Jerry Matthews Heritage Glen in Paw Paw Michigan

[Terry Lavin]

I had the pleasure of playing this golf course yesterday.  Simply put, I was very surprised and very impressed.  My friend lives nearby and I suggested a game at the Dunes Club but he said, "let's play this local course instead".  The course is on a big parcel of rolling real estate that used to be primarily used for hunting.  The setting for the course is very natural, with a very pleasant routing with returning nines.  There are two or three very inventive and fun short par-4 holes, a double dogleg, 625 yard par-5 and some beautiful par three holes.  The cost was something like $45 during the week and slightly higher on the weekend.  If you're looking to put together a Southwestern Michigan golf trip, this should definitely be on the agenda.

I hadn't heard of Jerry Matthews, but after a little research I learned that he is a past president of the golf course architects professional society and the architect of many Michigan courses.  This course is an affordable hidden gem.

[SL_Solow]

Terry; Do you know when it was built?

[Terry Lavin]

I'm not sure, but probably five years or so...

[George Freeman]

Terry,

Seeing that I consider myself fairly knowledegable about MI golf courses, I was surprised to see your praise of a public golf course that I was not familiar with.  Jerry Matthews has a ton of MI courses, indeed.

Worth a solo trip or would it need to be part of an agenda of golf in the SW of the state?  How were the greens?  Interesting contouring or more flattish/tiered?  Can you talk a little more about the fun short par 4s?

Thanks Your Honor.

[Andrew Lewis]

Heritage Glen opened in the early/mid-90's and is a course I played with some regularity during high school.  I haven't visited since that time, but remember it as the type of course that offers interesting variety of shots in terns of length and shape without beating you up.  And on top of that, a very pleasant walk over some nice rolling land.

Other Jerry Matthews courses I have enjoyed include Buck's Run, Elk Ridge, and the St Ives course at the St Ives / Tullymore resort.

To George's question, I'm not sure that any would warrant a solo trip.  But all would be worthy of inclusion in a larger itinerary, or as stopping points en route up north.

[Mike Demetriou]

Jerry has a ton of courses in Michigan, and his uncle Bruce does as well. I actually played a round with him once, on a course he designed, and it was great fun. It was the first time I'd ever met a GCA, and I was really excited to hear about the holes, in real time with the designer. Very fun. He's a really nice man.

He's done some courses in Lansing, MI which are tricked up, but lots of fun regardless. Andrew, I agree with you - I really like Buck's Run as well.