Wilderness Valley GC (Black Forest Course)
Gaylord, MI
Golf Digest Senior Editor Matty G's Top 10 Most Affordable Courses In The Country
2/10
Explanation: In almost every trip to report an Away Game, I try to find a round of affordable golf to include in my itinerary. "Affordable" is as relative a term as a list like this is subjective. So for the purpose of this list, here’s how I’m defining affordable: A course that charges less than $125 on weekends during peak season for non-residents. I’m ranking them in reverse order, based on the green fee. The least expensive on my list earns the top spot.
# 3--Black Forest at Wilderness Valley in Gaylord, Mich. ($75). Tom Doak has built only two public courses in his home state of Michigan. He told me Black Forest is where he was experimenting with a lot of bunkering techniques that he still uses today, and that if he had to do it all over again, he’d make this course more playable for the masses. It’s tough, but far from unfair. The blue tees (6,496 yards) have a slope of 143. The slope from the white tees (6,129 yards) drops to 127. I played a combination of both tees and had all I could handle. One of Doak’s favorite holes is the 10th, and it’s my favorite as well. It’s a long and narrow par 5--tunneling ants have had more room to work. (Twilight, $50, starts at 3 p.m.)