Rick Smith

Arcadia, MI

The Bluffs Course at Arcadia Bluffs sits on a ridge about 225 feet above Lake Michigan near Arcadia, Michigan. Designed by Rick Smith and Warren Henderson, it opened in 1999 on land that had been orchards, woods and a mining operation. The course was built to play like a windswept links, with fescue turf, large scale bunkering, tall native grasses and almost no trees near the water. Several holes run along the bluff edge, and the elevation combined with an open lake fetch make wind a constant factor. The greens are large and the fairways generous, which suits the exposure. The clubhouse sits at the high point of the property with views down the shoreline. A second 18, the South Course, opened in 2018 about a mile away, designed by Dana Fry and Jason Straka in a Macdonald and Raynor inspired classical style. Both courses are open to the public with no private memberships.

Verona, NY

Rick Smith's links-parkland hybrid completes Turning Stone's championship trio.

Gaylord, MI

The Rick Smith Signature course is one of several courses at Treetops Resort near Gaylord, Michigan, set on high ground shaped by ravines and wetlands in the northern part of the state. It opened in 1993 as Rick Smith's first full eighteen-hole design, built after he spent a month studying courses in Ireland and Scotland. The result is a layout with narrower fairways and some of the most contoured greens on the property, following the terrain's natural high points rather than flattening it. Holes move up and down hillsides, with several tee shots offering long views across the surrounding forest. The course is part of a resort with 81 total holes and is open to overnight guests and outside players who book tee times. A pro shop, dining, and a golf academy operate on site alongside the course.

Verona, NY

The nine-hole course at Turning Stone Resort in Verona, New York referenced here is Sandstone Hollow, a par-three layout built on the Oneida Indian Nation's resort property in central New York. Sandstone Hollow was designed by golf architect Rick Smith and opened in 1999, winding through woods and wetlands with fescue grass and rock outcroppings framing the greens. Holes stretch up to 240 yards, making it play longer than a typical short course despite its par-three format. The course is open to resort guests and the public on a walk-in basis and is also recognized as a U.S. Kids Golf facility. It operates alongside the resort's other courses, including the full-length Shenendoah, Kaluhyat and Atunyote layouts.