Arcadia Bluffs South Course
The second course at Arcadia is a complete change of character. Dana Fry and Jason Straka opened the South in 2018 as a deliberate tribute to Chicago Golf Club, all square greens, rectangular bunkers and bold template strategy, an inland counterpoint to the windswept cliffs of the original Bluffs.
Photo: Arcadia Bluffs South Course via Google, by Kevin S.
The verdict
The South Course is one of the most distinctive new builds in American golf, a knowing homage to the geometric school of Charles Blair Macdonald and Seth Raynor. Fry and Straka opened it in 2018 on open, rolling ground a few minutes inland from the original course, and gave it square greens, steep faced rectangular bunkers and a set of template holes that reward angles and bravery over brute force. Where the Bluffs is wild coastal links, the South is a clean, strategic parkland puzzle.
For the traveling golfer it is the reason Arcadia became a true two course destination rather than a one round detour. The contrast between the two courses is the whole point: play the Bluffs in the wind on the cliffs, then test your strategy on the South's templates, and you have one of the most varied 36 hole days in the Midwest. It is a course built to be studied and replayed, and it rewards a thoughtful player who picks the right line.
Arcadia Bluffs South Course at a glance
- Opened
- 2018
- Designer
- Fry/Straka
- Type
- Strategic parkland
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- About 7,400 yds
- Green fee
- From around $125
Designer, opening year, par and length verified June 2026 from the club and leading course databases. The South Course is a Dana Fry and Jason Straka design of about 7,400 yards, par 72, opened in 2018 as a tribute to Chicago Golf Club with square greens and geometric bunkering. Indicative 2026 green fees run from around 125 dollars in the shoulder months to roughly 250 dollars at peak summer, with twilight rates. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The South wears its influences proudly, and a golfer who knows the classic template holes will recognize old friends across the round. The Redan style par 3 asks you to use the slope and run the ball to a falling green, while the Biarritz plays over a deep swale to a long putting surface that turns a missed yardage into a hard two putt. These are holes you can play a dozen ways depending on the pin and your nerve.
The square greens and the steep, geometric bunkers are the visual signature, but the real challenge is in the angles. Drives must be placed on the correct side of the fairway to open the best line in, and the bold contours mean an approach to the wrong section leaves a putt that is half the test of the hole. There is no wind off a lake here to blame; the strategy is laid out in front of you, and the scorecard is honest about how well you read it.
The conditioning is excellent and the greens roll quick and true, which is essential on surfaces this contoured. The South is a course that gets better the more you play it, as you learn where to miss and which lines unlock the templates, and it is the perfect strategic foil to a windy day on the Bluffs.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Open to the public in season, usually played alongside the Bluffs as a 36 hole stay and play, with packages for guests in the on site lodging |
| Green fee | Around 125 dollars in shoulder months up to roughly 250 dollars at peak summer, with twilight rates (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | Reserve online or by phone through the club; the two course days fill quickly in high summer |
| On the day | Walking with a caddie suits the strategy; a collared shirt and the usual resort dress; the open ground can still catch the breeze |
| Getting there | Near Bear Lake, a short drive inland from the Bluffs Course, about 45 minutes from Traverse City's Cherry Capital Airport |
| Best months | Roughly April through November, with high summer the most reliable for warm, settled weather and firm greens |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with the club or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
The on site lodging at Arcadia Bluffs is the obvious base, keeping you minutes from both courses and making a 36 hole day easy to arrange. Most golfers who travel to play the South do so as part of a stay and play that takes in the Bluffs as well.
Beyond the club, the towns of Frankfort and Traverse City sit within easy reach for more dining and a wider hotel choice, and the wineries and lake beaches give a non golfing group plenty to do. We can build the lodging and the routing around the rounds you want.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts around Arcadia and Traverse City.
Build an Arcadia Bluffs golf trip
We build a 36 hole trip around the South and the Bluffs, add the best of northern Michigan within reach and sort lodging, transfers and tee times. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Arcadia Bluffs South Course questions
Who designed the South Course at Arcadia Bluffs and when did it open?
The South Course was designed by Dana Fry and Jason Straka of Fry/Straka and opened in 2018 near Bear Lake, a short drive inland from the original Bluffs Course. It is a deliberate tribute to Chicago Golf Club in the Macdonald and Raynor tradition.
What makes the South Course different from the Bluffs Course?
The South Course is a parkland tribute to the geometric Macdonald and Raynor style, with square greens, rectangular flat bottomed bunkers and template holes, set inland on open ground. The Bluffs Course is a windswept links style layout on the cliffs above Lake Michigan. They are deliberately contrasting experiences.
What is the par and length of the South Course?
The South Course is a par 72 that plays to about 7,400 yards from the championship tees. The geometric bunkering and bold green contours make angles and strategy more important than raw length.
How much does it cost to play the South Course in 2026?
Indicative 2026 green fees run from around 125 dollars in the shoulder months up to roughly 250 dollars at peak summer, broadly in line with the Bluffs Course, with twilight rates available. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.