Point O' Woods (Benton Harbor, MI) now opened to public visits

[PCCraig]

Not sure if the Chicago folks saw this, but this was published in Crain's yesterday:

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20110618/ISSUE03/306189988/glimpse-into-a-storied-club

[Jud_T]

Pat,

Thanks for posting.  Might have to finally make it out there...

[Tommy Williamsen]

I had not heard about comparaso s of POW to Medinah. I don't understand it either. Both do have a lot of trees but the courses are very different.
Do any of you find similarities?

[Chris Flamion]

oooohhh who's up for a roadtrip?

[Terry Lavin]

I had not heard about comparaso s of POW to Medinah. I don't understand it either. Both do have a lot of trees but the courses are very different.
Do any of you find similarities?

I've played both courses many times.  There are some similarities, like length (Medinah is now much longer from the tips), the tree-lined fairways (better tree program at the Point) and degree of difficulty (both hard, but Medinah tougher, more relentless).  The major visual difference is that Medinah is on a more hilly piece of property and Point O'Woods has those ridiculous runway length tee boxes on a bunch of holes.  Both are well worth a visit, that's for sure...

p.s. I just talked to my friend who is a longtime member and the only "public" availability is in connection with people who also play Harbor Shores, since the CEO of Whirlpool (owner of Harbor Shores) is a Point member.

I don't know why you'd want to play Harbor Shores, but maybe this gives a good enough reason!

[Andrew Calcutt]

Pat,

Thank you for posting that article.  I think Point O'Woods
is one of a small group of very good golf courses built by RTJ, including
Hazeltine, Seven Oaks, The Heather course, Peachtree and the now defunct
Cotton Bay Club.  (Unfortunately, however, he benefited a little too much from the
corporate affinity for golf in the '50s and '60s and built more courses than he could
practically conceive or design well.)

The greens and tee boxes at POW are huge, and fit with
the massive trees.  The tree tops are not too hazardous
(from what I can remember) or an overgrown
menace.  The grandiose trees were part of the design (1958),
not something that naturally overtook an early-century masterpiece;
or planted by hippies and dead members' wills in the '60s and
beyond.

It feels like a golf club built by a Fortune 500 company in the '50s --
big and built for competition -- but also has a gentle giant Cadillac-
of-the-era impression when not playing in a tournament.  It's fair and
walkable and enjoyable to play.  As for sustainability, they
may need to get their green and tee mowers Energy Star
certified.
 - AC

[Paul OConnor]

"One round at each course, on Sundays through Thursdays only, will cost $300 per person."

Is this a golf value in Chicago?  Point-o-Woods is a long drive from Chicago.  

[Mark Smolens]

Seems like an odd time to be building a new clubhouse, when you're being forced to open your course up to the great unwashed (of whom I certainly qualify, so I'm not being critical) in an attempt to attract new members. Certainly the current facilities are oddly configured and clearly outdated, but I'm not so sure that the clubhouse is the reason that they are losing members.

Also not sure that $300 is such a great price. Unescorted guest rate was only $185 last time I played the Point that way (last year), and Harbor Shores had tee times available on their website earlier this spring at $85 (tho I don't know what they're currently getting).

If you really want to play the Point, they have a Fall Classic on September 26. $270 per team + a practice round on the previous Sat or Sun for only $80. I hacked it around at a CDGA Better Ball event there in May, and it's still a really fun place to play. Firm, bright white sand in the bunkers, but if you can't play your ball out of that sand you'd better stick to playing at Spring Valley. . .

[Jud_T]

Mark,

Funny.  I just played Spring Valley Sunday and am taking the wife up there as it's perfect for her game....

[Tommy Williamsen]

I had not heard about comparaso s of POW to Medinah. I don't understand it either. Both do have a lot of trees but the courses are very different.
Do any of you find similarities?

I've played both courses many times.  There are some similarities, like length (Medinah is now much longer from the tips), the tree-lined fairways (better tree program at the Point) and degree of difficulty (both hard, but Medinah tougher, more relentless).  The major visual difference is that Medinah is on a more hilly piece of property and Point O'Woods has those ridiculous runway length tee boxes on a bunch of holes.  Both are well worth a visit, that's for sure...

p.s. I just talked to my friend who is a longtime member and the only "public" availability is in connection with people who also play Harbor
Shores, since the CEO of Whirlpool (owner of Harbor Shores) is a Point member.

Terry, I have played both as well. If someone hadn't already made the comparison, would you have. I played POW first. When I plyed Medinah, I sure didn't think of POW. 

I don't know why you'd want to play Harbor Shores, but maybe this gives a good enough reason!

[Mark Smolens]

Jud, either that or you're a tad unwilling to open up that wallet for her to play?   Just kidding. I loved our pre-Lawsonia round at Spring Valley. . .

[Bill Seitz]

Firm, bright white sand in the bunkers, but if you can't play your ball out of that sand you'd better stick to playing at Spring Valley. . .

I say this every time the subject comes up, but it is without a doubt the best sand I've ever played from.  I'm always secretly pleased when I hit a poor shot there that ends up in a bunker just because it gives me a chance to play from that sand again. 

It does seem a bit pricey, but if some people wanted to get together at some point this summer and head over for 36 (I'm assuming they'll allow both rounds in one day), I'd definitely be up for it.  Of course, one could drive a half hour further and pay a third of that to play the Kampen Course and Coyote Crossing in West Lafayette, or probably a little bit more for the Warren Course and Blackthorn in South Bend.  Hell, I'd be up for any of those.