Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 3618 | January 2017 Visit us at juniorgolfmag.net The layout of The Loop is wide open, with fescue fairways and no rough. Despite sitting amid state forest land, few trees are in play. While there is no water and only a small amount of formal bunkers, trouble abounds in the form of native areas and wasteland formed by glacial sand deposits. There are no defined tee boxes, of the kind that modern golfers are accustomed to, because what serves as a tee area one day may be fairway when playing the opposite direction the next day. Three sets of tees on each hole accommodate players of different ability levels. The tees, merely flat areas to the side of the fairways, are distinguished with wooden markers bearing a brand of The Loop’s simple infinity symbol logo. MORE FOOTSTEPS OF THE PAST As another throwback to past eras, the course is a “walking only” layout. Guests are permitted to carry their own bags, use a push cart or take a professional caddie. Utilizing a caddie would be a wise move, as their knowledge of the subtleties of each hole will be invaluable. A caddie would be recommended for at least your first round in the other direction as well, as the holes are virtually indistinguishable from the previous day. “The total experience is a throwback. There are no frills,” Forest Dunes head golf professional Elliott Oscar said. “This type of old school golf experience is hard to find with today’s modern resorts and all the amenities that take away from the core golf experience. “The total experience is a throwback. There are no frills,” Forest Dunes head golf professional Elliott Oscar said. “This type of old school golf experience is hard to find with today’s modern resorts and all the amenities that take away from the core golf experience. THELOOP Continued from page 17 PHOTOGRAPHS : BRIAN WALTERS #juniorgolfmag “It is refreshing to be on the first tee of No. 1 Black and look out and see sev- eral groups with caddies walking on the first few holes.” GREEN TECHNOLOGY The genius of The Loop’s architecture is that the green complexes have been designed to be approachable from two opposite directions. One of the most intriguing greens serves Red No. 6/Black No. 12. Red No. 6 is a short par 3 over a small valley of scruffy underbrush to a wide, shallow green built into a hillside. When playing the other routing, the angle of approach to the green is shifted 130 degrees to the left as golfers hit their approach shots for the Black course’s 381-yard par-4 12th . Playing this rout- ing, the green is skinny and deep, with run-offs on both the left and right sides. “I’ve never played a course where you have so many options around the green,” Oscar said. “You can hit a variety of shots and be creative in trying to get the ball close to the hole. “You really have to think your way around this course. With a course this wide, you usually hit driver, find your ball and hit it again. But because of the green complexes, you may have a huge advantage being on one side or the other with your approach. There is a lot more strategy to think through. It’s not a bomb-and-gouge course.” Both directions are par 70, with the Red playing 6,805 yards from the back tees and the Black measuring 6,704 yards. Not everyone can afford to travel overseas to play the legendary old courses and experience the roots of the game. But now, thanks to The Loop in north- ern Michigan, you don’t need a passport anymore to feel that unmistakable hold of history. Don Helinski is Director of Operations for Forest Dunes Golf Club and is a former college sports information director.