Eagle Eye, Lansing, MI

[Doug Ralston]

After much time trying, finally made it up to Eagle Eye. I have heard many great things about the course, and a few negatives.

Mostly the negatives amounted to one topic. Eagle Eye is an almost purely 'manufactured' course. And it looks it! The question becomes 'so what?'.

This course is, IMNSHO, a masterpiece of golf challenge! The use of bunkers, mounding, water, and wispy but THICK rough in just the right proportions is stunning. Then the greens are still to be navigated. They are wavey, very fast, absolutely smooth, and make a final deadly obstacle for most holes. I admit I have not gotten to play the 'Great Courses' that most of you have. But if many of them are a greater and more fun challenge than Eagle Eye, I will be awed.

I wish I had pix to show you. You would love those Dye-type bunkers [Lutzke is from a Dye background, like so many are]. While you might compare the mounding to other 'over-manufactured' courses, I found them to have direct uses. Some clearly guided the ball away from out of bound areas, like roads; while others send a stray shot to very challenging spots, like short chips over bunkers to the narrow parts of greens.

I used my driver on two holes! That is because there were MANY obstacles, and it was better to have longer approaches than lose balls or find the wisp! I never even touched my 3-wood. My 5-wood became the club of choice, because I slice less with it and can sometimes aim it. Since I was playing from short tees, I was involved with the same obstacles you would be. Fun!!

They have an EXACT replica of #17 Sawgrass. I drowned one before putting my 9-iron shot in play.

But you will love those magnificent par-5s.

Go play this fun course. Forget it is not minimalist, and measure it by the golfing qualities, which you will understand more than I; and by the enjoyment factor, which I understand to my roots!

And this is critical .......... BUY THE YARDAGE BOOK. If you do not, you will certainly wonder why later  .

Doug

[JC Jones]

you should have PM'd me, I live right here in east lansing and would have loved to gotten out and played with a fellow GCA'er.  Also, I have yet to play that course, and playing with someone from here would have been a great reason to get me out there.

if you are in the area again, send me a PM, Im always up for a game.

[Mike Boehm]

Doug -

I played Eagle Eye this past Spring and enjoyed it much more than I was expecting to.  A fine example of doing something with pretty much nothing in terms of land.  You're absolutely right about the par 5's, particularly 9 and 18 with their risk/reward options.

What were your thoughts on #3?  I  almost thought it would be a better hole from the white or blue tees versus the two back set of tees as it might entice the longer hitter to give the green a shot from the tee and bring the water into play.  Given the size of the centerline bunker/mound there is not much advantage to playing driver especially since going left of the mound still leaves a fairly blind 2nd shot.  The play for most everyone is to lay up short of the mound with a mid to long-iron and then have a blind short iron/wedge into the green - seems like they could have built the hole to provide more options.

Mike

[ed_getka]

Thanks for bringing this to our attention Doug. I'll have to get over that way on one of my trips to Michigan.

A google search will get you to the course so you can see what each hole looks like. There sure is a LOT of water on that course. It does have some cool-looking holes though.

The list of courses I would like to see in Michigan just keeps getting longer.

[PThomas]

a course well worth a visit

[Doug Ralston]

JCJones;

You actually told me this before. I am embarrassed to say I completely forgot your name. If we get there again, I must indeed let you know. But do NOT wait. This course is worth the $89, which, BTW, is the most I have ever paid to play a course. Unfortunately, the scawny wallet does keep me from playing certain courses in Michigan I would like; for example Forest Dunes and Arcadia Bluffs.    

Ed Getka;

We went also to Red Hawk [by the EVIL Art Hills], and I think it is definitely worth your time too. Michigan is clearly public golf 'Mecca'. Turn your face thusward.  

Mike;

My play at #3 was to about 110yds and right. It gave me some view with a little walk, and a background something [I think a tree off the course] to align with. Unfortunately, I was sitting a little uphill. I am not a very good golfer, and one reason is my inability to play uneven lies. So I hit my PW much higher and a little shorter than hoped. I found one of those 'wonderful' collection areas in front. A chip and two putts later I had a 5 on the short hole. But it was much fun! Great little hole.

There are NO bad holes at Eagle Eye, IMHO.

Doug