[PCCraig]

Hey all,

  The Dunes Club, Michigan
  Its been discussed in bits and pieces in the past here, but no real discussion on it. Which surprises me considering everyone's love here for  Bandon Dunes and it's owner, Mike Kaiser.

  I have been lucky enough to play there a few times, and think it is about as perfect of a golf setting as it gets, from the tiny clubhouse to the empty course.

 I was just wondering what everyone else thinks about it, I've never heard a bad thing about the place, however how does the design stack up? 9 holes or not.

  Thanks!

[Tom Huckaby]

Hey Pat - there's not much discussion on The Dunes Club because damn few people have played it.

Those who have have been pretty universal in praise... in fact it's always mentioned in discussions of the world's best 9-holers.

TH

[PThomas]

I've been there once, and it is a great place!

[Andy Troeger]

Hi Pat,
   I've only been there once, but it is a wonderful and unique setting for golf. Its like being transported to a completely different world really (but only IF you can find the entrance!). As far as the golf course goes, its a good one: tough, lots of trees and interesting green complexes, and its well maintained too. Personally I don't get the love-affair with #8, its certainly not my favorite hole on course, but I love the two par threes, and #1 is one of the best starters I've ever played. #9 is a beautiful finisher.

[Gene Greco]

What is the other premier 9 holer in America?

Whittinsville? Where is it located?

[Scott Coan]

What is the other premier 9 holer in America?

Whittinsville? Where is it located?

Massachusetts...

Whitinsville Golf Club
179 Fletcher Street
Whitinsville, MA 01588

[PCCraig]

Well everything for me; from the hard to find entrance, parking lot where you literally park in between trees, the small clubhouse, it's "help your self" atmosphere and its walk in closet sized proshop.

As far as the course goes, I dont see any reason why more courses do not use the same "multiple tees idea" with there own par-3s (other than lack of land) and the conditioning as a good as it gets. However, much of the place's ratings is due to the feeling of your own country club for a day, b/c when you're there, there is a good chance you and your 3 buddies are the only ones around!

I was more intersted in what people thought of the golf course, and maybe if anyone had pictures?

thanks...

[Andy Troeger]

Pat,
  I've got some pictures of holes 1, 3, 5, and 9 and the clubhouse. I haven't taken the time to go to one of those free sites so that I could post pictures, but if I get some time I could try to do so (probably won't be real soon as I'm in the middle of changing jobs). Or if you or anyone else wants to volunteer I'd be happy to e-mail them and let somebody else post them.
Andy

[Gene Greco]

Thanks, Scott.

[Jonathan Cummings]

The only entrance to a golf club you have to take at 2mph.

I was once playing golf with Mike Keiser and pompously suggested that Dunes was a tribute to PVGC and should be expanded to 18 holes.

Mike took a labored look at me and said something like, "18 would be 9 too many".

He's right too, Dunes works as it is and we should enjoy it more and look critically at it less.

jaycee

[PCCraig]

I think one the things that makes it what it is is the 9-hole routing, with so many tees that you could litterally play 27 holes and never play the exact same hole twice.

They certainly could have squeezed 18 into that property, im glad they decided on 9 great holes instead.


pat

[George Pazin]

Posting for Andy:















Looks like a pretty idyllic place.

[Andy Troeger]

Thanks George for posting those. I have added some comments above each of the pictures.

Posting for Andy:


1st hole, par 4, approx 420-430 yards. Great opener that's arguably the most difficult hole on the course (I think the picture shows somewhat why)!  The green also slopes pretty severely from back to front (at least some of it), making things interesting once you arrive at the green.


3rd hole, par 5, guessing about 520 yards. This is pretty much a three shot hole even though I don't remember it being all that long. A fairway wood is required off the tee for the long hitter to avoid the first sand/scrub area that bisects the fairway. Preferred second shot leaves about 120-150 in for the third to a well protected green. Not a lot of real options of how to play the hole (unless you're Tiger maybe), but very good and fun anyway.


These next two are both of the 5th, par 4, 400 yards give or take (I'm trying to do this without my scorecard). Please excuse the guy posing at the top of a lousy backswing in the first picture    This hole as you can see is challenging due to the long carry over the pond on the 2nd shot. The fairway is wide, but don't plan on going from the green unless you hit it. Tough for anyone that cannot fly the ball 125-150 consistantly, there's really no bail out area.





All finally the wonderful little clubhouse. The Dunes Club is all about golf!  


Looks like a pretty idyllic place.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Yes it looks just great to me.

[Andy Troeger]

Shivas,
  I actually kind of liked #5, even though does admittedly have a different flavor than the rest of the course. I wouldn't want to see very many replicas (playing it twice over 18 holes is plenty for me), but I thought it worked fine at the Dunes. Granted, I haven't been subjected to the "destruction" in Chicago that you have evidently  

[PCCraig]

Shivas,

  I think you can second how nugent even used one of those beach bunkers at wilmette gc, #17 (A 80 year old golf course that ol' dick has redone in bits and pieces over the years)

 Its not the best hole, however Im not sure what else they could have put on that part of the land. It seems like a the boring part of the grounds...no old dunes or anything.

    pat

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