Golf in 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.

The course at Lake Forest Golf Club keeps golfers of all abilities on their toes with two unique nines that wind through 176 acres of natural terrain, which helped earn it a spot as host of LPGA Futures Tour events for five years in a row. The links-style front nine lets big hitters pummel their drives without fear of getting permanently stuck in dense forestation or hearing the unsettling scream of a falling tree. Bookended by par 5s on holes one and nine, the front nine rewards long drives but requires that golfers remain nimble, as the second and eighth holes are both treacherous par 3s that punish improper club selection. Between the 9th and 10th tees, golfers see a rapid transformation from links-style to a back nine more reminiscent of northern Michigan, with tree-lined fairways, wetlands, and areas dotted with wildflowers. Here, course-management capabilities become starkly apparent, as golfers must repeatedly make the choice whether to lay up short of water, muscle shots over water onto the green, or wait for the next drought.

In addition to plenty of opportunities to take strokes that count, Lake Forest Golf Club encourages game improvement through risk-free practice strokes at its 5-acre practice facility. Players work on their entire games from long bombs off the tee on a three-tier driving range to short-game dexterity on two large putting greens, two sand bunkers, and a chipping area. Headed up by LPGA teaching professional Debbie Williams-Hoak, the facility also teaches the game through individual and group lessons with male and female instructors.

Course at a Glance:

• Par 72 course
• Length of 6,620 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 72.8 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 135 from the farthest tees
• Four tee options:m]]