A little over two years ago, The Loop, Tom Doak's reversible golf course in Roscommon, MI opened for limited public play. The date was June 27, 2016. The course, or should I say courses, is a part of the Forest Dunes Resort and in fact, is right across the street from the resort's signature course.
There is nothing like it in North America and while certainly there may be other examples, I am aware of only one other 18 hole example in the entire world--arguably the most iconic course in the world, The Old Course at St. Andrews, was built to be played in two directions.
I was scheduled to play The Loop in August, 2016 along with several friends but an unfortunate medical issue caused me to surrender my slot. My friends who did get to sample the course reported it was not quite ready for public play as there were many areas of the course that lacked grass.
Fast-forward to the last week of August, 2018 when I finally was able to see the course for myself.
I was a part of a group from Coyote Creek Golf Club in Fort Wayne, IN who scheduled a three day, two night stay at Forest Dunes Resort. We would stay in one of the cottages onsite and play one round of golf on the Forest Dunes course each day from Monday to Wednesday. And I, as the only walker in the group who had yet to play The Loop course, would add a morning round on Monday and Tuesday before joining the others for the afternoon round.
My round at The Loop's Black Course was scheduled to begin at 8:03 A.M. Monday. We were staying in Mt. Pleasant, MI and severe storms began during the overnight hours. I left the hotel at 6:00 A.M.for the 80 minute drive and drove at a reduced speed through persistent thunderstorms nearly the whole way. When I arrived at the resort, I immediately checked with the pro shop to determine the likelihood I'd be able to play. Having already played the Forest Dunes course several times, my plan was to forgo rounds on that course if necessary to be sure I could play both the Black and Red routings of The Loop.
I had the good fortune of being the only scheduled round on the course until 10:30. I knew I could walk the course in two and a half hours and still make the afternoon tee time with the rest of the group. So that gave me some time to allow the rains to subside a bit.
There is nothing like it in North America and while certainly there may be other examples, I am aware of only one other 18 hole example in the entire world--arguably the most iconic course in the world, The Old Course at St. Andrews, was built to be played in two directions.
I was scheduled to play The Loop in August, 2016 along with several friends but an unfortunate medical issue caused me to surrender my slot. My friends who did get to sample the course reported it was not quite ready for public play as there were many areas of the course that lacked grass.
Fast-forward to the last week of August, 2018 when I finally was able to see the course for myself.
I was a part of a group from Coyote Creek Golf Club in Fort Wayne, IN who scheduled a three day, two night stay at Forest Dunes Resort. We would stay in one of the cottages onsite and play one round of golf on the Forest Dunes course each day from Monday to Wednesday. And I, as the only walker in the group who had yet to play The Loop course, would add a morning round on Monday and Tuesday before joining the others for the afternoon round.
My round at The Loop's Black Course was scheduled to begin at 8:03 A.M. Monday. We were staying in Mt. Pleasant, MI and severe storms began during the overnight hours. I left the hotel at 6:00 A.M.for the 80 minute drive and drove at a reduced speed through persistent thunderstorms nearly the whole way. When I arrived at the resort, I immediately checked with the pro shop to determine the likelihood I'd be able to play. Having already played the Forest Dunes course several times, my plan was to forgo rounds on that course if necessary to be sure I could play both the Black and Red routings of The Loop.
I had the good fortune of being the only scheduled round on the course until 10:30. I knew I could walk the course in two and a half hours and still make the afternoon tee time with the rest of the group. So that gave me some time to allow the rains to subside a bit.
The Loop
Tom Doak, The Loop's architect, had his idea for a reversible course in his back pocket for many years and when Forest Dunes Resort owner Lew Thompson hired him to create a complimentary course to Tom Weiskopf's Forest Dunes design, Doak completed an initial routing. Convinced he finally had the relatively flat and open piece of land to make his concept work, he presented the idea to Thompson and it was full speed ahead.
Why the need for a flat piece of relatively open land? Doak explained that hilly land could lead to blind shots in one direction or the other and trees out of play in one direction may be an issue in the other direction. As it turned out, there is only one hole where a shot to a green is blind and that is the second shot into the 18th hole of the Red course.
Key to the design are The Loop's greens which are accessible from 360 degrees. Because of this, there are no crazy undulations or contours.
The Loop's Black routing plays clockwise and the next day, its Red routing uses the same greens and plays counterclockwise. These courses, built on well-draining soil are "walking only."
Why the need for a flat piece of relatively open land? Doak explained that hilly land could lead to blind shots in one direction or the other and trees out of play in one direction may be an issue in the other direction. As it turned out, there is only one hole where a shot to a green is blind and that is the second shot into the 18th hole of the Red course.
Key to the design are The Loop's greens which are accessible from 360 degrees. Because of this, there are no crazy undulations or contours.
The Loop's Black routing plays clockwise and the next day, its Red routing uses the same greens and plays counterclockwise. These courses, built on well-draining soil are "walking only."
What You Need to Know About The Loop
White Yardage for Black Course Red Yardage for Red Course Here are the main conventions governing play at The Loop as explained by my starter for both days, Jim.
First, the teeing areas are marked by three stakes, each with a different colored flag. You can play the front, middle, or back tees. The courses are not difficult. Even from the back tees, the slope is 124/125 and the course rating is 71.7/71.9 (Black/Red). You tee the ball one club length from either side of the stake.
Sprinkler heads are marked with two yardages; in white for the yardages on the Black Course and in red for the yardages on the Red Course.
Each green has three possible pin locations and you are given a pin placement card along with a scorecard. You play to white flags on the front nine and to red flags on the back nine, just like the Old Course at St. Andrews.
Generally speaking, the Black Course tees will be left of the green you just played and the Red Course tees will be right of the green you just played.
The Black Course plays generally clockwise and the Red Course plays generally counterclockwise.
This course has amazing drainage. Although it rained all night and into the morning, the sand/gravel base made it played hard and fast with very good footing.
If you are going to play this course without a caddie, I highly suggest you obtain the yardage book. It is without question, one of the coolest yardage books in golf. It is two yardage books in one (as Tom Doak says). Open it up to hole 1 of the Black course and turn it 180 degrees to see hole 18 of the Red course. It is ingenious!
First, the teeing areas are marked by three stakes, each with a different colored flag. You can play the front, middle, or back tees. The courses are not difficult. Even from the back tees, the slope is 124/125 and the course rating is 71.7/71.9 (Black/Red). You tee the ball one club length from either side of the stake.
Sprinkler heads are marked with two yardages; in white for the yardages on the Black Course and in red for the yardages on the Red Course.
Each green has three possible pin locations and you are given a pin placement card along with a scorecard. You play to white flags on the front nine and to red flags on the back nine, just like the Old Course at St. Andrews.
Generally speaking, the Black Course tees will be left of the green you just played and the Red Course tees will be right of the green you just played.
The Black Course plays generally clockwise and the Red Course plays generally counterclockwise.
This course has amazing drainage. Although it rained all night and into the morning, the sand/gravel base made it played hard and fast with very good footing.
If you are going to play this course without a caddie, I highly suggest you obtain the yardage book. It is without question, one of the coolest yardage books in golf. It is two yardage books in one (as Tom Doak says). Open it up to hole 1 of the Black course and turn it 180 degrees to see hole 18 of the Red course. It is ingenious!
My Rounds on The Loop
There was still a persistent drizzle when I began my Monday morning round on The Loop Black. After instructions from the starter, I was off at 8:40.
The Black Course is a less traditional setup. The early holes are tough while the later holes are easier. Par for the front nine is 34 and for the back, 36. The course is fairly flat until you make the turn where there is a series of holes with ups and downs.
I was finally able to remove my rain gear on the 15th tee and predictably, with a temperature in the 70's with high humidity, I was soaked to the bone with sweat. Gore-Tex keeps the rain out and the sweat in!
As I expected, I played in exactly two and a half hours and was off the course by 10:10 A.M. with plenty of time to enjoy a burger, fries and Arnold Palmer at the clubhouse grill before joining the other members of the party for the afternoon round on the Forest Dunes course.
I played the Red Course on Tuesday morning in perfect walking weather. It was near 60 degrees, overcast, and I played in short sleeves and shorts. Because the weather was so good, I was able to play in two hours and 10 minutes, finishing as the sun came out.
The Red Course begins with some easy holes, has the same ups and downs as the Black Course at the turn, and ends with four tougher holes including an uphill blind shot to the 18th green. Like the Black, its par is 70 but the front nine has a par of 36 and the back, a par of 34.
Each day when I finished, there were large groups of golfers on the practice green waiting to head out, some with caddies, some with push carts, and not very many with their bags on their backs.
The Loop is an exciting but complicated design. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It does take some getting used to but there is no doubt you will enjoy it more with each succeeding round.
You can play The Loop as a resort guest. Within the package we had on that late August trip, each round cost $85.
If you are a walking golfer, you must place The Loop on your bucket list and by all means, play it on successive days to gain an appreciation for the design genius it took to make the concept work.
The Black Course is a less traditional setup. The early holes are tough while the later holes are easier. Par for the front nine is 34 and for the back, 36. The course is fairly flat until you make the turn where there is a series of holes with ups and downs.
I was finally able to remove my rain gear on the 15th tee and predictably, with a temperature in the 70's with high humidity, I was soaked to the bone with sweat. Gore-Tex keeps the rain out and the sweat in!
As I expected, I played in exactly two and a half hours and was off the course by 10:10 A.M. with plenty of time to enjoy a burger, fries and Arnold Palmer at the clubhouse grill before joining the other members of the party for the afternoon round on the Forest Dunes course.
I played the Red Course on Tuesday morning in perfect walking weather. It was near 60 degrees, overcast, and I played in short sleeves and shorts. Because the weather was so good, I was able to play in two hours and 10 minutes, finishing as the sun came out.
The Red Course begins with some easy holes, has the same ups and downs as the Black Course at the turn, and ends with four tougher holes including an uphill blind shot to the 18th green. Like the Black, its par is 70 but the front nine has a par of 36 and the back, a par of 34.
Each day when I finished, there were large groups of golfers on the practice green waiting to head out, some with caddies, some with push carts, and not very many with their bags on their backs.
The Loop is an exciting but complicated design. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It does take some getting used to but there is no doubt you will enjoy it more with each succeeding round.
You can play The Loop as a resort guest. Within the package we had on that late August trip, each round cost $85.
If you are a walking golfer, you must place The Loop on your bucket list and by all means, play it on successive days to gain an appreciation for the design genius it took to make the concept work.
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