of the most unique golf courses in the world and the only true 18-hole reversible design and while we believe walking is how it is meant to be played, and a caddie is the fun and unique way to experience it, we do not want to exclude anyone from this bucket list opportunity due to health, age, or ability," explained Oscar.
Forest Dunes will again offer the popular golf opportunity called THE DUAL, in which golfers play The LOOP in both directions in one day.
With The LOOP'S normal rotation of alternating routings on a daily basis (Red on even dates and Black on odd dates) there are three months (May, July, August) with 31-days where the even/odd schedule does not work, which created this unique opportunity. The DUAL days include a two-person best-ball team event, where golfers play one direction (course) in the morning, then play the other direction (course) in the afternoon for a 36-hole one-day experience. Lunch and dinner are included at a cost of $300.00 - $350.00 per person. Visit https://www.forestdunesgolf.com/golf/book-a-tee-time/golf-events for more information.
The LOOP is the only reversible course of its kind using 18-green complexes, which are the heart and soul of the unique design. Doak showed his genius as this generation's iconic designer creating fun green complexes that had to be approachable and interesting from 360 degrees, while at the same time making it feel like you are never playing the wrong way.
He and his team accomplished it throughout the golf course in both directions. Golfers marvel at No. 6 of the Red Course (counter-clockwise), a very short par-3 with a wide and shallow green, and the seventh, a short par-4 with a long and narrow green that has a dip in the middle of it. Those two holes are also among the best holes playing clockwise coming into the greens from 90-degrees.
Doak also added his version of a Redan hole, which is No. 4 of the Red Course, a par 3, and plays as the Redan green on No. 13 of the Black Course (clock-wise), the longest par 3 on the course.
The LOOP has to be played to be believed and Forest Dunes offers unique stay-and-play packages to make it happen.
Golfers can experience a 54-hole package over two or three days playing The LOOP (red or Black) one day, then the playing other direction the next day, combined with the award-winning Forest Dunes layout. New for 2019 is the exciting HillTop Putting Course, a two-acre 18-hole putting course routed over some fun undulating terrain and pines. Dinner outdoors on the patio under the western cedar pavilion caps off a great day of golf.
To build a unique Forest Dunes package with golf and lodging, simply combine the Lake AuSable Lodge, golf cottages, or the new golf villas with the Forest Dunes and Loop courses. Lodging rates can range depending on the time of the season and room type from $69 to $159 per person. Golf rates, depending on the time of season, range from $85 to $160.
In addition, Forest Dunes is providing a tribute rate during the summer months on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays on both courses for $100 for military, first responders, seniors (55 and over), ladies, and teachers.
For more information and to book a stay and play package, click on https://www.forestdunesgolf.com/golf/book-a-tee-time/rates
Revised: 05/07/2019 - Article Viewed 10,429 Times
- View Course Profile
About: Brian Weis
Brian Weis is the Publisher of GolfTrips.com, a network of golf travel and directory sites including GolfWisconsin.com, GolfMichigan.com, ArizonaGolfer.com, GolfAlabama.com, etc. Professionally, Brian is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA) and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG). In 2016, Brian won The Shaheen Cup, an award given to a golf travel writer by his peers.
All of his life, Brian has been around the game of golf. As a youngster, Brian competed at all levels in junior and high school golf. Brian had a zero chance for a college golf scholarship, so he worked on the grounds crew at West Bend Country Club to pay for his University of Wisconsin education. In his adult years, his passion for the game collided with his entrepreneurial spirit and in 2004 launched GolfWisconsin.com. In 2007, the idea for a network of local golf directory sites formed and GolfTrips.com was born. Today, the network consists of a site in all 50 states supported by national sites like GolfTrips.com, GolfGuide.com and GolfPackages.com. It is an understatement to say, Brian is passionate about promoting golf and golf travel on a local, regional, national and international level.
On the golf course, Brian is known as a fierce weekend warrior that fluctuates between a 5-9 handicap. With a soft fade, known as "The Weis Slice", and booming 300+ drives, he can blast it out of bounds with the best of them.
Contact Brian Weis:
GolfTrips.com - Publisher and Golf Traveler
262-255-7600