Tee Times Stay & Play

SkyFall Logo Embraces the Ancient History of Michigan

A well designed logo can create an emotional connection to a time and place. Indeed, the SkyFall logo is not only powerful and instantly recognizable but has a direct connection to the inspiration for the club’s very name.

Encompassing the image of an athletic archer aiming for the stars, SkyFall’s logo was derived from several inspirations and ideas.

“We wanted to be intentional with the image and have it represent the sky’s relationship to this land,” said Rich Mack, one of the owners of Forest Dunes. “The sunsets in northern Michigan are breathtaking and the stars tell us stories. Our goal is to match the distinctiveness and desirability of the logo with the golf experience that SkyFall will reveal.”

Sagittarius

One prominent constellation in the Michigan summer sky is Sagittarius, the archer with its astronomical symbol of an arrow pointing forward at approximately 45 degrees.

“As we reviewed possibilities, the iconography of Sagittarius and the idea of an athlete shooting a projectile downrange had comparisons to a golfer hitting a shot down the fairway,” said Tom Sunnarborg, co-owner of Forest Dunes.  “Strength and athleticism are important, but there’s also a calmness that both the archer and golfer must possess. Looking further, we found a related historical image rooted in the state.”

Sanilac Petroglyphs

At the Sanilac Petroglyphs Historic State Park in mid-Michigan there is a petroglyph carving, estimated to be between 300 and 1,400 years old, created by early native Americans, showing an archer figure identified as Ebmodaakowet shooting an arrow of knowledge seven generations into the future.

“The optimism and positivity of the petroglyph was something that resonated with us and the logo portrays that idea of looking upward and outward,” Sunnarborg added. 
“As we reviewed possibilities, the iconography of Sagittarius and the idea of an athlete shooting a projectile downrange had comparisons to a golfer hitting a shot down the fairway,” said Tom Sunnarborg, co-owner of Forest Dunes.  “Strength and athleticism are important, but there’s also a calmness that both the archer and golfer must possess. Looking further, we found a related historical image rooted in the state.”

With the concept established, the design team wanted its icon to reflect the same sense of minimalism that the petroglyph depicts. 

The team didn’t have to look far for an example as Hanse’s team logo for Caveman Construction is a primitive stick figure drawing of a caveman holding a rake.

Coincidentally, Caveman Construction’s rise in the industry coincided with it being selected to design the course for golf’s reintroduction into the Olympic Games in 2016 in Rio, Brazil.  The SkyFall logo drew inspiration from recent editions of Olympic logos as historically Olympic logos show athletic figures in motion but in an abstract form, much like the formation of the archer’s body on the SkyFall logo.

When it opens, SkyFall will become the latest head-turning golf course to call Forest Dunes home.

With elevation changes of up to 100 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.