Pros:
Aesthetic--this is a beautiful course set in northern michigan old growth woods. That said, there is tons of scrub here that punish you for errant shots dearly. for gods sakes take the safety back onto the fairway!
Challenge--the challenge factor here is pretty high. not only is the course physically and mentally demanding, it makes you plan your next move before you make your first throw. Distinct landing zones on several holes add to the challenge factor. Think; severe dogleg 200ft down the fairway challenging.
Signage and routing--phenomenal. with three color signs leading to the three teepads (black, blue, red) routing is a breeze on this course. I will say however, the transition from hole #2 to ABC and #12 to DEF is a bit confusing. signs point you to the next blue and red tee (letters only have mids and shorts) and the black tee, but that is the black tee on the next numbered hole.
Distinct looks--not only does the course offer two to three tees on every hole, every tee has a distinct look at the basket. When I played, I played the mids (I was told I was crazy to do that the first time) but I found the mids to be fair par 3's or 4's most of the time. Distinct fairways (for different tees) on certain holes are a plus!
teepads--cement on the longs, rubber mats on the mids and shorts. all in decent condition with minimal tripping hazard. These could get slick when wet though.
Practice Basket--homemade but with a ton of ludington area history!!
Cons:
Listed in the pros as caveats to the positives. Possibly the stink of the foundry on the back 9?
Other Thoughts:
thanks to aikoadam and jim for guiding me, I will be back!!