Monroe Golf and Country Club (Monroe, MI) Ross

[Mike Schott]

Hi all.


This is formerly a private course that has fallen on hard times. For years they had been offering cut rate memberships and finally the owner defaulted on a loan. It was bought by a local businessman earlier this year. He has said that he'd like to restore the course but I cannot imagine that this would be cost effective. Maybe a bit at a time.


http://www.monroenews.com/news/20160211/country-club-to-open-greens-to-public


It is now a semi-private club. I made a tee time online on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning I teed off at 7:30 by myself.


Sorry that I did not take any pictures but here is the scorecard and layout:








It's hard to say how much Ross is left in the course. There are no fairways bunkers and the tiny greens are bland for the most part. Certainly the years have not been good to them and there has been no attempt at a restoration. It also needs to lose a few hundred trees.


The first few holes are bland and on flattish property. Upon reaching the 5th hole the ground becomes much more interesting with lots of contour. The short 6th is isolated and a fine hole. 7, 8 and 9 have some good interest and nice green complexes. Nine is a longer par 5 with 2 lakes that come into play and an elevated green. I have my doubts that the 2 ponds are original but it's a good hole.


A long drive or walk takes you back past the stately clubhouse to the 10th hole. I'd say the greens and their bunkering on the back 9 are nicer than on the front. There are a number of shortish par 4's which have interest. 18 is maybe the best of these due to the well bunkered green. I hit a nice drive, pulled a short iron into the left trap and did not get up and down.


It's a course worth seeing. As a senior the weekday green fees are $29.00 including a mandatory cart. Members can walk but the public cannot. I was told this was due to pace of play (?). The conditioning was excellent in a parkland style. I look forward to seeing it again. If it wasn't so far from my home (50 minutes), I'd play it regularly.


I believe Ben Cowan has played the course and look forward to is comments.

[Tom_Doak]

There are some awkward green-to-tee walks in that plan ... #6 seems like an added hole, and perhaps there was a fairway coming home in the present driving range.  It's hard for me to believe it hasn't been changed some from Ross's original routing.  [Maybe he only routed nine holes?]

[Mike Schott]

There are some awkward green-to-tee walks in that plan ... #6 seems like an added hole, and perhaps there was a fairway coming home in the present driving range.  It's hard for me to believe it hasn't been changed some from Ross's original routing.  [Maybe he only routed nine holes?]

I agree Tom. I doubt this is the original routing. 6 is very out of place, you have to backtrack to 7 through the woods.


There may be an original drawing somewhere on site. Non-members are not allowed into the main clubhouse so I don't know if this exists.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Haven't been there in a while, but yes, it was substantially remodeled at one point.  I recall one of the few Rossish greens was the chipping green right up front.