kwmkalls

This course was in great shape for spring golf, both as to the fairways and the greens. The greens are undulating or slanted, so their speed is a bit slower than average, but they putt true. There are few trees except at the course boundaries, so wind and some amount of undulating terrain are the main defenses for the course right now. In past years they allowed heather to grow as an additional defense. Right now, it's too early to tell if they will continue to do so this year. It slows play. Car paths need some renovation. The carts are a bit old, too. The clubhouse is a large open space with few amenities, and is oddly placed a long distance from the parking lot. Decent practice facilities. Overall, it is good value for the money, especially if you like links-style golf and don't plan on spending time in the clubhouse.

As a Senior golfer, I don't hit the ball very far anymore, but like to think my game around and on the greens is pretty good. The green complexes here are genrally elevated , fast, and undulating, especially when, like yesterday, they played hard and fast. Hiting woods or long irons into these greens was futile. They either never made it up the elevated front slope, rolled off the back, or never made it to the back of the green because they travelled off the side of a mound and carreened sideways down the greenside severe slopes and into the heavy rough The layout is not spectacular, but very good. Tees and fairways were great. Sand traps were very playable, which seems to be getting to be a rarity nowadays. The rough was just right. You really needed to be able to spin the ball to keep it on the green, and ther rough was high enough to allow for finding your ball, but not for putting much backspin on it.

I found myself within chipping or pitching distance in regulation on most holes, and felt lucky to make bogey. Getting a chip shot, pitch shot, or long putt to cozy up close to the pin required lots of thought and perfect execution. Oftentimes, if uphill of the pin, or short-sided, there was simply nno way to get up and down short of hitting the pin. Missing your landing spot by a foot oftertmes was the difference between a gimme and a 30 foot putt due to the mounding and terraces on the greens. Maybe playing the course again might make some of those shots a bit easier. For a first-timer, it was mentally exhausing to try and get up and down. My ego was considerably bruised by this place as to its opiinon of my short game skills.

Be advised that the 18th hole has a green that slopes from front to back more severely than any hole I've ever played in my 65 years of golfing.

Maybe some rain and soft and receptive greens would produce a different experience. Because I love a challenge, I really enjoyed the round.

I links style course with some terrain, ponds, and streams to deal with. In fine shape during a dry, hot summer. The greens here have always been a bit on the slow side, but some of them are so contoured they are as fast as possible. Sand traps much better maintained than average. Fairways in fine condition. They seem to have cut back on the severe heather areas a bit compared to my last round here. The course is rather defenseless when there is no wind. Pace of play is at times an issue. Our weekday round took 5 hours.

This is an old country club now semi-private. Very walkable old-style layout. While 6,251 yds. might seem a little short, the entre course is about a foot or so above the local water table and don't expcct much, if any, run out on your dirves or other shots. The greens are very small, too, but moderately fast and true, which adds a lot to the challenge. Lots and lots of water or marsh in play, putting a further premium on accuracy. Fairways were very nice, and the rough punitive, but fair, and not too high to hide your golf ball. Pace of play for a Saturday 10:53 a.m. tee-off was excellent, 4:15 . Cart girl very attentive out on the course on a hot and sunny day. Some great views of the lake and boaters passing by.

Played on a Sunday in absolutely perfect weather. Play was slow, about normal for a Sunday morning tee time. The round took about 4:40 to complete. The layout is fun due to the hilliness of the course. Fairways and tees were scruffy, and the greens by far the slowest I've played all year, albeit they rolled true. Cart girls came be frequently. Staff was friendly and efficient. Food at the turn was yummy and quick. Overall, this course is worth a visit each season if you like variety..

Richmond Forest is typical of a Bruce Matthews design, with some water hazards and forested areas definitely coming into play to punish errant shots. We've had spotty showers in this area recently, but nothing in my neighborhood. The course must have caught a downpour or two, though, and was soggy with standing water in some spots. Maybe the rain prevented some of the course maintenance, as the greens were a big scruffy, and the fairways not mowed as you might have expected. There was a goodly amount of turf damage of the sort commonly seen by August in Michigan due to various turf diseases, more than in most courses I've played recently, but that was more of problem with course esthetics than with play. I was happy to try out a decent new course, but given the drive out to Richmond, I"m not sure I'd go back, as the place was not so special as to make the drive worthwhile on a regular basis.

...that we aerated the greens on the back nine. The aeration system left little tufts of grass pointing up at the sky, making putting somewhat akin to a game of plinko. At least the greens on the front side were very nice. It's just odd that they would aerate in mid-June.

Other than that, the fairways and greens were in fine shape. The bunkers were very good, very playable, which is a flaw in many places around here nowadays.

The course has an odd problem in the rough, probably due to golf cart traffic. Lots of concrete hard bare areas will jar your teeth if you drive over them. They are jarringly unsightly, too. I'm not sure what, if anything can be done to sod or re-seed these spots, but they need to start doing something.

Overall we had a great time.

Carts with club washers and divot sand. Driving range with grass tees and short practice area, too. Large practice putting green with chipping allowed. Water located on tees about every 4 hole (it was mid-90's temps). Cart girl appeared frequently with goodies for sale.

We played on a Sunday with a 10:10 tee time. Finished less that 4.5 hours later. Never had to wait on any shot. Nice fairways. Large greens a little slower than expected for a semi-private club, with some grain in them, but there are so many severe slopes they could not be cut fine. Hit it close to the pin, or suffer many 3-putts due to slopes on greens. Rough suitably penal. Traps generally in good shape. Lots and lots of hills and resultant sloped lies. Water is the main hazard, but some forest, too. Layout is scenic and requires accuracy. I'd prefer fewer blind shots, but second time around will make those less disturbing. Overall, a great time was had by all. We'll be back soon.

Westwynd is a beautifully conditioned, gorgeous layout. It is also the toughest golf course I have ever played. The closer you get to the hole, the harder the course gets. The greens are guarded by lots of sand and grass bunkers. For the most part, they are quite elevated. You won't be chipping much. If you miss the green, you'll be pitching the next shot most of the time out of lush green-side rough, or blasting out of the sand. Once on the greens, you'll find them to be super-fast and true, but a real puzzle to figure out exactly where to aim your putt and how hard to stroke it, as they have lots of slopes flowing naturally from the rims of the green side bunkers, and many of the greens are cut into hillsides and have a natural downhill break that is very hard to spot. Expect at least one four-putt green during your round.

The course is very hilly, and flat lies in spots other than the tee boxes are to be treasured. Some of the holes have spectacular elevation changes and are very scenic.

We played the white tees after looking at the scorecard on the first tee and seeing the length listed at about 6,250 yards, which is in the ballpark as to what we seniors typically play. That was a mistake. There are so many holes guarded by streams and marshland immediately in front of the greens that about half of the holes required layup shots and were impossible to reach in regulation, which automatically added about 9 shots to our average scores, right off the bat. I've played 6,800 yard tracks that played shorter than the Whites at WestWynd. Next time we play there, we are go to tee it forward, which should allow for us old guys who struggle to hit 200 yard drives and 180 yard fairway woods a fair chance to approach these fortress greens with at most a mid-iron. Being able to approach the greens the way the course architect intended is almost essential if you want to really enjoy a round here. Chances are you'll still post your high score for this season even if you teed off from the most forward set of tees on a mild and windless day.

If you are a scratch golfer who hits it 300+ off the tee, you'll find yourself in paradise, but probably end up scratching your head a bit.