Michigan west coast - extended Labor Day weekend?

[InnocentCrook]

Semi-last minute planning...

My wife and I planned on taking our daughters on a fall vacation to Shenandoah NP, but as it turns out, their new school doesn't have a fall break other than the 2 days off around Thanksgiving.

So that had us scrambling for ideas for a somewhat close (think 1 day drive) road trip around the Labor Day weekend. (Probably Aug 30-Sept 4.) My wife got a suggestion from some coworkers and friends for Michigan's west coast for a relaxing Lake Michigan beaches/dunes. Myself, understanding the quality of DG in the region quickly suggested a few areas I knew would put me near the Ludington courses/Flip City. We haven't pinned down an exact location yet, but suffice to say we'll very likely be somewhere between Muskegon and Manistee.

In an effort to gain some points with the mrs. I offered to do ALL driving to and from Michigan. This, coupled with the fact that she'll get to sit on a beach all day for 4 or 5 days, and the fact that she knows I personally can't sit still on a beach all day, really greased the wheels. I explained my desire for 2 full days of disc golf and... she agreed!

So, my initial plan would be to basically spend a whole day at the Mason Co. complex to play Beauty/Beast/Goliath. If I can get an early enough start to the day I'd hope to play Leviathan first and then hit Mason Co. Probably a very gnarly, exhausting day of golf but I'm up for the challenge.

Maybe rest on the beach and do nothing for a day since I just played 96 holes the day prior.

2nd full day of DG would be Flip and then whatever else I can squeeze in depending on our lodging location.

Some other courses I'm considering:
Walhalla Woods - new course, probably in a similar condition as the course I'm building on my property, so I'd love to see what another private course owner has done. Closer to Ludington though, so if it gets lumped in on the same day as Flip the drive between courses would mean I probably play one less course that day.
Branstrom Park
Whitehall Township
Henderson Lake Nature Cntr

Other than that I haven't delved too deep since I'm not sure where we'll be staying.

Any other recommendations or courses that are more enjoyable than their rating might suggest?

Any locals around that might want to meet up and throw a round as a guide if their schedule allows it? It'll probably just be me as far as disc golfers go, possibly one other golfer if they decide they can make the trip.

Anything else I might need to know for a DG trip in that area, at that time of year?

 

[DarkAce1978]

State Championship tourney is Sept. 1st and 2nd up that way so just be mindful where and when they are playing.

 

[InnocentCrook]

State Championship tourney is Sept. 1st and 2nd up that way so just be mindful where and when they are playing.

Bummer, appreciate the heads up.

Looks like I'd have to do all my discing on Friday and Monday since it would appear all the must play courses will be taken on Saturday and Sunday.

 

[ru4por]

Bummer, appreciate the heads up.

Looks like I'd have to do all my discing on Friday and Monday since it would appear all the must play courses will be taken on Saturday and Sunday.

With the Last Chance Qualifier at Mason County on Friday, that will start to limit choices that day. Don't underestimate that many of the 576 golfers will be in town on Friday and Monday, making most of these courses as crowded as they probably get. There is also a Hangover Doubles at Flip on Monday.

 

[InnocentCrook]

Well poop. This is quite a kick in the pants.

Are there any other spots along the coast that would be worth going to in terms of beaches and quality dg?

 

[Jukeshoe]

Well poop. This is quite a kick in the pants.

Just about every year I plan on going up to Leviathan/MaCo around Labor Day and then get reminded about the State Championship. Can't count the times I've had to change plans. You think I'd learn...:\

Sorry for the disappointment!!

 

[Jukeshoe]

Are there any other spots along the coast that would be worth going to in terms of beaches and quality dg?

I really enjoy Warren Dunes State Park, but it'll probably be crushed on Labor Day.

There's several decent courses on the West Coast of MI but nothing quite as quality as the Leviathan/MaCo/Flip cluster.

Blue Gill DGC, which is private and needs an invite, is very worthwhile if you can get a hold of Joe Gill the owner and secure permission to play.

Branstrom, Whitehall, Shore Acres are all solid if not necessarily spectacular courses...

 

[BogeyNoMore]

State Championship tourney is Sept. 1st and 2nd up that way so just be mindful where and when they are playing.

With the Last Chance Qualifier at Mason County on Friday, that will start to limit choices that day. Don't underestimate that many of the 576 golfers will be in town on Friday and Monday, making most of these courses as crowded as they probably get. There is also a Hangover Doubles at Flip on Monday.

World's biggest "B Tier"... Labor Day weekend.. you can bank on it.

 

[InnocentCrook]

Alright, got things settled.

We'll be staying in Grand Haven, MI and I've scrapped the idea of playing any of the Beauty/Beast/Goliath courses, or Leviathan due to the State Championships.

That said, I still hope to make the hour-ish drive north to squeeze in an early morning round at Flip before I head back towards Grand Haven. On the return trip I hope to pick up 2 or 3 courses. I was thinking Henderson Lake and Whitehall Township Park.

The second day of disc golf I'm hoping to play Blue Gill if I can get a hold of Joe Gill and get permission. Then I'd try to bag Shore Acres and Winstrom Perserve. I'm not too keen on Paw Paw since it looks like tall grass rough all over the place and I'll likely be playing solo.

Anything I should play instead of these?

 

[ru4por]

Alright, got things settled.

We'll be staying in Grand Haven, MI and I've scrapped the idea of playing any of the Beauty/Beast/Goliath courses, or Leviathan due to the State Championships.

That said, I still hope to make the hour-ish drive north to squeeze in an early morning round at Flip before I head back towards Grand Haven. On the return trip I hope to pick up 2 or 3 courses. I was thinking Henderson Lake and Whitehall Township Park.

The second day of disc golf I'm hoping to play Blue Gill if I can get a hold of Joe Gill and get permission. Then I'd try to bag Shore Acres and Winstrom Perserve. I'm not too keen on Paw Paw since it looks like tall grass rough all over the place and I'll likely be playing solo.

Anything I should play instead of these?

Some of the Kalamazoo courses might be worth looking at. It would be a bit of a drive, but I like Oshtemo, Robert Morris and Vicksburg.

Even more of a drive might be the Meyers Broadway courses in Three Rivers. Depends on how much golf and driving you are looking to do.

 

[InnocentCrook]

Some of the Kalamazoo courses might be worth looking at. It would be a bit of a drive, but I like Oshtemo, Robert Morris and Vicksburg.

Even more of a drive might be the Meyers Broadway courses in Three Rivers. Depends on how much golf and driving you are looking to do.

Thanks! We're gonna be driving through the general vicinity of those areas so it might work out for a stop. I wouldn't mind doing a tour of Bells Brewery in Kalamazoo too.

By the way, what's the deal with Grand Rapids? Looks like a bunch of middle of the road courses. Almost everything is 2-3.5 disc reviews, lots of decent courses but nothing that's gonna knock your socks off?

 

[Jukeshoe]

Fallasburg (a bit outside of Grand Rapids) is pretty righteous, if you're looking for quality in that area...but yeah, from what I've seen of GR the rest is pretty meh-ish.

edit: also, Watervliet's Flaherty course is pretty i-ite for a 9er, and is more or less near Paw Paw.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

Thanks! We're gonna be driving through the general vicinity of those areas so it might work out for a stop. I wouldn't mind doing a tour of Bells Brewery in Kalamazoo too.

By the way, what's the deal with Grand Rapids? Looks like a bunch of middle of the road courses. Almost everything is 2-3.5 disc reviews, lots of decent courses but nothing that's gonna knock your socks off?

Johnson Park is pretty sweet...now. Wonderfully hilly terrain that's perfect for disc golf, it used to be an object course with crap tees. But they poured concrete and installed new DicsCatchers for 2017 Pro Masters, and now it's genuinely an excellent course.

Also, make sure Flip will be available for casual rounds. Not sure if it's being used for some divisions for state championships this year, but I believe it's been used for state's in the past.

 

[Dr.Smooth]

No Michigan expert. But I come up from the lower Midwest too. Here is what I know. Michiganders love their state. So that weekend expect crowds anywhere near the lakes.

I normally go further north and play the mason county parks. if you can sneak a round in up their somehow you will be very glad you did. Flip is a must play.

Their are so many good, fun courses it isn't a check off the bucket list in one weekend kind of thing.

 

[InnocentCrook]

Ended up playing 5 courses in one day and spent the rest of my time with my wife and kids. We really enjoyed that area of Michigan and will likely return for a future family trip. Decent beaches, some good breweries, great dg, what's not to like?

Flip City - Absolutely beautiful. Has a lot of parts of the course that I'd compare to Lincoln Ridge/Banklick here in the Cincy area in terms of being fairly open, but still challenging enough lines to hit, with a lot of holes that are just so much fun to throw. Great use of elevation with some lines I've never had to throw off a tee which was awesome. I will be back in the near future to put in multiple rounds. I had the place to myself for the first 12 or 13 holes before I saw or heard anyone else on the course. People were really starting to show up for State Championship practice rounds as I left around 11am. Got to meet and chat with Bill regarding course design for a bit after my round which I enjoyed.

Also played Henderson Lake Nature Preserve, Whitehall DGC, Mullaly Park (9 hole), Boom Park (10 hole) on the way back to Grand Haven.

All pretty meh honestly, especially compared to Flip. Didn't care for having to throw a pretty precise water shot on the first hole at Henderson. Other than a hole or 2, Whitehall was pretty forgettable. Mullaly was a decent 9er with some long bombs.
I've never seen a course like Boom Park that throws over a road on most holes. That said, the course was really squeezed in to a park that I probably wouldn't have considered viable for a course.

I will return on a weekend where I can play all Ludington courses as well as Flip.