FOREST DUNES LOOP COURSE EARNS BEST NEW HONORS

  MCQ’S DOME IN BOLINGBROOK is your place for indoor golf, horse racing and great food and drink. It’s also a Blackhawks Bar, see tonights game there vs the Minnesota Wild at 6 PM. McQ’s Dome is part of Mistwood Golf and McWethy’s Tavern at Mistwood, see Mcqsdome.com or call (630)-739-1592. The Schuamburg golf Club is now open for year round golf, try the simulators downstairs from the pro shop and Chandlers Chop House, Schaumburggolf.com or call (847)-885-9000 to make your tee time. Get your swing oiled by SwingOIL a golf energy supplement, used by Jason Day and many other top professional including U.S. Sr. Open Champion Gene Sauers, visit Swingoil.com.     ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Editor and Director of Content. Follow Rory to Forest Dunes and Around The Loop, on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter @GogBlogGuy.

EDITOR’S NOTE*** For more information on the Loop and the Forest Dunes Golf Club in Roscommon Michigan, visit BIG 3 Partner Len Ziehm at lenziehmongolf.com. and read his story posted today.

I played the Loop courses in both directions, Red and Black as they just opened for business in late June. I was a bigger fan of the Black Course and found it to be more playable than the Red Course. From what I learned, I was not alone in my feelings, but with a little touch up by architect Tom Doak and his associates there is no reason that the Red Course can’t be as stellar as the Black routing is. Site lines and approach shots on the Black Course were both better in the courses opening days. That will change if it hasn’t already.

Welcome to Forest Dunes one of Michigan’s best golf facilities.

Forest Dunes already has a Top 100 golf course from it’s first design, done by Tom Weiskopf,

The clubhouse and lodge are fantastic and the new cottages are made for golfers just wanting to relax between rounds. Forest Dunes is what a golf destination should be.

Last summer rounds were restricted as the grass was still growing in, this year that should no longer be a problem. The Loop winning the Best new course honors from Golf Digest and Golf Magazine is very well deserved. RS

The 18th green on the Loop, serves as the 18th green for both courses.

Golf Digest and Golf Magazine have named the 18-hole reversible course designed by Tom Doak as the Best New Public Course You Can Play.

“This truly an honor to be recongnized by both of golf’s leading publications,” Forest Dunes owner Lew Thompson said.

“When we decided to build our next golf course, I wanted something industry changing, and yet fun for everyone. Tom Doak delivered by providing us some of his best work, and feedback by our guests has been tremendous. The genius of the concept is how it looks and plays completely different when you play the other direction.”

The only thing that is the same on the Black or Red design, is the Loop’s tee markers.

” I could just drive over from Traverse City in the morning and tinker with two different greens the same day, and still get home to sleep in my own bed,” smiled Doak. “So it all came together a lot faster than having to go to New Zealand and back. Even though we had to think two approach shots for every green.”

The Loop course is 36 holes built into 18, with it playing one direction one day, and the reverse way the next day. So golfers play the course as Black-clockwise and Red counter-clockwise.

“Tom’s reversible course concept changed our business model from a simple stop on the way to a single golf course, to a leading golf destination with a three-course experience different from anything else in the world right now,” said Thompson.

The Loop with it’s reversible design is walking only course and caddies are always an option. The course direction flips every day to the other direction.

Forest Dunes 3 courses, clubhouse, lodge and cottages are snuggled into over 1300 acres that make up part of the Huron National Forest. Chad Maveus who hails from the west suburban Chicago area and played college golf at Northern Illinois University is the properties general manager.

It’s believed that the Loop Course will not be the last course built at Forest Dunes, stay tuned for details on this emerging golf destination. Visit Forestdunesgolf.com or follow Forest Dunes on Twitter @forestdunesgolf.

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About Rory Spears

Rory spent over 8 years growing up working at Rob Roy Golf Club in Prospect Hts.IL, then two years at Chevy Chase in Wheeling. He has covered golf in Chicago since 1986. Rory was one of the initial members of WSCR all-sports radio Chicago and covered golf there for 5 seasons, before moving on to work for ESPN/Sportsticker and ESPN Radio. In addition to hosting Golfers on Golf Radio on WCPT AM820 Chicago, he writes for both the Chicago District (CDGA) Magazine, and formerly Chicagoland Golf. Rory has played over 525 courses in 39 states, and rates golf courses. He does golf course management and communications consulting, within the golf industry.