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Jeff Peterson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Detroit public golf
« Reply #25 on: August 22, 2007, 12:42:05 PM »
Quote
From talking to the people in the pro shop and what i could discern from the course hole 1 for sure and I believe the hole running parallel with it returing in the opposite direction.

Thanks. 4 and 18 both run parallel to 1 in the opposite direction.  4 is a par 4 with an interesting uphill second to a difficult green (the green is only steps away from the first tee).  18 is an uphill par 5 without much character.  I would guess that 4 is the original hole.

And I see that Salem Hills (1963) is newer than I would have guessed.  It's apparently also a Bruce Matthews, Sr. design.  

Jeff_Mingay

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Detroit public golf
« Reply #26 on: August 22, 2007, 07:50:08 PM »
Matt,

Who were you at Essex with? You didn't even call  :'(

Not that I would have been in town!
jeffmingay.com

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Detroit public golf
« Reply #27 on: August 22, 2007, 08:06:38 PM »

The U of M course, with some tree trimming and some bunker work could be absolutely stellar.

Matt

They cut back and took out god knows how many trees during UofM's redo.  I presume this is where the bulk of the money was spent because the bunkering didn't really change.  Mind you, I am not confident that the bunkers ever had any real flair to them.  That isn't to say someone couldn't improve on the Maxwell/Mac design.  The course is mostly about getting the correct angle for approaching as the greens are trickier than they appear.  Of course, some are just downright difficult - like you are better off with a wedge if you are in the wrong spot (#s   3 & 6 particularly).  Even with its shortcomings - which are mainly aesthetic, I think UofM is one of the better courses in Michigan.  In some ways its overlooked because its not a proper club of sorts, but I can't of too many other courses in Michigan I would rather play on a weekly basis.    

Ciao

New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Jfaspen

Re:Detroit public golf
« Reply #28 on: September 15, 2007, 09:19:34 AM »
Hey guys.. Sorry to top this with a semi-OT post.  But.. If I'm driving up to Cadillac/Tustin tomorrow.  Is there anything worth playing in the general area?

Thanks,

Jeff

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Detroit public golf
« Reply #29 on: September 18, 2007, 03:41:39 AM »
Others that have not been mentioned that are solid in the Detroit metro area:

Blackheath GC (mini Lakewood Shores Gailes by Kevin Aldridge)
Rouge Park GC (old 1920's Detroit park course - sporty / old)
Glen Oaks GC (old Reid / Connelan former CC now muni)
Moose Ridge GC (solid newer Ray Hearn design).
Pontiac CC (old 1920's Ernest Way design)
Inkster Valley GC (new Harry Bower's design in Rouge River flood plane - some decent holes)

Chris

Chris

Your mention of Inkster Valley is bizarre.  I just happened by this course this past Easter.  I can't believe it was built!  Do they do decent business?  Honestly, its a part of Downriver that should be blown up and rebuilt!  

The Rouge GC is another odd mention.  I never cared for the course, but it was always fairly cheap.  I don't like the idea of playing next to the Rouge River - yuuuck!

Ciao
« Last Edit: September 18, 2007, 03:41:57 AM by Sean Arble »
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Chris_Blakely

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Detroit public golf
« Reply #30 on: September 18, 2007, 07:40:03 AM »
Sean,

I definetely did not think Inkster Valley was awfull.  It is built in a flood plain and has a disjointed routing because of the Rouge River, but does not make the course awfull.  If I remember the course correctly (it has been 3 years since I playd it last) it actually has some good risk / reward holes and uses the Rouge River well on several holes.  You can do much worse with some of the other courses mentioned.  If I remember the thread correctly (and your post is about a month from the time when the last one was made), the goal was decent public golf courses near the airport and several people gave courses in LANSING.  As for the buisness that they do, I have not idea.

As for Rouge Park, it has some bland holes, but it has some sporty ones as well.  I like the uphill blind par 3, the finishing hole, there is a downhill par 4 with the green on the opposite side of the river.  Again, close proximety to the airport and decent cost.  If old and sporty is your bag, it would not be a bad choice.

Chris

Chuck Brown

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Detroit public golf
« Reply #31 on: September 18, 2007, 08:11:15 PM »
Stray comments on what has already been said:

The University of Michigan Golf Course requires a student, or staff member or alumnus or donor to make a tee time, with appropriate i.d.  That's a very large pool, and therefore isn't too hard to get on.  I'd be happy to make a time and play it with any GCA member.
They cut down a couple hundred trees during the Art Hills renovation.  They could cut down a couple hundred more.  They did a lot of bunker work; they could do more.  It is a good layout, with some very fine MacKenzie-looking greens.  It is not maintained as well as the much less remarkable Hills/Matthews Forest Akers courses at Michigan State in E. Lansing.

Out that way, Eagle Eye (and only Eagle Eye) in Bath/Lansing is very much worth the trip.  Caution, purists; it has a duplicate of TPC Sawgrass 17.

Warren Valley is a hidden gem.  The greens are shaggy.  The drainage has been neglected.  But it is every bit as good a Ross layout as the high-priced private Birmingham CC or the lower priced private Western G & CC.  And all three look like they could all be part of the same three-course club.  All are traversed by small tributaries of the Rouge River system.  I am guessing that Ross spent little time at all three places.  But you can tell he was there at Warren Valley despite its poor condition.

Shepherd's Hollow is actually a very good example of Art Hills' work in my view and very enjoyable as such.

Glen Oaks is a very functional/serviceable course where you can actually stretch out and hit driver on a few holes.  Mature specimen trees, marred only by the addition of out-of-character 2nd and 3rd holes that were later additions.  Hateful, cramped little bastard holes.  Terrible slow play problems.

The Orchards is in the far northern east-side suburbs.  It hosted the 2002 USGA Public Links, won by Ryan Moore.  It is a good test of golf, with absolutely no discernable charm whatsoever.  It is a new golf course and looks like it.

The best course that no longer is was Rochester GC; secret home to a flock of the Detroit area's best Publinx players.  Also an old former-private-club, with a generous mature layout and gorgeous trees that did not get in the way of the golf.  It is all gone now, to build housing.  
It was always strange to me -- if I had to choose, I'd have happily allowed the golf world to abandon Rackham if we could have preserved Rochester GC.
« Last Edit: September 18, 2007, 08:13:17 PM by Chuck Brown »

igrowgrass

Re:Detroit public golf
« Reply #32 on: September 18, 2007, 08:16:57 PM »
For whatever reason I have yet to play Eagle Eye.  I dont care for Hawk Hollow its sister course so I dont head out that way.

Im curious to read people's opinions of Eagle Eye as I have heard mixed reviews.

I typically play Timber Ridge, a serviceable Matthews design.  A couple good short par 4s, a couple good long ones.  Its got decent routing and they didnt move much dirt to make it happen.

Forest Akers West.
El Dorado, its got a few good holes for not a bad price.

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re:Detroit public golf
« Reply #33 on: September 19, 2007, 02:15:02 AM »
Sean,

I definetely did not think Inkster Valley was awfull.  It is built in a flood plain and has a disjointed routing because of the Rouge River, but does not make the course awfull.  If I remember the course correctly (it has been 3 years since I playd it last) it actually has some good risk / reward holes and uses the Rouge River well on several holes.  You can do much worse with some of the other courses mentioned.  If I remember the thread correctly (and your post is about a month from the time when the last one was made), the goal was decent public golf courses near the airport and several people gave courses in LANSING.  As for the buisness that they do, I have not idea.

As for Rouge Park, it has some bland holes, but it has some sporty ones as well.  I like the uphill blind par 3, the finishing hole, there is a downhill par 4 with the green on the opposite side of the river.  Again, close proximety to the airport and decent cost.  If old and sporty is your bag, it would not be a bad choice.

Chris

Chris

I don't know if Inkster Valley is awful or not.  I never played the course and I dare say I don't intend to.  I don't like being in that neck of the woods because its so depressing.  I just happened on it leaving the airport and was surprised a course was built there.  

I don't dislike Rouge Park, its alright if you live that way.  It isn't worth much of a journey so I haven't seen it in yonks.  

Chuck

You must get around a bit to have seen Warren Valley!  I haven't been there in a long time, but it always had a reputation of being a bit of a class course relative to most options at the time - say at least 20 years ago.  The main problem is that the courses are so inconsistent with the Ross holes being so much better than the others.  I could see myself getting back there one day if only to see if my memory of the place is at all accurate!

Still, the pulling power of Detroit public golf is very weak.  As much as I like Shepherds Hollow, I still don't find it compelling enough to hang about the city/burbs.  As JakaB says, its a hit and run sort of place.

Ciao
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing