Jason Straka

Bear Lake, MI

Arcadia Bluffs South opened in 2018 as a Dana Fry and Jason Straka design inspired by the strategic, geometric character of Chicago Golf Club. Unlike the resort's bluff-top original, this inland course uses broad fairways, fescue, squared green edges and deep, deliberately placed bunkers across open ground. The width invites aggressive lines, but approaches become more demanding when the tee shot finishes on the wrong side. The Restaurant at the South Course sits upstairs in the clubhouse overlooking the 18th green. Its casual dining room, 10-seat main bar and local draft selection make it an easy place to settle in and replay the round.

Arcadia, MI

The Dozen at Arcadia Bluffs is a 12-hole short course arranged as two six-hole loops. Its mix of par threes and par fours offers a quicker, more social alternative to the resort's two full-length courses, while broad landing areas, large greens and strategic bunkers still leave room for different lines and shots. The flexible format lets golfers play six or 12 holes. The Porch serves as The Dozen's day clubhouse, with casual food, a screened porch and patio seating. Panoramic views across the short-course property keep the golf in sight and make it an easy stop between loops or after the last hole.

Paradise Valley, AZ

The Ambiente Course is one of two 18-hole layouts at Camelback Golf Club, located at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Arizona, near the Paradise Valley area at the base of Camelback Mountain. The course opened in its current form in 2013 following a complete redesign of the previous Indian Bend layout. Architect Jason Straka of Hurdzan/Fry led the renovation, lowering the course's elevation profile to create dramatic rolling fairways and improve drainage, while restoring native desert plantings and reducing maintained turf. The par-72 course plays to roughly 7,225 yards from the back tees, with mountain views throughout the round. As a resort course, Ambiente is available to hotel guests and the public through tee time reservations, and it operates alongside the Arthur Hills-designed Padre Course as part of the same golf club.