The secret isn’t so much of a secret anymore: Michigan has no shortage of some of the top golf courses you’ll find in the country.
One of the best things about Michigan’s pristine golf courses is that many of them are open to the public, so you don’t have to be a member to tee off.
Whether hugging Lake Michigan’s shoreline, tucked away in a northern forest or in the heart of Ann Arbor, Michigan boasts some of best public-access courses in the country.
To help create your ultimate Michigan golfing checklist, Golfweek released its 2026 rankings of Best Courses You can Play list. The courses list, which includes all 50 states, featured 20 from Michigan, from the Upper Peninsula down to Benton Harbor.
Northern Michigan, particularly the western edge of the state, dominated the list, with 13 great courses North of Cadillac. The first seven of the list all hail from Northern Michigan or the U.P. in the state.
All of the courses on the list allow the public in some fashion, whether that’s standard daily green fees, through a resort or by staying at an affiliated hotel.
Golfweek’s lists featured hundreds of members of a course-ratings panel, evaluating 10 criteria points for each course.
KEY: (m) modern, built in 1960 or after; (c) classic, built before 1960.
* indicates new or returning to the rankings
Michigan’s best public-access courses
1. Arcadia Bluffs (Bluffs)
Arcadia (m)
2. Marquette Golf Club (Greywalls)
Marquette (m) – book your round today
3. Forest Dunes (The Loop Red & Black)
Roscommon (m) – book your round today
T4. Arcadia Bluffs (South)
Arcadia (m)
T4. Forest Dunes (Forest Dunes)
Roscommon (m) – book your round today
6. Boyne’s Bay Harbor (Links/Quarry)
Bay Harbor (m)
7. Belvedere
Charlevoix (c) – book your round today
8. Eagle Eye
Bath (m) – book your round today
T9. Island Resort and Casino (Sweetgrass)
Harris (m)
T9. Gull Lake View Resort (Stoatin Brae)
Augusta (m) – book your round today
11. American Dunes
Grand Haven (m) – book your round today
12. Pilgrim’s Run
Pierson (m) – book your round today
13. University of Michigan Golf Course
Ann Arbor (c) – book your round today
14. Tullymore Golf Resort (Tullymore)
Stanwood (m) – book your round today
15. Sage Run
Bark River (m)
16. Harbor Shores
Benton Harbor (m) – book your round today
17. Boyne Highlands (Arthur Hills)
Harbor Springs (m)
18. Hidden River Golf & Casting Club
Brutus (m) – book your round today
19. Pine Mountain Resort (Timber Stone)
Iron Mountain (m) – book your round today
20. Treetops (Smith Signature)*
Gaylord (m) – book your round today
Reach Sports Editor Drew Kochanny at dkochanny@petoskeynews.com and follow him on X @DrewKochanny and Instagram @drewkochanny
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Top 20 Michigan public golf courses you can play in Golfweek rankings
Reporting by Drew Kochanny, The Petoskey News-Review / The Petoskey News-Review
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Drew Kochanny, The Petoskey News-Review | USA TODAY Network
