Review of WestWynd Golf Course, Oakland Township, MI

[larrybud]

This review is BEFORE someone at WestWynd screwed up and burned out their greens by double fertilizing, which happened I think in July. From what I understand, they closed the course and are redoing the greens. Give it a little time and I'm sure they'll be back to new in no time.

 

Pics:

 

http://www.areddy.net/golfpics/WestWynd/default.asp

 

WestWynd is one of the most difficult courses you'll ever play. Located in S.E. Michigan, about 10 minutes from the Palace of Auburn Hills, it is a Links "style" course, without the seaside view (hey, we're in Michigan!). A good mix of holes, with most of them being quite difficult. There are a couple of gimmicky holes, however, that you need to learn how to play, and the course is doing something about #15 by widening the fairway. If you tend to spray your shots, this course might not be for you. Depending on the time of year, you can easily lose your ball in the huge amount of heather which is readily in play. I would recommend springing for the $4 yardage book in the clubhouse if you haven't played here before.

 

In addition to the heather, the fairway bunkers are VERY difficult and offer at least 1/2 stroke penalty due to their depth. None of the fairway bunkers offer a flat, easy shot, so avoid them at all costs! And finally, the regular rough at WestWynd is always very deep and thick. It's hard to hit anything more than a 5 or 6 iron out of them. Other than that, this course is a piece of cake! Well, except for the greens ;-)

 

BTW, this course has some of the cutest and nicest cart girls you'll ever meet.

 

The first hole starts off with a bit of a breather to let you loosen up. A wide fairway with bunkers on the right. A driver for longer hitters can actually put you into the hazard in front of the green if the fairways are firm, so take a fairway wood to put the ball out there to about the 140-150 marker. The approach is straightforward over a hazard. The green is one of two double greens, and this hole is shared with #17. Don't go too long otherwise you'll hit the plateau and roll way down.

 

The 2nd hole is a difficult par 4 that requires a long AND accurate tee shot. The hazard extends out farther than it looks, so if you hit driver, you need to keep the ball on the right side of the fairway, but don't go into the bunkers on the right otherwise you probably won't have a shot at the green. The green for #2 is the other double green and is shared with #18. It's very wide and fairly deep. Not a difficult green to hit if your tee shot was decent, but you could end up with a very long putt.

 

#3 starts some of the most difficult par 5's you'll ever play. Except for #5, they are all long and require a good tee shot to be able to get home in THREE. Forgot about getting home in two, unless you're playing the forward tees. Once again, fairway bunkers loom and these are very penal. A wedge out is the best you can hope. The green tucked to the left behind numerous bunkers. They're not especially difficult, but you could end up with a 50 yard bunker shot.

 

#4 is a pretty par 3, the easiest on the course, as the tee shot is down hill. Difficulty of the hole depends on where the pin is. I've seen it tucked way back left.

 

#5 is a goofy par 5. It's only 447 yards from the blues, and much more difficult 3 shot hole from the back tees. The odd part of this hole is that the green is tucked behind a bunch of trees and is impossible to get to even with a well struck drive. I've seen guys that are 150-160 yards out that have to lay up. Stupid. So I generally lay up with a hybrid or 4-wood, then hit 6 iron to proper position, and a wedge on. The green is very small, and the front is protected by 80 yards of wetlands.

 

#6 is a difficult uphill par 3. It's only about 160 yards to the middle, but plays to about 180. It's a two tiered green and distance is of utmost importance. If the pin is back it can play near 200 yards.

 

#7 is another hard par 5. More fairway bunkers loom, and a good tee shot AND good 2nd shot are required to have a stressfree 3rd over 60 yards of wetlands.

 

#8 is another uphill par 3 that has 3 distinct levels. Again, distance control is very important here.

 

#9 is an interesting par 4. Only 375 yards from the blues, a long hitter with this downhill tee shot could put it into the hazard in front of the green. I usually just hit a fairway wood which goes about 20 yards farther than normal, and have a short iron into the green. There's more green to the left side than it looks.

 

The turn... there is no turn! You are now at the farthest point on the course from the clubhouse. WW started to put a hottie selling hotdogs and beer, as well as a port-a-john at this point. Good idea.

 

#10 is the hardest par 5 you'll ever play. On the card it's 605 yards, but it easily plays to around 660, due to the huge sweeping dogleg to the left. On the left side is hazard all the way from tee to green.

 

Your tee shot must be in the fairway to have ANY home to get home in 3. More fairway bunkers and thick rough to the right, it's a demanding tee shot. Your 2nd shot is just as important, and consulting the yardage book (or if you have a laser) will help in determining the proper amount to cut off the hazard. If you've managed to keep the first two in the fairway, you'll probably have around 150 left, over hazard to a huge tiered green. If you didn't put both shots in the fairway, you'll probably have to lay up. Be careful, because if you get your ball rolling over the hill around the 150 yard marker, you can run it into the hazard.

 

#11 starts a couple of breather holes before a great finish. You can't go left here, but if you spray it right, you'll end up on the #10 fairway with a blind shot. With a good shot this is still a somewhat difficult 2nd, as it requires more club than it looks. Again, a tiered green and being on the right level will help in an easy two putt.

 

#12 is a short par 4 that requires you to just keep the ball in play. It's only 340, and you can either play safe with a FW wood or long iron, or take the big dog over the bunkers on the left. The 2nd shot requires an extra club. The fairway bunkers are tough, stay out! (as usual!)

 

#13 is the longest par 3, with a slightly downhill shot. The green slopes sharply to the left. Just get it over the bunker in the front and you should be good to go, but take note of the pin position because this hole can play +/- 25 yards from center.

 

#14 is one of the easier par 5's. OB if you really spray one to the right, and left is hazard, but the fairway is pretty wide. With a really good tee shot it's possible to reach in two, but you'll have to carry it over several fairway/greenside bunkers.

 

#15 is the other goofy hole. Only 320 yards, a large marsh area requires all but the longest hitters to lay up. You'll need to carry it about 250 to go over the hazard from the tee box. The problem is that the layup will require just about a 160 yard shot, then another 160 yard shot to the green. They've tried to widen the layup area because it was only about 15 yards wide at one point.

 

#16 starts one of the best finishes in golf. It's an uphill par 3, 150 yards, that plays to about 165. Long is better than short, as the front bunker can kill you. A VERY wide green that's tiered from left to right. Important to play to the correct side of the green. This hole is really different depending on where the pin is located.

 

#17 is a beautiful shortish par 4. Measuring 367 with an immense downhill tee shot, you can hit a long iron, hybrid, or fairway wood. A shot of only about 200-220 is required to give a good look at the green. Placement is important because OB is to the right, and hazard to the left, so driver is usually out of the question. This green is shared with #2 and has several tiers from left to right. Hitting to the correct tier will help with a two putt or possible birdie. Stay on the lower tier, however, otherwise you might not be able to putt down and keep it on the correct level.

 

#18 is a great finishing hole. 410 yard dogleg right with a big lake in front of the green. The farther right you go off the tee, the easier the 2nd shot, but too far right and you can go in the lake. A really well struck shot down the middle can catch the hill and roll another 50 yards, giving you a 100-120 yard shot in. Don't be a hero on the 2nd and make sure you use enough club to clear the water.

 

All in all, Westwynd is a real great challenge at a fair price. My only gripe in the past is when calling for a single tee time in the afternoon, I've been told the course is wide open, yet when I get there it really isn't. The rangers are nice guys and the guys in the cart house will take care of you. Again, the cart girls are damn cute and nice, and are around quite frequently.

 

This course plays surprising quick, or as quick as can be expected. I think it has chased some people away because of it's difficultly, which is find with me. As a 4 index, a sub 80 round is a good result from the blues at 71.3/137 rating (which I believe is rated too low). The tips play 6900 yards, 73.9/143 and you better be on your game to tackle this course.

 

The course offers some of the great views of some really huge houses and incredible landscaping, including a 22,000 sq ft monster on #9, as well as brickpaver cart paths through out the entire course. Cool!