Forest Dunes Golf Club (The Loop)

Forest Dunes Golf Club (The Loop) is a public 36-hole facility in Michigan that offers two distinct routings over the same piece of land — the Black and the Red — each playing in opposite directions around the shared layout. The Black routing plays clockwise, using white flags on the front nine and red flags on the back, echoing the flag system used at St Andrews. Par on the front side is just 34, with three short holes and a single par-5. Holes 4 through 8 offer the best birdie opportunities, while a demanding stretch from the 9th through the 16th tests patience before a more forgiving close. The Red routing plays counter-clockwise, with red flags out and white flags back. It follows a more traditional arc, easing golfers in before the challenge sharpens between holes 8 and 11. The short par-4 12th is deceptively dangerous for the greedy, and the final four holes make for a tough finish.