The Dual At The Loop Is One of Golf’s Most Unique Events

Three times a year in the wild woods of northern Michigan, a golf event like none other takes place at Forest Dunes. It’s called The Dual at The Loop​, and it’s built around a golf course you may have heard about—one that does something almost no other course in America can.

It turns itself around.

Designed by the great Tom Doak, The Loop is a fully reversible routing—the first one ever conceived and executed in the United States. One day, it plays clockwise as the Red course. The next, golfers play the counterclockwise Black routing. All the greens, bunkers, fairways, and green-surrounds are, of course, the same, except now you’re playing them in the opposite direction. Angles and sightlines change. Strategy shifts. It is, for all intents and purposes, a brand new golf course.

Most golfers who make the trek to Roscommon in northern Michigan play The Loop on back-to-back days to experience the two linksy routings. But three times a year, golfers have the chance to join an elite group known as The 36ers, a select few who’ve played the course both ways in a single day. It was that unique concept that birthed what quickly became one of the most sought-after experiences in golf travel.

And, indeed, The Dual at The Loop is in very high-demand. Part of that is due to the limited supply. When the closing holes one way are the starting holes the other, it stands to reason that all players must complete their morning round before the first of the afternoon golfers jab their tees in the turf. Daylight runs short in a hurry. The event takes just 32 teams of two golfers each for the best ball format.

Securing a spot isn’t easy. After a few casual sign-up years, Forest Dunes has gone to a lottery system. Early each February, slots open for the three dates for The Dual—May 31, July 31, and August 31. It costs $1,200 per team, which includes lunch, dinner, prizes, and exclusive tee gifts. Best to have your squad assembled and on board when the lotto goes live.

Those who do secure a spot, make the journey, and complete the legendary 36-hole day are rewarded as formal members of The Loop 36ers Club—including a membership number and their name on a plaque.

They also get a first-hand lesson in how architecture impacts golf course strategy. Bunkers that appeared out of play on Red are suddenly right where you don’t want them on Black. Greens that appeared welcoming on Black repel balls on Red. Your familiarity with the terrain won’t necessarily do you much good. In fact, on many occasions, you’ll find yourself trying to recall from where exactly you’d played last round’s shot into a given green. It’s trippy in the best way.

And it’s a must-add to your bucket list. The Dual is not just a chance to play two great golf courses. It’s a chance to experience something totally unique in the world of golf travel.
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This piece originally ran in the Sunday Pins newsletter.