Fremont Country Club (Fremont, OH)

I'm always intrigued by rural country clubs. Little towns like Fremont usually had a few wealthy people who got exposed to golf, liked it, and then decided to build a course. And I think Fremont CC  fits this scenario. It was established in 1921 and Lawrence Packard remodeled it in 1960. 

The first hole (pic above) I believe is an original hole, and it kinda reminds me of Inverness #10. In fact, the first five holes are in a compact space that takes advantage of the valley and creek that run thru the property, a feature typically seen in early 1900 golf courses. Where the picture is taken, the fairway ends before resuming in the valley. It's a very small green that has a significant pitch to it. Then on two, the drive is over this valley! I was really impressed how good the course started out! 

This pic is from long left of the second green. That bunker in background, which is guarding the front right, is a few feet higher than the green. If the drive is not on the left side of the fairway, that bunker obscures the view. 

The fourth is the best hole on the front, a 390 yard par four that plays downhill, crosses the creek, and climbs up the opposing hill. 

The approach is played from a sidehill lie below your feet, to a green that is guarded by trees ala like field goal posts.  It's a beautiful hole. 

Fremont starts getting good again at the eighth. 

It's a nice par three over water to a green protected by sand. The previous two holes play in a pastural setting, and they are dead flat, lacking the charm the first five holes have. 

The ninth hole is unlike any I've seen! The tee shot must carry 190-200 yards over a valley to a plateau fairway. If the drive hugs the left side, then it's a shorter distance to carry.  There is fairway in the valley, so playing short of the plateau and hitting a hybrid or fairway metal to the green is a play too. The pro inside called it stupid. I'm not sure if he was opposed to the fact shorter hitters couldn't make the carry, or if those who could had to be concerned with driving thru into the trees. This was however the first time I saw a Lawrence Packard green. The fairway went straight into the putting surface, exactly the way it looks at Rawiga. 

The back nine has a couple sequences of holes that are good, and the first one starts at eleven. Possibly the best hole on the course, eleven is a long par four that doglegs right. 

I love how the green sits atop the hill, the tree standing sentinel right next to it. The approach has to be perfect, otherwise anything short will roll backwards into the rough. The tee box for twelve acts as a chipping area for balls that go long. Just a great hole! Then twelve, just literally a few feet from eleven, is a short par three across a valley. 

The bunker fronting makes this a very good par three. The inclination is to just carry the sand, so that trap gets alotta play! 

Thirteen is a 540 yard par five. The creek crosses the fairway bout 280 yards out, and the player who is brave enough to hit just short can possibly reach it in two. I like how the terrain goes uphill so the second shot is blind. It makes what could've been an average hole into a good one. Then fourteen is a fine par three played to a green with wetlands to the left. This section of the property is the flat pastoral parcel seen on the front that I said lacked excitement. It's also Brian Huntley's addition to Fremont. I think he did a nice job. 

The next sequence of holes that I like is sixteen and seventeen. Sixteen plays across a valley with the fairway racing uphill before flattening out and rolling into the green. 

The green is the most severe on the course, the middle sloping hard off into the right rough. Seventeen is similar to sixteen at Sleepy Hollow, a hole where laying back to the flat area leaves a better lie and stance, but a longer shot. The long hitter could drive it far down the right side, but the water, and the possibility the  ball could stay on the slope, makes that an unpredictable strategy. 

The tenth and the eighteenth are both bland and/or weak holes to begin and end the back nine. That's definitely one of the drawbacks to Fremont. 

In rating it, I think Fremont is better than Rawiga. It has more solid holes, and it has a couple excellent ones too! It probably just creeps into the 5 category (good). I'm not sure I would travel the 90 minutes to play it, but the locals must definitely be pleased. 

Sawmill Creek (Huron, OH)

Sawmill Creek is located in Huron, just a pitching wedge away from the shores of Lake Erie. It's the only course in Ohio to be so close to the water, tho in reality, the course is intertwined more with the watersheds than with the lake itself. 

Being in such an environment, the abundance of wildlife that is encountered during the round gives Sawmill a "walk in the park" feeling. 

Sawmill is a Tom Fazio course, and the two defining features are the greens, and the capricious winds. Being on the lake, the wind is always present. The greens are large built up pads. The putting surfaces are shaped atop of them and the bunkers are cut into the pads too. 

As you can see in the pic of the tenth hole, the left and the front bunker are both higher than the green. Hit an errant shot, and if it's not in the trap, then it's usually on the slope of the pad. 

It's very challenging chipping and pitching from an uphill lie. Sometimes the ball needs to stop very quickly, and other times it needs to roll to the flag. All the greens at Sawmill are like this. 

The repetition doesn't stop just there. Fazio has a couple stretches of holes that are similar to each other too. The first, second, tenth, and eleventh holes are parallel, and they essentially are the same hole, tree lined straightaway par fours. 

The twelfth is an extension of this except wetlands take the place of the trees, guarding both left and right sides of the fairway. 

This view of the twelfth green shows both the beauty of Sawmill Creek, and the built up green pad that Fazio incorporated. 

Four of the last five holes all play parallel to each other, with only the beautiful par three seventeenth being memorable. 14, 16, and 18 are pretty close to being the same hole! They're dogleg right par fours with the tee back between the reeds, and the green protected by bunkers short left and right. 

The par threes are the highlight of the course! 

Here is the fourth, a cute lil one shotter that plays alongside the creek. The wind usually blows against, which really brings the water into play. 

This is the seventh. It's a good par three that plays close to two hundred yards. It's hard to discern in the pic, but the green is elevated, and all the vegetation leads to a creek that flows short of the green. The thirteenth is the pic at the beginning of the blog. It's a great par three over wetlands. When you're looking at it from the tee, the slope of the putting surface really stands out because it's almost facing you! Don't be long on that hole! Then seventeen is the final par three. It's also over a wetland, but the green is a bit more hidden, so it's common to overclub and be long. I wish I had a picture of it. 

Other than the par threes, the only hole that stands out is the par four sixth. 

Standing on the back tee, the drive is a real ass kicker. There's not much room for error!! 

And that's one of the real issues with Sawmill. It's a windy site, windy location, yet it's a tight golf course. Sometimes when the wind is blowing, it's not a very playable golf course. I've played in a few tournaments here, and the winning score is never that low. In reality, Sawmill is only a 4 (above average). But the course is usually in great shape, it's an easy walk, it has beautiful scenery, and it's in an ideal location. (Cedar Point is just down the street.) 

Arcadia Bluffs (Arcadia, Michigan)

Arcadia Bluffs is the #1 rated public golf course in the Midwest! 

The hype surrounding it has always been very high and the moment I stepped out of the van, and walked to the clubhouse, was when I realized the hype was true! This place is absolute gorgeous!!

The views across the property are very inspiring, and it's an incredible feeling walking around the clubhouse, looking out the windows, and realizing the greatness this place has. It's one of my favorite places in the world. 

The first hole plays out to the furthest point east on the property. It's an uphill par five that eases the golfer into the round. The sod faced bunker and the large bold contoured green are the main challenge and these will be the primary defense for the round. 

As illustrated in pic above, the cavernous black wall of grass forewarns the depth and utter difficulty of being in that front trap. 

The second hole is then a beautiful par three played across the corner of the property. 

Critics levy the change of bunkering style as a design flaw. It's more of the natural blow out look here. While I do concede the change, I still think it looks good and fits the hole well. The green has two bowl shaped sections, the front half and rear half. A well struck shot to the proper section should gather and leave a decent birdie attempt. 

The third is my favorite hole on the front, a downhill par five with incredible views of the lake!

When the big boys play here, they can use the black (502) or white (476) tees and make this a tremendous par four. As a par five, the wind will determine how reachable the green is. The fairway dips into a shallow valley so regular players decide to advance it forward on second shot or challenge the sod bunker to gain the higher ground, where the green is on full view and open for an easier third. Advancing it forward leaves an uphill shot to a skyline green....with a large sod faced bunker guarding. Great golf hole! 

Four is a downhill dogleg right par four with a punch bowl green. Five follows with the third par five in five holes. 

The hole plays downhill towards the lake to a baraitz green. This is my second encounter with a feature like this. The first was at Glenn Mills on the par five fifteenth. Both times I've been in the trough that bisects the green. And it's very difficult putting out of it. I can't imagine putting through it! I feel Henderson overdid it here. The green is situated beautifully above the lake and the architecture trumps the setting. 

The sixth is an excellent par three! It plays uphill in a natural amphitheater. 

The bunker complex fronting the green is very imposing. With the pin behind it, a decision has to be made. Playing out to the side and trying to two putt from thirty feet is an acceptable strategy. It's possibly the best par three on the course. 

Seven is a long uphill par four. There's plenty of room to run the ball into the green. Usually holes like this are a slog but I didn't get that feeling here. Warren Henderson did a good job limiting the uphill holes, or at least they don't stand out in my view. 

Up til now, besides the second, the holes have either played towards or away from the lake. The eighth is one of the few holes that plays across the slope of the terrain. A large sod bunker sits in middle of the fairway, influencing the decision off the tee. Being short or right leaves a sidehill lie below your feet to an uphill green. The deepest bunker on the course guards short right, exactly where a mishit from said lie goes! The ninth finishes off the front with a beautiful par three across the valley to a green below the clubhouse. 

The front right bunker dominates the setting but there's several side slopes that can be used to navigate around it. All three one shotters on this front side are very well done. 

The tenth kickoffs a great stretch of holes! From the tee, aim at the barber pole and let it fly. The green lies at the base of the dunes, a large sod faced bunker guarding the left. 

There's a lot of room behind the trap and balls that bail out right will catch the false front and spin off the green. It's a great hole! 

Then eleven, possibly the best hole on the course, swooshes down the hill, twisting, cambering, rolling, all the way to the green! 

It's possible to hit 400 plus yard drives! The view is unbelievable too! It's just a gorgeous hole! My favorite! 

The course finally arrives at the lake! 

Twelve plays along the coastline, a large gaping bunker in front of the tee begging the player to drive across it! Most will hit out to the right and hit a mid iron into the green. Behind the green is a deep ravine, so hitting short and letting the ball bounce in is the play. Thirteen tee is just to the right, and it's green is in full view from twelve green. It's hard not to get excited while you're waiting to putt! 

Tom Doak criticized it in an interview because there's no way to run it on the green, especially into a strong wind. Henderson countered by stating there's plenty of room to land it on the green and have it stopped. I hit three wood to ten feet for birdie! Yes the green will hold a fairway metal shot! As great and as beautiful as the hole is, I feel it's not the best one shotter at Arcadia. Nonetheless, it's a wow moment! 

The next two holes go inland and play up the hill. On paper they look like birdie holes, short par four and short par five, but they play longer and tougher than anticipated. Fourteen has three pot bunkers guarding the fairway, and a green that has another false front and deep bunker too. It's a mean little hole! Mistakes are punished severely! There's a chance on fifteen. Most of the challenge is finding the right angle to the pin. It should be a good chance at four. 

I love the routing of the last three holes! The tee box of sixteen is just feet away from the clubhouse porch. Normally this would be the first hole, but Henderson instead uses it to bring the golfer back to the clubhouse to finish the round in style. Sixteen is an excellent downhill par four. The green falls away from front to back, and the golfer is left trying to figure out how to leave the ball below the hole. 

The great views and bunkers all down the right side of the green are ready to distract and punish the player not executing his shots. Seventeen is then across the terrain from a low tee to an elevated green. It's a fortress hole. Anything short or right will kick down to the base of the hill, leaving a tough up n down. Eighteen finishes off the round with a strong par four that has received plenty of criticism for the amount of elevation on the approach. I don't see how this could've been avoided and I think it also makes this a legitimate long par four. There's a bunker in the middle of the fairway, and it forces the player to make a decision off the tee. Laying up definitely leaves a longish approach shot. Don't miss the view from the back tee. It's the highest point in the dunes and the vista of the golf course is unbelievable. It's a great way to end the day! 

Arcadia Bluffs is recognized by many as one of the best in the United States. It's rated as high as #13. In terms of settings, it's one of the more magnificent courses I've played, and the fact that I was awestruck the moment I stepped onto the property really heightens my feelings for it. I told everyone to make the seven hour trip up to see it! I give an 8 (excellent) rating! 

Greywalls (Marquette, Michigan)

"On my yikes-meter scale of 1-10, this course starts as an 11!"

                              -Brad Klein 

Greywalls is pure nothern Michigan golf! It's located in the upper penisula, a piece of land that touches three of the five Great Lakes. The site is on a very rugged piece of land, yet Mike Devries was able to design an unbelievable golf course. Golf World magazine stated when it opened that it was one of the ten best new golf courses in the world! 

Greywalls starts with a downhill par five. The view of Lake Superior from the tee lets you know it's gonna be a great day! 

The green is draped across a a little knoll at the end of the fairway. It's a very tiny target to hit with a wedge so a long player trying to hit it in two really has his work cut out for him. 

The second hole is a good par four that doglegs right. 

The green has a pronounced slope short left in the fairway and it seems like it ll take a couple plays to figure out how much borrow is needed to get the ball to stop on left tier or get it to transition all the way to the lower right. The third hole then follows with a solid par three across the wetlands. It's the quietest hole on the course with no rock outcroppings or great views to distract. 

The next four holes are the best stretch of golf. The fourth has two options off the tee. There's a ramp where it looks like a large boulder with fairway on it goes up.

It's a bold looking feature. Meanwhile the lower fairway to the right is also an option. I'm not sure which is the best. I hit it up the ramp and then lasered an iron to ten feet for a birdie. The fifth maybe the most spectacular hole of it's length of 312 yards. Usually a hole of this short length allows different options off the tee, but not here, it's at least 190 yards up over the rock valley. 

The sheer granite wall in the distance is where the green is located. And it is a very cool green site! 

It is a great hole! I'm sure it's one of the members favorites. Of course six is probably THE hole at Greywalls. 

It's a spectacular par three located in a box canyon. It s the one hole that Devries had to design. It fits in this sequence and blends in very well. And then seven finishes off these four holes with a long par four down the hill. The tee box is not very big and I remember reading that Devries wanted it to be akin to a being on a bow of a ship. 

A rock wall lies in wait at the end of the fairway. The driver might be too much as it's downwind downhill. The wild green finishes up the hole. 

The eighth to eleventh plays in what is referred to as the middle section. I'm not a big fan of this hole. Where do you drive the ball? 

The fairway slopes so hard to the left. Is it possible to carry not over the huge rock? Maybe. Nine follows with a fine par four that doglegs left around a bunker in the elbow. The green is benched into the hillside with a granite wall providing the steep falloff on the left. The view of Lake Superior culminates a fantastic front nine!

The tenth starts the back with a short par four that plays straightaway. From tee to green, it's pretty simple, but the putting surface is incredible. There's a back right upper pin placement, the the left side cascading down to the front, with a big slope between the upper and lower right side. A short iron is a must to have any chance to stop the ball close to the hole. 

Eleven descends into the lower portion of  property, and it's another hole that I'm not a big fan. The fairway is littered with eight bunkers and I feel it's kind of a crapshoot to find a good spot to hit a second shot. Add in the green which is somewhat generic in my opinion, and it sums up what a transition hole is. Then twelve follows with a monster par four. The bunker that fronts the green makes this especially hard to reach in regulation. 

The thirteenth is a well bunkered uphill par five. The green extends from the fairway while elevating to a pushed up surface with fall offs on the sides. The long hitter will find this to be the toughest par five on the course. Being long or to the sides is a very difficult position to get a good putt for birdie. Then fourteen follows with a good downhill par four. There's a spine that runs into the green and it's possible to play for that feature and run the ball onto the green. 

Fifteen turns back towards the rock outcroppings and does so in dramatic fashion. It's a long par three over a craggy ditch with rocks backdropping the view. 

There's plenty of room to bounce it on! I would think a three is a very good score! 

The last three holes are all good birdie opportunities. Sixteen is a short to mid length par four. The tee shot is key here as the wetlands outline the far side of the fairway. A good aggressive tee shot leave a short iron approach and a good chance for three. Seventeen is the shortest hole on the course, basically a 130 ish par three. The green is cool as bunkers front it while the contours work high short right to low left. I remember carrying the trap and seeing my ball appear on the left side after a few moments. There's a lot of different ways to get close to the pin! Fun hole!!

Finally eighteen is a severe downhill par five. The rock outcroppings pinching in on both sides as the fairway plunges between them. It's a fun tee shot!

The green tho is very simple...it has a mound, or more like a pimple in the rear center. It influences all the putts and chips. When I played it, the pin was right behind it. My second shot hit the green and disappeared. I found it a few feet away for eagle!! Nothing like a three or four on the card to cap off a very exciting day of golf!!

Greywalls is consistently rated as the second best course in Michigan, an impressive accomplishment considering the depth and quality of the courses. It's easily one of the top 100 public courses in the USA, and having played it, I have to see Mike DeVries' Kingsley Club, which many say is his best! What I like best bout Greywalls is Devries takes you to all the best parts of the property. It's a throwback!! The holes weren't design with a tournament in mind! It's challenging, it's quirky, and most of all, it's fun! It's one of my favorite courses to play and I wouldn't hesitate to make the drive up. I give it an 8 (excellent) rating! 

Bay Harbor (Bay Harbor, Michgan)

Art Hills has designed hundreds of golf courses, but if pressed to name his favorite, Bay Harbor would have to be on his short list. How could it not?! It's easily one of the best properties he s work on. The place is absolutely beautiful! 

Bay Harbor wastes little time in showing off it's attributes as the first hole plays alongside the coastline. 

It's one of the most scenic opening holes in golf! And I appreciate that Art Hills designed a solid hole that didnt compete with the view.  

The second hole is solid but I think on closer inspection I can understand why golf aficionados get upset with Art Hills. On a property of Bay Harbor's grandeur, why is this average looking hole here? It's a valid point and one that will rear it's head a few more times. 

Forward to the third and fourth, two holes  with a view that is one of the best in the world! 

It doesn't get much prettier than that! Three is a good par four where the aggressive player can carry over corner of the lake to obtain a straight on view of the green while the conservative player hits to the upper right section of the fairway, but is left with a more difficult shot over the trap guarding the green. Four is then a downhill par three to a green that gets shallow the further left the pin is. Great two holes!!

The fifth takes us to the dunes and it's one of my favorite holes on the course. It's a blind tee shot over the sand ridge on this short dogleg right par four. The green is small and a deep pot bunker guards the right. Wind, guts, skill...it's all present on this little hole! The sixth stays in the dunes and plays into the prevailing wind. It's a nice hole. 

And then comes the seventh...

Arguably the best par five in Michigan. Gorgeous scenery, into the wind, risk/reward...it has it all! The green is bunkerless and just begs for an aggressive second. After holing out, my threesome teed up several balls and drove them out into the blue abyss. I hate to think how many balls are sitting at the bottom of the lake just off this green. 

The next four holes leave the coastline and the excitement wanes. It's not that these are bad holes, it's just with a piece of property like this, these holes are the ones that need the most attention. I noted this at Longaberger too when there was a lull in the design.  

Fast forward to the twelfth hole, a long par five that plays alongside the cliff overlooking the quarry. It's a good hole but the best part is seeing the quarry holes down below. It's such an amazing view! I wish the green was more than just bi-level tho. With the landform the green is on, Hills could have really made this a great hole. Thirteen then takes us down into the quarry, and this hole has a generic green too....but after the walk to fourteen and looking out at the view...

Wow!! It's downhill, downwind and the green is stretched out in front of a 50' high cliff! I love that the green is wider than it is deep. When the pin slides over to the far right, it becomes even more intimidating. You couple this with the seventh...two excellent par fives!!

Fifteen follows with a short par four that cries out to be driven!

My threesome and I must've hit four balls each trying to drive this thing! It's a damn good looking hole! The correct way to play it is hybrid-wedge, but even then it requires two fine shots. I'll give Art Hills credit, he's really good at designing short par fours. 

Sixteen continues the great finish with a diagonal tee shot over the quarry wall. What really makes the hole is the centerline bunker! Amazing how not once was this feature employed until now! I love it! It forces players to challenge the cliff otherwise the drive is out to the right and the approach is a long club in. 

Seventeen...

What a perfect hole! I love the low profile green down on the Lake Michigan shore. It's not an overly difficult shot unless the wind is blowing, and the view is second to none. It's possibly the best hole on the back (quarry nine). 

The round finishes with a another shoreline green, but this time it's a little higher up. A craggy fissure cuts across the fairway and the player decides whether to carry it or layup to it. 

It definitely finishes off the round in style giving one last view of the spectacular location Bay Harbor resides on. 

Bay Harbor opened the same year as Bandon Dunes and Whistling Straits. Together the three were touted as "the  next Pebble Beach!" After opening as one of the top fifty courses in the country, Bay Harbor has steadily seen it's ranking tumble down to 85th (public) in the USA. I believe one of the reasons for that is the average design of the holes not on the lake or in the quarry. Art Hills had a chance to put his name on a legitimate top 50 course in the world. Nonetheless, half of the holes are still excellent! And it's these holes that I hang my rating on. It's totally worth going and seeing! I give it a 7 (great rating).