trending_downLowest Slope Rating (Public)

Easiest Golf Courses in Michigan

The 25 most beginner-friendly public golf courses in Michigan, ranked by lowest slope rating.

The most beginner-friendly public golf course in Michigan on Stymie is Gladstone Golf Club in Brampton Township, with a minimum slope rating of 80 and 3,322 yards from the forward tees. Slope ratings below 115 signal a course where bogey golfers can play their actual game without the layout adding strokes — usually meaning wider fairways, fewer forced carries, and gentle greens.

355 public or municipal courses in Michigan carry a minimum slope of 115 or lower from the forward tees, and the average across rated public courses statewide is 110. This list is restricted to public and municipal courses so anyone can book a tee time — no membership required.

If you're new to the game, looking for a course to take a kid or beginner friend, or just want a stress-free round that lets you focus on tempo, start at the top of this list. Most of these courses also offer instruction programs, learning facilities, or shorter executive layouts that pair well with the forward-tee ratings shown here.

Ranked

Gentlest slope

Avg min slope

110

Slope 115 or lower

355

Hardest Easiest Longest Oldest Newest

#	Course	City	Par	Slope
1	Gladstone Golf Club 50706, USGA, Orange, Men tees · 3,322 yds · Rating 57.7 · Par 61 · A. H. Jolly · 1936Brampton Township	Brampton Township	61	80
2	Hickory Stick Golf Club Red tees · 3,030 yds · Rating 59.4 · Par 71 · Bill Wedemyer · 1995Ann Arbor	Ann Arbor	71	85
3	Forest Lake Country Club Black (F) tees · 2,349 yds · Rating 54.7 · Par 55 · William Diddel · 1926Bloomfield Hills	Bloomfield Hills	55	86
4	Hidden Valley Resort Back (Guns) tees · 3,498 yds · Rating 59.2 · Par 56 · Mike Husby · 1994Gaylord	Gaylord	56	86
5	Island Hills Golf Club GREEN tees · 3,003 yds · Rating 55.3 · Par 72 · Ray Hearn · 1998Centreville	Centreville	72	87
6	Elmbrook Golf Course JUNIOR tees · 3,009 yds · Rating 57.3 · Par 72 · 1964Traverse City	Traverse City	72	87
7	Country Club of Detroit RED tees · 1,451 yds · Rating 26.5 · Par 29 · H. S. Colt · 1927Grosse Pointe Farms	Grosse Pointe Farms	29	88
8	Seven Lakes Golf Course Red tees · 3,000 yds · Rating 57.6 · Par 56Town of Cato	Town of Cato	56	88
9	Evergreen Resort ORANGE tees · 1,574 yds · Rating 29.0 · Par 36Clam Lake Township	Clam Lake Township	36	89
10	Charlevoix Municipal Golf Course YELLOW tees · 3,002 yds · Rating 57.2 · Par 72 · Willie Watson · 1896Charlevoix	Charlevoix	72	89
11	Benona Shores Golf Course RED tees · 3,496 yds · Rating 58.3 · Par 60 · Warner Bowen · 1974Shelby	Shelby	60	90
12	Oak Lane Golf Club GREEN tees · 3,817 yds · Rating 58.0 · Par 70 · 1967Webberville	Webberville	70	90
13	Goodrich Country Club RED tees · 4,246 yds · Rating 60.9 · Par 70 · 1934Goodrich	Goodrich	70	91
14	Copper Ridge Golf Club COPPER tees · 3,575 yds · Rating 57.7 · Par 62 · Douglas Treadwell · 2000Davison	Davison	62	92
15	Giant Oak Golf Club RED tees · 4,697 yds · Rating 62.2 · Par 72Bedford Township	Bedford Township	72	94
16	Bay Meadows Golf Course RED tees · 1,843 yds · Rating 30.0 · Par 32 · 1995Traverse City	Traverse City	32	95
17	Lenawee Country Club Family Course #1 tees · 3,061 yds · Rating 57.9 · Par 67 · 1921Adrian Township	Adrian Township	67	95
18	Indian Trails Golf Course GREEN tees · 3,352 yds · Rating 58.3 · Par 65 · 1928Grand Rapids	Grand Rapids	65	95
19	Waabooz Run Golf Course BLUE tees · 3,399 yds · Rating 58.4Union Charter Township	Union Charter Township	—	95
20	Ledge Meadows Golf Course WHITE tees · 4,142 yds · Rating 60.6 · Par 72 · Jim Troy · 1971Grand Ledge	Grand Ledge	72	95
21	Cascades Golf Course Junior tees · 3,076 yds · Rating 58.2 · Par 56Summit Township	Summit Township	56	96
22	Radrick Farms Golf Course Mini Blue tees · 3,312 yds · Rating 59.3 · Par 72 · Pete Dye · 1967Superior Charter Township	Superior Charter Township	72	96
23	Tribute Golf Course Gray tees · 4,292 yds · Rating 61.2 · Par 70Wausau	Wausau	70	96
24	The Links at Crystal Lake RED tees · 4,349 yds · Rating 61.9 · Par 70Pontiac	Pontiac	70	96
25	Crystal View Golf Course BLACK tees · 4,528 yds · Rating 62.0 · Par 72Crystal Falls	Crystal Falls	72	96

Frequently asked questions

What is the easiest public golf course in Michigan?

Gladstone Golf Club in Brampton Township, Michigan is the easiest ranked public or municipal course with a minimum slope rating of 80. Slope below 115 is considered friendly for beginners and higher-handicap players.

How many public courses in Michigan have a slope of 115 or lower?

355 public or municipal courses have a minimum slope rating of 115 or lower in Michigan. These are generally the most beginner-friendly options in the state.

What slope rating is good for beginners?

Beginners typically look for courses with a slope rating under 120 and a total yardage under 6,200 from the forward tees. Courses with a slope of 105–115 from the forward tees are widely considered the friendliest starting ground.