Sandy Creek Golf Course
Monroe, Michigan

Overall Grade: B
Value: C+ ($34 with cart!)
Walkability: A+
Course Conditions: B+
Course Design: B
Practice Facility: C
Food: C nothing fancy.
Teacher’s Comments: Fun. I’d go back.

Sandy Creek is a very pleasant course just off the beaten track near Monroe, Michigan. Like so many Southeastern Michigan courses, it offers good conditions, a reasonable challenge and decent prices.

From a design point of view, Sandy Creek has a number of challenging holes. The ninth and tenth, in particular are doglegs that require precise tees shots. Water is present on eleven holes, often in the form of a creek crossing the fairway at a critical juncture. That makes distance control off the tee an important issue. I also liked the fact that it finishes with a strong par 5.  The course has a nice mix of doglegs, straightaways, target and muscle holes.

My favorite hole was the par five third. It’s framed very nicely with trees on both sides, and has just enough of a bend to make the proper placement of the tee shot useful but not critical. I enjoy par 5s because they allow me to play my favorite club—a TaylorMade TP 3 Wood—off the deck, and because they often offer me my best chance at a birdie (or better). I’m good with that three wood.

Course conditions on the day I visited were terrific. The local guy I played with told me that the course originally was a sod farm, and that the owners maintain operations nearby. If so, it shows. Fairways were lush, as were the greens, with none of the typical late summer brown spots. The rough was dry in many places, but that’s to be expected. With all of the water in the area, I was surprised to find very few damp spots on the fairway. The drainage systems must be very good.

Another great feature: this course is exceedingly walkable. Tees follow closely on greens, and it’s absolutely flat. It’s one of the few courses I’ve seen where walkers outnumbered cart riders. Ahead of my group were two foursomes of ladies-of-a-certain-age, all walking, and moving on at a fine clip.

The owners of Sandy Creek also deserve props for running what appears to be a very nice junior program. One of my playing partners actually was waiting for his sons to finish their juniors group lesson, following which the large group of kids went out to play nine holes. 

There’s an awful lot to like about Sandy Creek. Although it’s about 45 minutes from GolfBlogger World Headquarters, it’s a course I intend to visit again soon.

You can see more photos here.

When the Golfblogger reviews a course, it’s always with an eye to the bargain: a fun design, with playable conditions at a reasonable price. The course I play most frequently is a mere $15 a round. For that, I get greens in great condition, fairways of well-mowed clover and something resembling grass—but no dirt spots—and the necessity of using most of the clubs in my bag. Most importantly, it’s fun. 

A golf course that does all that gets a good grade on my scale.

There are, however, golf courses that fall so far outside those parameters that no review can be offered—only an appreciation.

Forest Dunes is one of those. There’s a reason it’s in GOlf Digest’s list of the top 20 public courses.

Located in Roscommon, Michigan—the middle of nowhere, really—Forest Dunes is an other worldly experience. Cut through sandy pine barrens, I think that it must offer the general public a glimpse of America’s most celebrated of courses, Pine Valley.

There’s not a single bad hole on this Tom Weiskopf design. Every one offers options for angles and club choices. Studying the yardage book is a must.

That’s not to say that Forest Dunes is difficult. There’s no doubt that it can be, but the judicious placement of tee boxes makes it accessable for all skill levels—so long as you play to your actual handicap. As Dirty Harry Callahan once said “A man’s got to know his limitations.”

There are four sets of tees, ranging from 7,141 to 5,032 yards. The course rating is 74.8, with a slope of 142 from the longest tees, and 72.3/137 from the “blues.” (They’re actually labeled as I through IV). At it’s shortest, the course is a 69.8/128. There also apparently is a set of “junior” tees, where the course measures just 3,000 yards.

I played the blues, and thought it challenging, without being overwhelming. I shot a 95, which I think is not bad—maybe even excellent—for a first playing. There are just so many things to think about on this course.

Forest Dunes’ scenery is wonderful. Whether running through a pine forest, through sandy dunes or along a marsh, each hole was both different and memorable. And yet, as carefully crafted as the layout is, there’s still a raw, wild feeling to it. The front nine is cut through a pine forest, while the back nine opens up, with more dunes, marshes and waste areas.

I’d like to describe my favorite hole, but I can’t. Each is worth playing over and again.

And here’s a first for a new “destination” course: it’s eminently walkable—so much so that I wonder why anyone without a mobility handicap would ever consider a cart. I played in long pants, and never broke a sweat.

Course conditions were absolutely immaculate. The fairways are like carpets (another reason to walk—your feet will never light upon such soft grass), the greens perfect, the sand fluffy. Even the waste areas seem to have been weeded and groomed.

The only downside is the price: at $150 a round, I really can’t justify ever playing it again.

But maybe I will. It’s that good.

Visit the gallery for a photo tour of the course.

Hawk Meadows Golf Course

While no one is ever going to mistake it for a premium course, Hawk Meadows is a nice neighborhood track that I would play again. It measures 6,377 from the blues, with a course rating of 70 and a slope of 122.

It’s an older course, having opened in 1969. As such, the walk from each green to the next tee is short, and while the fairways don’t run parallel, you can always see several from each of the holes. It has a very nice, friendly feel to it.

It’s one of the two or three easiest to walk courses I’ve ever encountered. There’s no reason for any but the handicapped to ride.

Architectural connoisseurs will no doubt find much at fault with this course. There’s only one dogleg of any note; on the remainder of the holes, you just hit it as far as you can with a driver and then pick a mid- or short- iron for your approach. A lack of hazards further accentuates the bomb-and-gouge style of play.

But that’s ok. While I prefer course that make me think my way around, sometimes its fun to just hit the ball, chase after it and hit it again.

The course is relatively well maintained, with only a few patchy areas on the fairways, good greens, and nice bunkers.

The best part was the price. I don’t know whether they were running a special, but the price was $18 including cart. I walked for $15.

I think this would be a great course to schedule an outing on. The wide open nature will allow high handicappers (and outings are full of those) to have fun, while the price can’t be beat. They’ve also got a huge banquet facility and a big deck.

The Majestic at Lake Walden
Hartland, Michigan
Livingston County

When I’m pining for an “Up North” style woodlands course, but don’t have the time to make the four or five hour drive, I’ve found that there are a couple of very good more local options: The Grande in Jackson, and Moose Ridge in South Lyon.

To that, I’ve added a third: The Majestic at Lake Walden in Hartland.

All three courses are cut through vast acres of forest. Lake Walden is different in that it’s wrapped around a large lake, much of which is visible from the course.

I found it to be a beautiful course, with plenty of golfing challenges.

There actually are three sets of nines at the Majestic. I played 1-18.

From the blues on the first 18, the course measures 6385 with a course rating of 70.9 and a 130 slope.

As you can see from the yardage and course rating, it’s not a particularly difficult course. But it does require a good deal of strategy. Bomb and gouge is not the best strategy at the Majestic. Instead, you need to work to yardages and locations.

I ran up a fairly high score on my round, primarily because I was having difficulty judging the correct clubs for the different distances. This is a course where local knowledge is at a premium. On a second playing—and I will be going back—I expect to shoot a much lower number.

Course conditions were generally very good—although on a few holes in low lying swampy areas, the fairways were soggy. A couple of the greens also needed some work.

The course’s layout is a bit unusual in that it doesn’t return to the clubhouse at the turn. There is, however, a decent restroom with actual plumbing after number nine.

It was an exceedingly hot day when I played, and about halfway through the round, a course staff member pulled up in a cart to offer a cool, wet towel. Nice touch.

My favorite hole was the par 5 second. Measuring 494 yards from tbe blues, it requires a medium length carry from the tee to a ridge opposite. The fairway carries across a plateau, and about 140 from the green, dips suddenly downward. From the bottom, it requires one, perhaps two clubs more than usual.

I love a hole like that, because I love to hit my three wood from the fairway. It was fun to watch the ball arc up into the air, and then disappear from sight into the ravine. (I know, it’s weird).

My only complaint, and it’s one that can’t be helped, is that it’s a walking only couse. The distances from green to tee, and the elevation changes require a cart. Still, I have to give them my usual downgrade for not being walking friendly.

If you’re in the area, visit The Majestic at Lake Walden. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Take a photo tour of The Majestic at Lake Walden.

Musket Ridge Golf Course Review
Myersville MD

Set on a ridge in Maryland’s historic Middletown Valley, just west of Sugarloaf and Braddock Heights, Musket Ridge offers an enjoyable and challenging golf experience in a beautiful mountain setting.

From the back tees, Musket Ridge measures a very respectable 6,902 yards. That’s not going to win it a US Open visit, but it’s plenty for the amateur. The course rating is 73, with a slope of 140.

Musket Ridge was designed by Joseph Lee, who began his career working alongside Dick Wilson, and has designed or renovated more than 250 courses, including Doral’s Blue Monster, LaCosta, Bay Hill, Cog Hill and Warwick Hills.

From the first tee, it’s obvious that Musket Ridge is going to be an exercise in club selection.  Driver on this course should never be your first choice. With the dramatic elevation changes and strategically placed hazards, golfers need to think carefully about where they want to place the ball, not just drive it as far as possible.

The eleventh is a case in point. Measuring just 319 from the blue tees, it’s a dogleg left with the interior and exterior of the bend guarded by deep bunkers. The tee is set high above the fairway, and the widest spot is well short of the bend. An accurately placed mid iron is the smart tee shot here.

It took me several holes to appreciate Lee’s course design. I started out thinking that I could take advantage of elevated tee boxes by hitting monstrous drives. But by the fourth (I’m sometimes slow), I realized that the course encourages more strategic thinking with its elevation changes, clearly defined landing zones and hazards. I ended up using every club in the bag at Musket Ridge.

Course conditions were terrific on the day I visited—with one notable exception. The bunkers were filled with a sort of of hard red clay that made it very difficult to play the usual sand shot. The stuff also stains golf gloves.

Walking is a non-starter at Musket Ridge. I don’t’ believe they allow it, and it would be too difficult even for a hard core walker like the GolfBlogger.

My only real complaint with Musket Ridge was the price. At $80, it’s far more expensive than I’m used to paying for a round of golf. A similar course in Michigan would be half that fee.

Take a photo tour of Musket Ridge Golf Course.

I just got a mini review from a Friend of GolfBlogger on a golf course in Michigan.

I just finished a round at Huntmore Golf Club and you might want to play it for your reviews.  Huntmore is located in Brighton on Estancia Rd.  Take US 23 to I 96 and west to Spencer Rd.  Spencer Rd north to Old 23 and north about 4 miles to the course.

The price is excellect, especially with on line coupons at huntmoregolfclub.com.  The course is in great condition.  This is a hard course with many dog legs and marsh carries.  The greens are quick with
subtle breaks too.  We played the white tees and had trouble with determining distances until we figured out that the GAM marker references the blue tees.  Even so, the course needs more fairway markers, so bring your range finder. Long drives help, though lay-ups are frequently needed.

I’ll put it on the list for a future review.

Ypsilanti, Michigan
Overall Grade: B+
Value: A+ ($15 - $30)
Walkability: A
Course Conditions: B
Course Design: B
Practice Facility: NA
Food: C - nothing fancy.
Teacher’s Comments: An interesting, enjoyable and affordable course.

It would be easy to overlook the Green Oaks Golf Course. It’s a municipal that’s not located in the best of neighborhoods, and the greens fees are low even by Michigan standards. I will admit that when I started out, I didn’t have high hopes.

But I was pleasantly surprised.. Green Oaks is a fun, and interesting test of golf.

The course is decently long, measuring 6,780 yards from the blues, and 6,172 from the whites. It’s got a good mix of strategic and power holes and ultimately forced me to use nearly every club in my bag. Bunkers—both greenside and fairway—abound. Eleven of the holes have bends that require good tee shot placement. Water comes into the play on eight of the holes. Trees often limit your club choices.