[Nick Pozaric]

A friend asked for a golf course for him and some friends to play around Detroit.  They were looking for something around $50-$75.  Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Sean_A]

A friend asked for a golf course for him and some friends to play around Detroit.  They were looking for something around $50-$75.  Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Nick

I haven't played it, but loads of folks seem to love http://www.westwyndgolf.com/westwyndgolf/

I really liked http://www.shepherdshollow.com/ but its a riding course due to the terrain. 

I have always liked W Reid's http://www.braeburngc.com/ out near Plymouth and its a bit cheaper than the above courses. 

http://webchief777.googlepages.com/home2 is a cool old Ross that needs some love and care.  Perhaps the new owners have done some good.

Finally, if you can sweet talk someone, http://www.mgoblue.com/clubs/article.aspx?id=28618 is really worth a go.  Its out in Ann Arbor, but the motorways are good.

Ciao

[Niall Hay]

Shepherd's Hollow is hands down the best public and very reasonably priced.

[George Freeman]

Shepherd's Hollow is hands down the best public and very reasonably priced.

I disagree...I personally liked Westwynd better than Shepherd's Hollow, although I only played one of their two "good" nines

[Brian Cenci]

I would go with Shephard's, although Westwynd is good too.   Public golf in Detroit is pretty bleak.

[Jon Heise]

Shepherd's Hollow is a once a year-in the spring or fall rates kind of course for me and my crew.  Its very nice, but I cant get worked up about it.  $50-75 price range will be hard to find, as I can only think of a few that ever touch that high.  No need to spend that much!  There's not too many GREAT public courses, but very many nice, interesting, good value courses within ~30-45 minutes drive.

Here's a couple I like and try to get to often:

North:

-Fieldstone, Auburn Hills.  A solid course, usually good condition and a good challenge.  Art Hills.  They play the Buick Open qualifier there.  A little pricey though.
-Devil's Ridge, Oxford.  Some great, fun holes.  Lots of elevation changes in spots, then some more flatter, farm holes.  Really enjoyed the greens.
-The Orchards, Washington (?).  RTJ Jr, big and difficult, again great conditions and great holes.  Held a USGA tourney recently I believe.  Im not a huge fan, but its definitely worth a see.


South:

-Carleton Glen, Carleton.  Short, fun, quirky.  Some great terrain, very atypical for the area.  A good value course, sometimes conditions are a little mushy.
-Raisin River, Monroe.  Play the East course.  Flat.  Cheap.  Great use of the flat land, the bunkers and hazards are absolutely in play and create great strategy.  The green complexes are very, very interesting, and conditions are pristine.


West:

-The Grande, Jackson.  Ok so its a further drive.  Its pretty spectacular Ray Hearn design.  A very BIG course with some wild bunkering and roller coaster greens.  Just hope they are rolling fast this year.  I make it out there 3-5 times a year despite the drive.
-Timber Trace, Pinckney.  A solid, solid course, maybe a couple houses, but very good for the value.
-Northville Hills, Plymouth.  More of a big name course.  Severe land and usually good condition.  Too many houses for me.  A little stuffy, as I get the vibe they think theyre a little better than they are, but a good course worth a play.
-Eagle Eye, near Lansing.  Wild and wonderful.  Very big, championship course.  Great conditions and some challenging holes.  Has a replica of TPC Sawgrass's par 3 17th that I holed out on.  For a 5...

[Mark Pritchett]

Has anyone on here ever played Bay Pointe in West Bloomfield? 

[Brent Carlson]

Call up the U of M course and see if you can get on.  That is hands down my favorite course in the Metro(Mackenzie).  Shepherd's hollow is a good course, but like Shawn said, you need a cart.  Westwynd was a dissapointment to me.   

[BCowan]

A friend asked for a golf course for him and some friends to play around Detroit.  They were looking for something around $50-$75.  Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Nick

I haven't played it, but loads of folks seem to love http://www.westwyndgolf.com/westwyndgolf/

I really liked http://www.shepherdshollow.com/ but its a riding course due to the terrain. 

I have always liked W Reid's http://www.braeburngc.com/ out near Plymouth and its a bit cheaper than the above courses. 

http://webchief777.googlepages.com/home2 is a cool old Ross that needs some love and care.  Perhaps the new owners have done some good.

Finally, if you can sweet talk someone, http://www.mgoblue.com/clubs/article.aspx?id=28618 is really worth a go.  Its out in Ann Arbor, but the motorways are good.

Ciao

S,

    6 of us GCAers played Brae Burn in flurries on Sunday.  I was really impressed.  Even the non Reid front 9 had a lot of good holes and greens.  The back 9 is really solid.  The greens are spectacular.  Some of the grass bunkers that were most likely sand bunkers probably before WW2 really turned out well and are cool looking.  Drainage is an issue but it has been raining a lot.  Looking forward to re teeing it later in season.  I can kick myself for not playing Bald Mtn. since it's being plowed over right now. 

[Sean_A]

Ben


Yes, Brae Burn is a serious sleeper.  It does have drainage issues in low spots (on some cool holes!) so its best to go in summer.  I used to often go in the very late fall as well...the course used to close fairly late in the season.  In any case, I suspect the green fee is well south of $50 so its not an issue if Brae Burn isn't to one's taste.


Ciao

[JStewart]

Unless you can get on U-M GC or Radrick Farms, I'd say Orchards (Ryan Moore won the 2002 US AM Public Links here) or Grande in Jackson are the best bets. Shepherds Hollow has some really nice holes and some really strange holes (typical of Arthur Hills' stuff IMO). Spotty conditioning too, but I haven't played it in a while.

[BCowan]

Sean,

   It was $25, but that could be spring rate.  I doubt it is higher then $35 to walk in season.  I'd put it ahead of Shepards hollow and The Grande if conditioning isn't of top priority.  I think SH given the land was a big miss.  Roseland Park is better then BB, Washtenaw maybe equal, and possibly Monroe might come close but those new holes there are pretty bad.  I wish Indianwood had as many great greens as BB.  The bones are very good

[Jim Dales]

I think the 16th at Brae Burn is one of the best holes in the Detroit area. Great use of the natural land forms. BB has to have some of the worst added little ponds and trees, but the original greens are really good. Don't let the low price scare you away.

[Matt Bielawa]

Definitely a fun hole.

I'd also say #13 is one of the worst holes I've ever seen.  The fact that they use it in their marketing ("Home of the Monster") is hilarious.

[Mike Schott]

I haven't played Brae Burn in years but my memories are not flattering, mainly due to the conditioning. Sounds like it's doing much better.


As far as other walkable Detroit (including AA) area courses, Leslie Park is high on the list for sure. I have not played the newly public Washtenaw or Monroe Clubs. Pierce Lake in Chelsea is nice except the back nine requires a lot of forced carries. I've mentioned Dunham Hills in Highland before and am a fan of Timber Trace. The main flaw there is a long walk from I believe 10 green to 11 tee. A very long walk. It's also charitable to say this is a Detroit area course. It's a 30-45 minute drive from the western suburbs.

[Chris_Blakely]

Sean,

   It was $25, but that could be spring rate.  I doubt it is higher then $35 to walk in season.  I'd put it ahead of Shepards hollow and The Grande if conditioning isn't of top priority.  I think SH given the land was a big miss.  Roseland Park is better then BB, Washtenaw maybe equal, and possibly Monroe might come close but those new holes there are pretty bad.  I wish Indianwood had as many great greens as BB.  The bones are very good

New holes at Monroe cc 6 and 9'are quite bad.  6 is not The worst par three but it is so out of the way and that is the problem.  9 is atrocious especially considering the abandoned original Ross green site is still there and probably the best on the course!!

[Chris_Blakely]

The loss of Bald Mountain is sad imo it had better greens then Brae Burn and Indianwood.

[Russ Arbuthnot]

Brae Burn was a fun walk in crazy cold, snowy May weather. Would definitely play there again. The price is right, the walk is good, and the interest is there.


16 was a stand-out. Very natural looking / feeling hole.


The uphill 200 yd 11th to a blind green fronted by long grass mounds, a false front, and deep grass bunkers left was also quite unlike anything I've seen around here.


Most of all, Brae Burn made me long for my old pal and neighbor Bald Mountain. And that is bitter sweet.

[BCowan]

I just played Washtenaw GC for the 4th time and it's now public this year.  This course has such great bones.  The green complexes are really good.  Some bold false front greens, very unique greens, and a few okay ones.  I really like the grass green side bunkers on a few holes.  The course had trees encroaching the playing lines on a some holes and too many trees in general.  With tree removal and changing of some mowing lines Washtenaw is very good.  Very good genius loci.  Unfortunately or fortunately it's not located in trendy A2, just in Ypsi by A2 line.  If in SE Mich I highly recommend Washtenaw for it's in the top tier for public courses in its region. 

[Jfaspen]

Has anyone on here ever played Bay Pointe in West Bloomfield?

I've played it twice.  Decent course.  Couple of holes that run along the lake, but the clubhouse occupies one of the best parts of the property.  Course gets a little tiresome at a couple points with some back and forth cookie cutter par 4's.  Small bit of elevation change mostly reserved for 1 hole (10 I think).  Bunkering does not stand out).  Good condition both times I've played.

Overall, for the price ($30 or so on Golfnow), it's worth the price, but not as interesting as Brae Burn or even Rackham.

Jeff

[Tags:]

Tags:

[Tags:]

Tags:

Call to undefined function theme_linktree()