The West at Forest Akers Golf Course
Rating Snapshot
About
The West Course at Forest Akers is one of two 18-hole courses owned and operated by Michigan State University in East Lansing. The West is the premier tournament layout for the Spartan golf teams and also hosted the Division III Women’s National Golf Championship in 2021. The rolling and forested layout was originally designed by Bruce Matthews but was extensively renovated in the 1990s by Arthur Hills and received further updates in 2010. In the early 2000s, a new clubhouse and hotel was built on property that altered the routing of the golf course. There is also an extensive practice facility across the street at the East course and accessible to the public. The West Course is considered one of the Midwest’s finest, public-access campus courses and one of the best layouts in the Lansing area.
| Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 72 | 7013 yards | 75.3 | 141 |
| Black (W) | 72 | 7013 yards | 81.9 | 154 |
| Green | 72 | 6412 yards | 71.7 | 137 |
| Green (W) | 72 | 6412 yards | 77.8 | 140 |
| White | 72 | 5694 yards | 68.6 | 127 |
| White (W) | 72 | 5694 yards | 73.6 | 134 |
| Fossum | 72 | 5307 yards | 66.5 | 127 |
| Fossum (W) | 72 | 5307 yards | 71.3 | 129 |
| Silver | 72 | 5012 yards | 65.5 | 114 |
| Silver (W) | 72 | 5012 yards | 69.8 | 126 |
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black M: 75.3/141 W: 81.9/154 | 423 | 592 | 426 | 322 | 338 | 436 | 202 | 546 | 184 | 3469 | 214 | 414 | 227 | 494 | 415 | 394 | 427 | 514 | 422 | 3521 | 6990 |
| Green M: 71.7/137 W: 77.8/140 | 381 | 562 | 389 | 294 | 316 | 394 | 174 | 495 | 163 | 3168 | 165 | 384 | 213 | 460 | 385 | 366 | 399 | 477 | 385 | 3234 | 6402 |
| White M: 68.2/130 W: 73.6/134 | 340 | 472 | 372 | 279 | 276 | 344 | 145 | 451 | 138 | 2817 | 154 | 346 | 182 | 431 | 356 | 334 | 304 | 428 | 342 | 2877 | 5694 |
| Fossom M: 66.5/127 | 310 | 472 | 322 | 270 | 276 | 290 | 112 | 451 | 114 | 2617 | 154 | 346 | 153 | 431 | 317 | 295 | 304 | 428 | 269 | 2697 | 5314 |
| Fossum W: 71.3/129 | 310 | 472 | 322 | 270 | 276 | 290 | 112 | 451 | 114 | 2617 | 154 | 346 | 153 | 431 | 317 | 295 | 304 | 428 | 269 | 2697 | 5314 |
| Silver M: 65.5/121 W: 69.8/126 | 310 | 406 | 322 | 270 | 252 | 290 | 112 | 420 | 114 | 2496 | 140 | 258 | 153 | 404 | 317 | 295 | 294 | 371 | 269 | 2501 | 4997 |
| Handicap | 11 | 9 | 1 | 15 | 17 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 4 | 8 | 14 | 16 | 10 | 6 | 12 | 2 | |||
| Par | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 36 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 36 | 72 |
| Handicap (W) | 9 | 1 | 7 | 11 | 15 | 5 | 13 | 3 | 17 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 2 | 16 | 18 | 8 | 12 | 4 |
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Reviewer Photos
Wonderful
I live in Ga work in Lansing. As I was walking down what in my opinion the most beautiful fairway I've ever played on, it occurred to me. Holy smokes, bent grass fairways!! In Ga we can't keep or Bent Grass greens due to the heat and here it all was, beautiful bent grass everywhere! The greens, wonderful. The pace, heck, our threesome couldn't play fast enough to keep up with the 4 some in front of us and the twosome behind us couldn't keep up with us. From the 5 hour round I experience at my own club in Ga, sub 4 hour round was like finding a new animal species! The West course has it's own Android GPS at with free download. So, even another bonus. Wonderful. I can't add a 5th star just in case I get o play Pebble Beach someday.
It's About Time
Great challenging course with excellent fairways. Greens were soft and easy to attack. Here in Michigan from Georgia and can't wait to play this course again!
Gorgeous, hilly course
Forest Akers West is a gorgeous, hilly course. No hole layout at the tees, but a small map on the scorecard.
West is the course that sells alcohol during play from a cart (via the University Club). No alcohol sales at the clubhouse.
It's About Time
One of the best courses that I have had the chance to play since moving to Michigan about a year ago! Awesome staff and course! Can't wait to play again this week!!
Great course, bad cust svc at times
Its a saturday, snack shop closed. No mention of it from pro shop staff. On SATURDAY NO DRINKS,SNACKS, FRUIT, ETC AVAILABLE. Put up a sign, sell water and a few basic snacks from the pro shop.....SOMETHING!
THE COURSE IS AWESOME.
Awesome Course!
The course was in impeccable shape! All morning tee times were blocked off until 11 for maintenance and you could tell they really take pride in that course. It was in the best shape I had ever seen it! I would definitely reccomend playing a round on the West course!
Really, white tees AND silver-white tees?
I could see what looked like the white tees so drove up to them only to be fooled SEVERAL times as I saw that they were the silver-white tees that looked nearly exactly like the white tees until you stepped out of the cart and got within 10 feet of them.
Thanks capassa for the 5 star review. Your insight about the color of the tee markers will be taken under advisement. Go Green!
MSU course
The course has undergone a complete renovation (by alumnus Arthur Hills) since I last played there years ago.
I really enjoyed playing here and I highly recommend this course.
Thanks for the 4-star review u00000701476! Welcome back, we are happy you enjoyed playing here and let's try to get out here again this year. Go Green!
Love this course
Perfect day for golf and the course was in great condition! Had the best 9 of the year with the back 9 a reminder to keep practicing.
I look forward to the next time I am in the area to stop in and play!!
Thanks for the 5-star review MarvelousJ! We love this review. So happy you caught us on a great condition day for your best 9 of the year. Go Green!
Finally played 18 in 2.5 hours ... It was raining
Under normal circumstances, forest west is packed with foursomes that probably should be bowling. Its a fun course if the bowlers are at the bowling alley, instead of holding up the golfers at the golf course. The best way to ensure this is the case, is to go when its raining. Obviously, this presents a separate set of problems, but if your a low handicap player that isn't into screwing around all day, then its pretty much what you have to do.
Thanks for the 4-star review AmotoXracer! As long as no lightning and no flooding we'll be here when it rains for you. We are constantly working on pace of play, thanks for the encouragement to keep working at it. Go Green!
Best of Battle Creek Package
SW Michigan Golf Around Package
The Loon Golf Resort Stay & Play Package
SentryWorld Stay & Play Package
Thanks u375317605 for the 5 star review. We are always trying to encourage our team to keep up the good work so please let us know if there was anything that stuck out while you were here. Go Green!