Metro Detroit Area Golfers (NO COVID-19, POLITICS)

[Moo]

Heads up. Didn't want bad information out there. Apparently the range at Lyon Oaks is NOT being opened until Monday. I'll be there Monday and confirm.

Got suckered into playing Coyote (the one in Milford area) tomorrow. Hope it doesn't suck, as I'm not crazy about that course.

[Moo]

Coyote in New Hudson...not too bad. The greens were in good shape and fairly quick. I had not played it in a long, long time (I'm thinking 2001 or so). There are 3 unusual holes that I do not care for the design too much, but they are not terrible. For 35 bucks, worth playing.

One thing I've noticed is that the discount rates for almost all the Metro courses have gone up. And TeeOff.com has now been RUINED by being purchased by Golf Now. Golf Now sucks and now TeeOff.com now sucks equally as much. Very unfortunate, as I used to get great deals for the same day or next day on TeeOff.com, but they now have a 3 day advance for rewards. Well, I'm done with them. They lost a customer that usually books 50 rounds a year with them.

 

[1puttTUT]

I've also noticed that we're pretty much back at June 2019 rates. I guess it's good that starting Monday we can ride two per cart and courses can sell beer. That will definitely help their bottom line and maybe prevent any further rate increases?

Btw I was in WV for work this week and found a course that was less than a mile from my hotel and let you walk as many holes as you could play for $20. It was EXTREMELY hilly and they looked at us funny when we said we wanted to walk. I enjoyed it as I didn't have to choose between either working out or playing golf after work.

Oh yeah, and we were actually able to eat at restaurants!

[Moo]

The rack rates at the courses are getting back to last year, but the discount rates on the booking services are much higher.

Cool that you found a course you walk with unlimited play for that rate. Years ago, when I worked down south often, there were crazy deals on good courses. And the rates to join private clubs were absurdly low (at least to Metro cost standards).

[jcorna01]

I like Coyote fine except 18. Dumbest hole in metro Detroit imo.

[Moo]

Yes, 18 is not a good design. Hitting 6 iron off the tee on a par 5 is bizarre. There is a hole at Dunham Hills that ranks up there with the dumbest. I can't remember which hole, but it's on the back and there is a square pond cut on the left side of the fairway. It's not as dumb as the Coyote hole, but I think it's pretty dumb!

[3_Jack_Par]

Yeah, that's #14 at Dunham Hills you're thinking of. 450 yard par 4 where you can only hit it 240 max off the tee or you go into the pond, unless you can find the 8-yard-wide fairway between the pond and the woods/OB right, so there's essentially no choice but to lay up. If you want to force people hit a 200+yard approach shot, make it a par 3 (and they already do that like 3 holes prior with a 230 yard par 3). I'm so glad that course seems to have fallen off the Publinx tournament rotation, and the team that was there moved (to Chemung Hills, which I've never played before -- I know we have a match there later this year)

[Moo]

Yes, that is the hole! I don't want to beat up on the designer of Dunham HIlls, but with just a few changes it could be a really great course. The land is exceptional. Copper Hills has some similar problems. If you combined the 18 best holes at Copper Hills and tossed the other 9 away, it would be a solid course.

See you are a fan of the 62M too. One of my favorite clubs.

[Moo]

The range at Lyon Oaks is now open. I should have skipped the round and just gone to the range, as I just shot my highest round at Lyon Oaks in probably 3 years. Yikes. It's practice time.

[reperna]

got a nice lineup this week, including red run. any tips, or advice? any clubhouse policies i need to worry about?

[1puttTUT]

Played the Orchards yesterday...it was in good shape, but daaaamn I hate that course. I just cannot score there no matter how well I feel like I played ?‍♂️

[timbo08]

Anyone play Shepherd's Hollow lately? It's been about 6 or 7 years since I've been there and was thinking about meeting some friends from Midland there in the next few weekends.

[reperna]

I’ve been playing it a lot lately. It’s in perfect shape

[Moo]

Stay below the pin, because the greens at RR are crazy fast! Love the course, but I never score well there.

[Moo]

Sacrilege!

The Orchards is the only course in my entire life that I got two eagles in a single round. An absolute brilliant design and worthy of winning best public course in Metro for decades.

Maybe I just know it too well, but it's a course that fits my game.

BTW, those looking for deals on Metro courses, I've moved to Birdie Bug and rates are dropping very nicely. Apparently the early season premiums have eroded and there might be some competition again for your golfing dollar. I've booked 2 rounds in the past week that were dirt cheap!

Also, I'm not certain how universal it is, but at Lyon Oaks now you can pull the pins if you want. I believe the cart premium is over now too, as there are no single rider carts in use. There are still some health restrictions, but overall things are looking pretty normal. And, they are selling hot dogs, which I take as a sign that full-service everything is coming soon.

[1puttTUT]

I only play it once a year, so that doesn't help. I'd rather make the drive down to Lyon Oaks and spend half the money.

[Moo]

My two favorite public courses are The Orchards and Lyon Oaks. My favorite semi-public is the U of M.

You can't wrong with either course. I actually think Lyon Oaks is the more difficult course, irrespective of the slope rating. Lyon Oaks brings more punishment!

[jefftomahawk]

Copper Hills is fine, most people that hate it, can't score there, it takes course management to get around it, not driver every hole.

Same said for Devils ridge, love it, course management and u score.

 

[Moo]

I like Copper Hills. It's a pretty course and some of the holes are interesting, but a few of the holes are not what I would consider great design.

It's certainly difficult to par the 9th hole on Hill. Yikes, that is a difficult hole.

Devil's Ridge I've really taken a liking too. I stopped playing for a long time and started again in 2018. We've been back several times. The greens are in excellent condition and quick. It's a fun course with the elevation changes.

[1puttTUT]

I Like both courses. I will say they are different in that Devil's is way easier!

[Moo]

Metamora is the one that destroys me. I've never shot a great round there and I've played it probably 10 times. There are 2 or 3 holes that seem to like the number 7.

Playing Blackheath today for the first time this year. I like it because it can be beaten up pretty easy. A great confidence builder. Lyon Oaks tomorrow, Blackheath Wed, and then Pheasant Run on Thursday. That will be enough golf for one week.

[Mikey5e]

QUIZ: What hole(s) does this green belong to, and where?

[Moo]

Can't remember the hole, but I recall something like that at Westwynd. Looks groovy, in that Open kinda way.

[reperna]

Heads up, I played forest dunes (my favorite course in the state) and the bugs were unbearable. I would wait till fall to head up there. On a better note. They are opening the par three course. Looks pretty badass.

[Mikey5e]

Close enough, this is a shared green at Westwynd, #'s 16 & 18. It's about the size of a football field and many undulations in it. There is also another green that is shared by two holes, I forget which ones.

The course was in very good condition, and the greens were very good as well. They are difficult to putt on consistently, I think I three-putted about 5 times today. The front nine has three par fours, three par-fives, and three par threes, which makes it a bit unique. Several holes that you have to shoot over junk to get it on the green, which makes the course very challenging. Many people don't like the course, but I enjoyed it, shooting and 89 is a bit so so but the slope has a high rating.

[1puttTUT]

I believe it's 15 and 17 that share the other big green. That's a solid four hole stretch of golf imo.

[Moo]

Looking for a condition report on The Majestic. I read over on Lesson on Golf's Twitter that the course has been updated by Raymond Hearn. Hearn is one of my favorite designers and the rumor has always been that he did holes 19-27 when he was Jerry Matthew's protege.

I always loved The Majestic and for years played it every Sunday morning...and then they slowed the greens down. And over the past few years, it appeared they were not maintaining their old (high) standard of care.

Curious if anyone has played it recently and what the course conditions are like and what, if any, changes to the design you noted.

[Go_Blue!]

For as awesome as that course is, that has always been their problem.

[hybrid25]

yes, if the sn is not down far enough it actually looks like a lipout. It has happened several times that I remember. We just call it good when it happens. What a crazy year this has been with this overall situation.

[1puttTUT]

Why do the swim noodles still have to be in if clubhouses are now open? Any door handle inside is far more dangerous imo than a flag stick that has been baking in the sun all day.