obsni1sa

Staff was awesome. Pace of play was on par with time on card (4hrs and 15 minutes) but we waited almost 10 minutes on every hole so it seemed like a long round. Property is impressive when you pull in and I love the open, farmlike holes (which is most of them). There are a few tight and or gimmicky holes on the back. Personally, I don't understand why courses are designed to have a different feel about them on the front nine vs the back. I just don't get why this is desirable. This course would be better if it maintained the feel of holes 1-10, and 16-18 throughout. Holes 11-15 seem like they either ran out of room (they didn't, there's tons of space here), or are just there so they can tout a bit of a different "feel" on the back than the front. If I want a "different feel" I'll go to a different course.

Before it was a golf course it was a flood plain, thus, it is still a flood plain. There are, inevitably, some spots on the course where the fairway is not actually fairway due to puddles when there's been rain, dry, flaky earth when there hasn't.
That aside, this course is a fun play...it's short, because there's 36 holes crammed in a tight area, but forces you to hit enough different kinds of shots. It's busy, because it's a great value, but it plays a good pace because it's not too difficult. Even a hack like me can easily shoot around 90 here.

Hickory Creek has a nice variety of holes, and for that reason alone I recommend the course. The regular prices are steep, but if you find a time you can make it using GolfNow it is reasonable enough.

Management here could use a change in my opinion...nearly every time I golf here I find that the majority of the staff is rude in one way or another. I always try to avoid interacting with anyone here aside from checking in at the clubhouse. You almost always get this vibe as if you're an outsider playing on a private course (it's not THAT nice).

A trip to Hickory Creek starts off with the guy behind the counter, who is typically grumpy and, when feelin social, will give you some overstated, eye-roll inducing diatribe about the course rules (cart path only on certain days, stay away from the greens in your cart...you know the typical run-down you might give someone who is new to the game).

The first two holes are basic, and very forgiving, a nice way to start out. The third hole, in my opinion, is the best on the course...tougher, yet pretty. As you reach the 4th and 5th you are usually greeted by the first of what is sometimes many old men strategically placed on the course just sitting there, trying to govern your fun for the day. They'll yell at you for the most obscure of things, talking too loudly, driving through a dried up "creek bed", not coordinating your pants and shoes (not really, but you get the point).

Anyway, I could walk you through an entire round here and the sorts of staff and rude/disruptive comments they might make to you while not contributing anything positive to the experience (a joke, improving the pace of play which can be very slow here when busy, etc.), but I won't. What I will say is that this course can be easy, or it can be tough...depending on how your hitting 'em on any given day (duh? right!). But that's what I enjoy about playing here, if you're playing well, you can score very well; if not, there's enough water and woods to lose a couple sleeves. Overall, I recommend it, but tread lightly when dealing with employees here or just shrug them off and enjoy your day in spite of them.

Little Traverse Bay, its not you, its me, well, one thing is for sure. You see, its complicated. While this course possesses undeniably beautiful vistas and scenery, I'm torn on whether or not I really recommend playing it. Ultimately, I think I'm one and done with LTB.

Yes, nearly every hole could qualify as a "signature" hole on many courses as LBT's countless elevation changes give way to picturesque vistas dominating the backdrop from the first tee to the last green. However, for the average golfer this course will likely prove exceedingly frustrating...though the snobbish vibe let off by many of the clientele and staff would suggest the "average" golf simply play elsewhere. This course has a private, country-club feel...not always a bad thing, but it was in this case.

I'm a 22 handicap and the others in the group I played with are right around there, when I say this course can be frustrating I'll give you the scores of a couple of my playing partners and leave it at that: 140 & 126. The lesson here, in my opinion, is that breathtaking elevation change and jaw-dropping vistas do not a great golf course make.

While the elevation change and vistas are what make the course, I feel that they are also what inevitably break the course. The playability of the LBT suffers from the designer's obsession with creating that "signature" hole on every (<--italics, eye roll) hole. Most notably, the 9th and the 18th are par fours that read around 300 or so on the scorecard (just guessing, not confirming this by looking at the scorecard)...the catch? You literally have about 150 yards (again guessing) to climb up the equivalent of a black-diamond ski hill to get to the green on either hole. On the opposite end of the spectrum you have par threes that read 180 and play 130 due to the plunge downward (I typically hit my 8-iron around 140 and found myself using it on a par 3, 183 yard hole only to overshoot the green). I guess if you played the course more than once you'd get a better feel for this sort of thing? With the wind whipping around I'm not so sure you'd ever get used to it. The elevation change both up and down really gets to the point where its almost comical. Adding to the frustration are all the uneven and slanted lies resulting from the treacherous hillsides.

I also found the rough (I know, I know, just hit it in the fairway) to be extremely tough. If you hit hybrids DO NOT play this course, this is where my buddy with the 140 had his problems...he doesn't carry a normal iron aside from his wedges. Okay, so real golfers don't typically don't play hybrids (we do, I guess that's why we aren't "members" here).

Finally, talking with others who had played here and reading reviews I knew the greens were fast going in (also made a point to hit the practice green before teeing off). I didn't have a problem on the first several holes (maybe even the front 9), but there were at least four or five holes on the back 9 that were extremely quick. This resulted in myself or my playing partners finding ourselves on the green in 4, off the green in 5, and in the hole in 7, 8, etc. a couple of times...aggravating. Okay, too much negativity, let me say something nice...along with the quickness there are several greens where the ball breaks the opposite direction of your read...which everybody loves (<--sarcasm, not actually nice).

If you want scenery then this is your course, but I'd prefer to save my cash and pull off the road when I see one of those "Scenic Overlook" signs instead. If I want to play golf, I'll go to an actual golf course...this barely qualifies in my book. Ultimately, a scratch golfer or better would might dig LTB...but for a hack like me I'd rather go to a Boyne course when in the area (similar price range, much more playable, still scenic enough, still enough elevation change on most courses).

This is a fun course, depending on the tee box you choose to play it can be on the short end of things. I've played both the white and the blue tees here, just depends on who I'm playing with. The course is usually in good shape and I appreciate the variety of holes on the course. Cattails has a nice mix of holes that demand accuracy and others that allow you to bomb away. The front 9 is much more open, while the back 9 requires you to be a bit more accurate and often consider using something other than driver off the tee. My favorite is #10, which gives even me (not a big hitter) a chance for eagle with a gutsy 180 yard 2nd shot over the wetlands. One thing I found odd this year was that they actually had leagues running on a Saturday morning, also, the pro shop has either been under construction or permanently taken over by an indoor simulator if you care about that sort of thing...

I played this course as part of my mission to complete the tour of public courses within the city of Detroit that are still currently operating. To my knowledge that includes only three courses: Rouge Park, Palmer Park, and Chandler Park...all operated by the same management company (I was told New Rogell closed May of '13?).

As the last leg of this "tour" I pretty much knew what to expect before scheduling the tee time. Regardless, if you play here, this is what you will get: 1.) A very short track; 2.) An overcrowded course; 3.) A surrounding neighborhood that leaves a little bit to be desired. That said, the price cannot be beat...and even if the play is slow you can simply quit after 9 and head back to the clubhouse knowing you still got your money's worth. I encourage people to venture into the city to check out these courses if they haven't before.

Admittedly, this was my least favorite of the "Parks" (Rouge, Palmer, and Chandler) but I still say check it out if you haven't before. Chandler Park is best suited for those just learning the game, and those who don't mind not getting in a full 18 even if the price paid covers it. The fact of the matter is, if you can look past the obvious flaws, and you don't expect too much, you could do a lot worse Chandler Park.

As a side note I'd like to quickly opine on the other Detroit courses I've played. The front 9 on Palmer Park is the WORST 9 holes of golf I've ever played, and the reason I'd never go back. I'm just not sure there's much that can be done with it, given that it runs along Woodward between 7 Mile and McNichols and is crammed within such a tight space. However, the back 9 is actually not half bad, a NICE SURPRISE! If I could book a 9 hole round and be guaranteed I'd play the back 9 only, I'd probably go all the time.

As for Rouge Park, this is THE PLACE to go if you want to golf in Detroit (and I think you should!). There are really only two or three holes that you even see the city, the rest of the time you'd swear you were somewhere "up north". Many of the holes are very unique (the par 3's are particularly fun), without being excessively gimmicky. And, as with the other city courses, the price is right!