The Mines Golf Club-Grand Rapids, MI

[Anthony_Nysse]

Had a chance to play the back 9 at The Mines while I was home last week. As some of you know, this is a Mike Devries design with the help of Grandpa Joe. (Joe Handcock) During the winter, The Mines were fortunate enough to have Kris Shuemaker come aboard as Golf Course Superintendent. Kris and Mike have a history together in working at Pilgrim's Run and also Diamond Springs. Kris has a tremendous eye for detail and in his short time there, you can see that he and his staff have been hard at work. I think that Kris will continue to offer the right feel for a Mike Devries course.
  I was rather critical of The Mines back in the fall, but upon playing again, my feelings are much softer. Holes #11-16 all very good, with some really good green contours and this time around, the green has a bit of pace to them. I really love the Par 3 15th. What a wild green, where long is dead. # 12 is a fun, short par 4 with some very good bunkering. My first thoughts of The Mines was that the green were over the top, but after seeing them again, and actually having the time to look, "study" (I was giving an on course lesson) and understand the greens, I think that they are alot of fun and offer all different types of approach shots. I think that the greens there are as good as any that I've seen Mike do.
  I have a bunch of pics of the greens and bunker work, but I'm neglectent to read how to post them. Anyone care to refresh me or willing to post the pics? Anyone else had a chance to play this year?

Tony Nysse
Sr. Asst. Supt.
Long Cove Club
HHI, SC

[George Pazin]

I have a bunch of pics of the greens and bunker work, but I'm neglectent to read how to post them. Anyone care to refresh me or willing to post the pics?

I posted some photos last year for Joe, I thought the course looked very promising. I'd be happy to post the photos for you if you don't have webspace, or if you do, here is my little primer on how to post photos (hope it makes sense):

[ceHufnagel]

please work.

[George Pazin]

(posting for Tony, he'll have to jump in with comments/specifics)
























Here's hoping I can spend a month exploring Michigan someday.

 

[George Pazin]

Another thread with Mines GC photos

[Jonathan McCord]

   Played the Mines yesterday and was not disappointed.  The Par 3's are all top notch!  The golf course is growing in nicely and the greens were running quite well considering its age.  The greens are certainly fun and unique.  If you take about a minute to look around every green you can find amazing positions to place hole locations based on the wind, the speed of the greens, or type of competition.  I took about 90 pictures and posted some of the ones that would give you a good feel of how the Mines is shaping up!

   Mike and Joe, Great Job!!  The course was certainly playing firm, yet the greens were receptive.  The fairways were very firm, and this led to some of my drives ending up in the wrong positions, even though they weren't that far off line.  Namely, Holes 14 and 16!!!  Be sure to check out the difference in angles on 14, where the effective width of the fairway come summer may only be about 15 yds. wide, to get the ideal view and line to the green!!!

#14 Incorrect Angle (Where my ball ended up)

#14 Proper Angle Much nicer view of Green

#13 Tough Driving Hole, Even tougher shot uphill to a Pinehursty Green

#12 Short Downhill Par 4, This Pin was very tough to get to downwind

#11 Greenside Bunker

#11 Great Par 3 Set into Hill

#9 Par 4 OUTSTANDING Green Setting

#8 Par 3 Picture taken from 5th Green (Pine Valley Anyone?)

#8 Par 3 Picture taken from 5th Fairway

#7 Par 3 Deep Bunker front left

#7 Par 3 Downhill Beauty with a Great View

#6 Approach Tough Shot, Especially when the pin is back left.

#6 Par 4 350 yds. Great Bunkering along left side!

#5 Second Shot over 280 yds left to go!!

#5 Par 5 ONLY 607 yds.  OB all the way down the right, BUT you've got all day left.

#2 Green Setting, More Great Bunkering

#2 Proper Angle for Approach, Tougher Drive due to Fairway Bunker

#2 Tougher Angle for Approach, Easier Drive


Mike and Joe, Very nice work, it will be neat to see how the course evolves and matures in the coming years!!!

[Joe Hancock]

Jonathon,

Great job on the pictures!

Did you hear the dozer when you were on #1 green? We're shaping up some holes on the par 3 course, and definitely making it funky!

Joe

[George Pazin]

bumping due to Jonathan's additions.

[RJ_Daley]

It looks like a fine golf course and we should get a mini gathering organized in the area to play the Mines and Angels Crossing.  It appears the two courses aren't much more than an hour apart, is that correct?

[Jim Thompson]

RJ,

Depending on traffic it could be anywhere between an hour to an hour and half drive. Although I'll be Joe has probably done it in 45 minutes  If you guys want to come out, just let me know.  I'll be happyto set something up. I think the architecture brainiacs would really enjoy playing our place from different tees.  Maybe we could set up base in K-zoo and add Lost Dunes to the mix?

Cheers!

JT

[Dan Moore]

Just wondering if Langford's Blythefield C.C. just outside Grand Rapids could be worked into the mix?  

[RJ_Daley]

Is anyone interested in a hookup in that area mid-week May 15-16-17?  Or if someone has other dates, send me IM.

Unfortunately, the big KPIV is coming soon, and I imagine several will be using their golf pass with the family at that time.  

[Jonathan McCord]

I would certainly be game for a little Michigan get together until mid August when summer classes end.  My schedule would allow for golf Thursday - Sundays, as I only have three days of classes a week.  The Mines, Pilgrims, Diamond, and Angels, are all good choices.  Also some nice places on the private side.  

Joe, I do recall hearing the rumbling of something in the distance while I was on the west side of the road.  Hope all the shaping is going well, as a Par 3 course is always a fun addition.  Is the Par 3 course located North and West of the driving range?  Didn't even know where the driving range was until I looked down on it from the third green.  Once again, Great Work!!!

[Andy Troeger]

I'd be interested in a get-together, although the 15-17 would be too soon for me to arrange. I too would need to make it happen before August as coaching doesn't allow me to get out much

[RJ_Daley]

I'm not promising anything, but I may make one of those midweek trips to that area soon.  If no one can get away to join me, I'll just do some advance scouting and see if we can't put a serious gathering together for fall.  That area would be much more beautiful in fall color anyway.  I'll post something a day or so in advance if I go soon.  Anyone that can jump in is welcome to join up.

[David Neveux]

I would also be intersted in a get together.  The proposed dates wouldn't allow me to do so, although if they were possibly changed I would like to make it happen.  I'm sure you could count Brian Cenci in, another member of this site and a good friend of mine.  Brian and I had the immense pleasure of playing 36 holes at Angels Crossing two sundays ago with Jim.  What a fantastic golf course!!!  Although architecturally speaking I'm nothing but a novice, but as a golf fanatic I really LOVED this course.  The operation down there is purely about the GOLF, which is my kind of place.  Thanks again Jim.  Please keep me informed on this gathering, if I can make the dates happen I would definitely like to meet up.  


D.P.N

[RJ_Daley]

These Messrs. Cenci and Neveux are getting to be a couple of legends in all their travels.

[PThomas]

I might be interested, but I wouldn't be able to stay overnight.

[Joe Hancock]

Shivas,

She kicks his ass on the course too.

That's right, Paul...I won't ever let you forget her birdie on #6 @ Greywalls.

There's a rater and one other person coming to golf the Mines with me next Thursday afternoon. So, there's room for one more in that group, or if anyone else is in the neighborhood and wants to play any other time, let me know when...I'm only about 15 minutes from the course.

Joe

Joe

[PThomas]

Shivas,

She kicks his ass on the course too.

That's right, Paul...I won't ever let you forget her birdie on #6 @ Greywalls.

There's a rater and one other person coming to golf the Mines with me next Thursday afternoon. So, there's room for one more in that group, or if anyone else is in the neighborhood and wants to play any other time, let me know when...I'm only about 15 minutes from the course.

Joe

Joe

man, she has to make probably her only birdie of the ENTIRE year last year in front of another GCAer, thereby sealing my fate forever.....

and Shiv, you are partially correct:  I do plenty of golf stuff with her blessing, so I gotta pick and choose...

[Jim Thompson]

Tuesday and Wednesday look better on my end.

[Peter Pratt]

Had the pleasure of playing the Mines yesterday in ideal conditions. Very hilly, with mostly sweeping hills except for humpy undulations on the back nine. Par 70, 6700 yards from the tips. Five par 4s at 439 or more and all play uphill at some point. DeVries gives you little respite on these holes, as all of them have difficult greens, even when running one on is possible. I've never played a golf course where the greens look as flat as they do from the fairways and are as wildly undulating as they are. Favorite holes: #2, #6 (one of three very good short to medium length par 4s), #8, #11 (great par 3 from the longer west tee), #13 (brutal uphill long to smallish tabletop green), #14 (tough driving hole--the hills are humpy on this and #13 and #17), and #18 (the third very long par 4 in the last 6 holes, again to a plateaued green).

What I found perhaps most interesting about the course was that the landing areas for most (not all) of the non par 3s were more generous than they appeared from the tee and yet the greens were much less welcoming than they appeared from the fairways. This is highly unusual in my experience.

Hooker's lament: I nicked or hit trees on the right side of fairways on 5 holes. Mike and John, are you left to right players??? I'll grant that those 5 drives weren't all beautifully hit  

Great work--and it was $39.

[Peter Pratt]

I meant Mike and Joe--sorry!!

What other courses disguise the difficulties of their greens complexes well from the fairway?

[James Edwards]

Jonathan,

Why in your view is the
i) 9th an "outstanding green setting?"
ii) and the 11th a "great green set into a hill"

Its not a loaded question - purely Im not feeling the same enthusiasm as you.

I'd be interested inyour thoughts.

James

[Noel Freeman]

I have not been to the Mines but Mike's bunker work here reminds me of the work I've seen him do at the Meadow Club.  The shaping looks much more like the Meadow Club than what I've seen at the Kingsley Club.

I'd love to play the Mines but I often ask myself this .. The Kingsley Club is one of the funnest and best designed courses I've ever played.  Yet, Mike has not broken through with a major follow up.. I hope Mike gets the opportunity to go big one day on a national scale..  The Kingsley Club should have gotten him there but why it is only on the Golfweek list amazes me.  That said, maybe that is a blessing for hidden gem status.