Golf in East Lansing

The Links at Whitmore Lake challenges seasoned swingers and golf greenhorns alike with 18 diverse holes spanning meticulously manicured fairways. The picturesque course, designed by William Newcomb, boasts arbor-lined greens, five boardwalks, and scenic water hazards along 254 acres, nearly one-half of which is protected wetlands. Golfers can hone their skills while chipping out of pesky sand traps and tremor holes, and masterfully avoid stepping on cracks that break mothers' backs by rolling over them in the included golf cart.

As the sun rises each morning, the smell of dew summons golfers to Orchard Hills Golf Course, a scenic, 27-hole complex with one 18-hole course and a separate, 9-hole track. Cleaved through 6,026 yards of tree-lined terrain, the 18-hole monolith requires precise play and whispered Ralph Waldo Emerson quotes to conquer its topographical challenges. The par 72 layout showcases multiple memorable shots, including forced carries onto water-protected greens on both the second and fourth holes.

Slightly shorter than the other two nines, the East course blankets the countryside with a straightforward layout that begins with a tricky, 425-yard right dogleg. A staff of golf pros presides over Orchard Hills’ pro shop, where guests can upgrade their equipment, schedule a lesson to hone swings, or learn to read greens written in their doctor’s handwriting.

18-Hole Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Length of 6,026 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 68.0 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 116 from the farthest tees
• Three tee options

Sculpted into the landscape a half-century ago, Arrowhead Golf Course enhances the native scenery with dense tree lines that frame every hole and creeks and ponds that bisect lush fairways. The front nine features more straight-on layouts with undulating greens, and the back nine can test any bag of trick sticks with numerous ponds and sweeping doglegs on the final two holes. On the par 4 18th hole, the course’s hardest rated hole, a dogleg left is guarded by an oak tree at the bend that swats shots trying to cut the corner and a fairway-splitting stream that lures thirsty golf balls.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course

• 6,188 yards from the farthest set of tees

• Three tee options

• See details on each hole

The Polo Fields Golf Course & Country Club encompasses two locations—one in Ann Arbor and one in Ypsilanti—each with its own 18-hole course and refined clubhouse. Designed by renowned architect William Newcomb, the par 72 Ann Arbor course channels the blustery hillocks and grass-eating bagpipes of courses in the United Kingdom with a 6,828-yard layout featuring broad, links-inspired fairways and deviously slick greens. A community fixture for nearly a century, the Washtenaw course takes clubbers on a verdant voyage among native oaks and cedars, burbling streams, and tranquil ponds. Both sites house fully stocked pro shops, where guests can peruse the latest in on-course duds, clubs, hats, and remote-controlled golf balls from brands such as TaylorMade, Adidas, FootJoy, and Titleist.

Guests can bask in views of the splendid links while enjoying regionally inspired American fare and frothy drinks at the clubs’ two dining facilities, both of which feature settings for a variety of occasions. Swimmers can stroke through the outdoor lap pool at the Washtenaw location, and sunbathers can lounge by the colossal, resort-style pool in Ann Arbor. Within the Ann Arbor fitness center, hearts race on elliptical machines, muscles pump free weights, and calories melt during group fitness classes, before muscles soak in the warm, golf-ball-free waters of the hot tub.

Ann Arbor Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Length of 6,828 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 73.3 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 141 from the farthest tees
• Four tee options
• Link to scorecard

Washtenaw Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Length of 6,524 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 71.7 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 135 from the farthest tees
• Four tee options
• Link to scorecard

Dietz Creek Golf Range promotes on-course improvement with a multifaceted golf practice and service facility. Flush drives pierce the atmosphere above the course’s 300-yard driving range, where grass tees accommodate those who prefer a natural feel and turf mats cater to pacifistic 5-irons who consider divots barbaric. To fine-tune their short-game feel, players can chip balls at the short-game area or splash them out of the practice bunker. Inside, the darkened wonderland of Dietz’ Creek’s glo golf course invites guests to steer orbs across a black-lit circuit of rail-lined corridors teeming with obstacles including tricky ramps, a loopty loop, and swooping pterodactyls.

Draped over the tree-spotted hillocks of the Michigan countryside, Meridian Sun Golf Club's 6,090-yard course welcomes golfers to hit through its pristine fairways and enjoy its natural splendor. The course eases players into the round with a wide-open, straightaway front nine before challenging swings and waggling sand wedges with a shorter back nine populated by multiple water-lined holes. Risk-reward shot opportunities await throughout the round, including the tee shot on the par-3 13th, where balls must clear nearly 190 yards of water on their way to the green. Club owner and PGA professional Bill Mory—whose golf career spans multiple decades and includes playing in the PGA Tour's Buick Open, where players ride in 1950s Buick Skylarks in place of golf carts—presides over the grounds, conducting lessons at practice facilities that include a 4,000-square-foot practice green and a driving range with 15 hitting stalls. After rounds, golfers can bask in the sunset at the patio of Khakis Restaurant, the club's on-site grill.:m]]

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole course
• Par 70 from men's tees; par 71 from ladies' tees
• Length of 6,090 yards from the farthest tees
• Link to scorecard