Who's Behind This Guide
I'm Rick Powell, an entrepreneur, educator, and golfer based in Berkley, Michigan — right in the heart of Metro Detroit. I've been playing golf for 35 years, and in that time I've played courses all across this state, from the scenic tracks up in the northern Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula, to the classics and hidden gems spread across the metro area and everything in between.
My home course is Rouge Park Golf Course in Detroit, where I play a regular Thursday game every summer with the same group of guys. There's something about a weekly game with the same crew that keeps you honest about your game — and keeps you always looking for new courses to add to the rotation.
My handicap is right around 13 or 14, which puts me solidly in average territory. Not a scratch golfer, not a beginner — just a guy who loves the game, plays it seriously, and has had the pleasure of teeing it up at a huge variety of Michigan courses over the years.
Beyond golf, my background spans construction, real estate, financial education, and small business development — all of which inform how I think about this guide. I also founded A Good Walk Not Ruined, a golf education project centered around course management, strategic thinking, and the mental side of the game. Rather than focusing only on swing mechanics, the approach emphasizes decision-making, discipline, and playing smarter golf — which is exactly the philosophy behind every recommendation on this site.
My Michigan Golf Experience
Why I Built This Guide
— Rick Powell
Most golf course directories online are built by people aggregating data — not by golfers who have actually stood on the first tee of these courses and played them. That makes a real difference when you're trying to plan a golf trip or find a new course worth the drive.
Michigan is genuinely one of the best golf states in the country. The courses up north — especially in the Traverse City area and beyond — are bucket-list worthy. But there's also great golf right here in Metro Detroit that doesn't get nearly enough attention. I wanted a single place that covers all of it, organized by region, with honest context and real trip ideas from someone who actually plays here.
That's what Michigan Golfer Guide is. Not a sponsored ranking. Not a data scrape. A golfer's guide, built by a golfer.
What You'll Find Here
Michigan Golfer Guide organizes the state's best golf by region — Northern Lower Peninsula, Southeast Michigan, West Michigan, the Upper Peninsula, Mid-Michigan, and Southwest Michigan. Each section highlights notable courses worth your time, with context about what makes them worth the trip.
The trip itineraries section takes it further — if you're planning a dedicated golf trip to Northern Michigan, looking for budget-friendly options, or want to find the hidden gems that don't show up on the big travel sites, the itineraries are designed to help you plan a great golf weekend without the guesswork.
Everything on this site is free. No sign-up, no paywalls. Just good Michigan golf information, organized for golfers by a golfer.