The Duel: 1 Loop, 18 greens, 36 holes, 39,000 steps, too many shots…
The Duel at Forest Dunes Golf Club challenges you both mentally and physically, but is a rewarding experience from start to finish
Somewhere around the back nine of the second 18 my feet started to hurt just a bit. There was a nagging feeling in my right heel that felt like the foreshadowing of a nasty round-ending blister. I thought that this year spikeless shoes were the way to go; that my shiny brand new Adidas CodeChaos’ would help cushion my feet and knees from the onslaught of 38,000+ steps up and down the gentle hills of The Loop at Forest Dunes. The past two years I did not have the foresight to care what shoes I wore and ended up bloody by the time we took our hats off and shook hands on the 18th hole of the Black course. Thankfully, the burning in my heel turned out to be nothing, and I was able to enjoy the rest of the round and our subsequent 18 on the original Forest Dunes course the next day. I had dodged a bullet, unlike a few of my fellow competitors who came along to battle at The Duel. Brad gutted out the rounds despite a nasty Haglunds deformity in his heel; Trent felt the bite early after a late night of Bud Lights the night before; and Tommy…well Tommy is old, and his plethora of body aches and pains eventually caught up with him forcing him into a WD for the Saturday Forest Dunes round.
For a competitive amateur golfer in the midwest there are few, if any, tournaments that rival The Duel. Played on the first fully reversible course in the state at Forest Dunes in Roscommon, Michigan; The Duel is the only way that players can experience both routings in the same day in a competitive two-man best-ball format. Typically on even days you are able to play Red course and odd days you can play the Black, this leaves the resort the opportunity to use the months with 31 days as Duel tournament days. Brad and I have played in three total - one in May and two in July - and each was better than the last. As much as I love both of the Doak-designed Loop routings you really don’t get a feel for the genius of it unless you play both. I have spoken to a few golfers who only played one of the two courses and found them a little underwhelming. I can see how it would not have the same pop if you only played one routing.
Plenty of reviews go over the intricacies and history of The Loop, so I wont reiterate what others have said better. Suffice to say, the course checks off many of the things that I love to see during a round. The fairways are bouncy enough to send even mediocre drives bounding down the fairways; the greens are nuanced and force a player to think about using contours to run shots up - or bounce them up in some cases; and the variety of holes is outstanding. Short par 4s; menacing long par 3s; heavily guarded short holes; multiple Barritz greens! Multiple! The conditioning isn’t flawless, which makes the aesthetic even richer in my opinion. At times it almost feels like you shouldn’t be playing where you are; like its a secret naturally formed course in the middle of nowhere Michigan. A golfer’s playground that was stumbled upon by you and your buddies. After 6 rounds around The Loop I still find myself being surprised with how my approach shots interact with the terrain, or how certain holes play in each direction. Few courses have that kind of impact and wow factor, especially without the views of a coastal course, or the elevation changes of a mountain course.
Aside from the course itself, the entire event - put on by Tyler Tabor and the rest of the FD crew - is outstanding. Lunch at the turn and a top notch dinner afterward are nice bonuses. Each year participants are also given prize bags with very impressive swag. From the knit hybrid covers the first year; to the slate coasters and leather scorecard holders this year; to the yearly metal bag tags made by Seamus Golf that you can have your name stamped into; the prizes are worth the extra charge for the tournament. As always, the service at the resort is aces. There is zero pretense that sometimes you can find at other resorts. Everyone is approachable and friendly and will to take the time to make your round and stay that much better. (Major shout out to Susan, the queen of The Loop halfway house, for being so wonderful).
The first night we were there we had dinner next to Lew Thompson, the owner of the resort who brought the course back from the brink of death in the early 2010s. He came over and told us some jokes and asked how we were doing. It felt like a genuine conversation from a genuine guy. He even let us go out and play the short course before it was open, for free none-the-less. Hospitality is in the DNA of Forest Dunes, as most would agree who have played there.
If - and its a big IF, as the spots fill up in a matter of minutes - you can get in on one of the three Duels, make it a point to do so. Each year we’ve met golfers from all over the country and everyone shares a similar opinion about the course and the tournament. It is now something I build my summer golf schedule around. It may be pricey, but it is worth every penny. Brad once said that it was the most fun golf experience he has ever done and its hard to argue against that, especially if you can add on the original Forest Dunes course, the short course, and the amazing Hilltop 18-hole putting course, as we did this year. Despite the blisters and the bogies and the blood and the broken backs the next day - it is pure golf for 36 holes and unlike anything else you’ll play. Just make sure you pack some Gold Bond and a change of clothes.