Forest Dunes, the award-winning golf facility in northern Michigan that already boasts three top-100 golf courses in the US, is poised to add a fourth course which is to be designed by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner.
The course will form part of an exclusive new private members’ club called SkyFall, that will also allow limited resort guest play.
“The opportunity to have Gil and Jim craft their first original design in Michigan on what is the most compelling property at Forest Dunes is really exciting,” said Rich Mack, co-owner of Forest Dunes alongside business partner Tom Sunnarborg. “I’m also pleased that we will work with Gil and Jim a second time in our career and create something really special here in Michigan.”
Mack previously hired Hanse and Wagner to create Streamsong Black at the highly renowned Streamsong Resort. Mack was the vision and pioneer of Streamsong, and began his business partnership with Sunnarborg by bringing him onboard to develop, launch and oversee the evolution of the resort.
“Gil and Jim are two of the most influential golf course architects of our era, and are entrusted to advance projects of golf significance across the globe. We know they will find the best of the land to work with and turn it into something unforgettable that members and guests are going to thoroughly enjoy, hopefully many times,” said Sunnarborg.
SkyFall will be a unique private golf club at Forest Dunes. With elevation changes of up to 70 feet, the golf course will weave through 300 acres of forest land adjacent to the current Forest Dunes public play courses. While SkyFall will be a private membership club, public guests staying on property at Forest Dunes will have access to limited tee times.
Hanse says the course will certainly have some nods to a couple of his noted designs, including the sandy and rustic expanses that punctuate Ohoopee Match Club in Georgia mixed with the strategy and naturalism found iat Castle Stuart in Scotland, and the rolling charm of the firm’s latest projects, Les Bordes in France.
“This design is focused on the key landforms on the property,” Hanse says. “When you look at some of the great old courses by Tillinghast or Ross, there tends to be a landform they go away from and return to. That’s also the case at SkyFall, and it is those features that are the key to creating a truly compelling design. Jim and I also really look forward to working with Rich and Tom again. They have high standards and expectations for this project, and so do we.”
The SkyFall project marks the first time Hanse and Wagner have worked on multiple original designs with the same ownership group. “We loved working with Rich and Tom and our relationship will benefit SkyFall and will certainly allow the team to get the most out of a spectacular property full of rolling hills and sandy expanses.,” said Wagner.
Entitlement work for SkyFall is in process and early construction activities could commence in late 2025 or early 2026.
For more details, visit www.skyfallgolf.com.