The Bluffs Course: Golf in Arcadia, Michigan

Michigan's M-22 runs through Arcadia, leading north to Elberta and south to Onekama, according to Wikipedia. Road distances from the Bluffs Course, by OSRM routing: Manistee County Blacker Airport (MBL) is 16.4 miles south; Frankfort Dow Memorial Airport (FKS) is 16.0 miles north; Cherry Capital Airport (TVC) in Traverse City, the practical commercial gateway, is 51.8 miles northeast; Manistee, the county seat, is 20.9 miles south. Arcadia Bluffs offers complimentary transportation to and from local airports for its guests.

Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club's own site credits "Course Designer Warren Henderson"; Golf Digest's record for the course credits "Warren Henderson/Rick Smith." Both credits are current and neither source amends the other. The operator's own account of the course's origin: "construction of Arcadia Bluffs began in 1997 and was completed in 1999. The clubhouse opened on July 4th and the golf course to limited play on Labor Day." Golf Digest records the Bluffs Course's year opened as 1999.

Golf Digest lists the Bluffs Course as Daily Fee, not private, and displays it publicly. The operator states: "The Bluffs Course is open to the public seven days a week April through November each year." Both of the operator's own pages agree, live in 2026: the Bluffs Course's stated 2026 operating season is April 1 – November 30. This guide makes no claim about whether the course is open on any specific date; its online tee sheet is a script-driven booking application that could not be read for this guide.

The club's Policies page states, verbatim: "Reservations are required, however, walk-on players will be accommodated when possible. All guests must register in the Golf Shop prior to starting their round." "Reservations may be made within current calendar year. All reservations must be guaranteed with a credit card." "Reservations canceled within 7 days of tee time result in a 100% per player charge (cancellation policy may vary depending on group size)." "The golf course is open to all pre-registered guests and walk-ons when appropriate." "Special Events, both private and public, supersede all reservations." The club's FAQ gives that cancellation clause as a four-tier schedule: 11 players or less, 7 days prior; 12–19 players, 14 days prior; 20–39 players, 30 days prior; 40 or more players, 60 days prior. The Rates page states a different, three-tier version of the same policy: groups under 11 players, 7 days; groups of 12–19 players, 14 days; groups of 20 or more players, 30 days. There is no membership at Arcadia Bluffs: Golf Digest classifies the Bluffs Course as Daily Fee, and the operator's own rate card is a public, per-person schedule with no member tier.

The 2026 Rates page lists peak-season green fees of $285 for eighteen holes, June 1 through October 4, 2026, plus a $75 non-player rider fee, before applicable taxes and fees; shoulder-season rates start at $135 in April 2026.

Arcadia Bluffs' second publicly accessible course, the South Course, sits at 13637 Northwood Hwy, Bear Lake, Michigan 49614, and books through its own "Book Tee Time" link. Dana Fry and Jason Straka designed it, and it opened in 2018. Golf Digest's Best in State 2025-'26 Michigan list ranks it #7, with a 100 Greatest Public position of #53. Its PGA Head Golf Professional is Dustin Darling and its superintendent is Noah Wiles. The South Course's stated 2026 operating season is April 1 – October 31 — a month shorter than the Bluffs Course's November 30, and the two courses' seasons are not the same. Of its clubhouse dining, the operator states: "The casual full-service concept features carefully crafted comfort cuisine perfect for any occasion. The restaurant is located on the second floor of our stunning South Course clubhouse."

Arcadia Bluffs' own lodging descriptions, live in 2026: The Lodge is "located on the second level of the beautiful Nantucket coastal estate-style clubhouse, and accommodates 15 comfortably appointed guest rooms with 1 King bed each and 1 Suite." The Bluffs Lodge "offers 21 comfortable guest rooms with 2 queen beds, as well as a state of the art workout facility." The Cottages are "1900 square foot, four bedroom, four bath cottages." Arcadia Bluffs also operates The Porch at The Dozen, which serves "a full menu of unique sandwiches, burgers, and Dozen Delicacies."