The Orchards Golf Club (Washington, MI)

Consistently rated as the top public course in the Metro Detroit area, The Orchards was on my short list when I was visiting my daughter. Robert Trent Jones Jr designed it in 1994, and it’s been hosting big tournaments ever since including the 2002 USGA National Amateur Public Links Championship won by Ryan Moore. 

(The short par four sixteenth plays downhill with wetlands guarding the green. A series of bunkers guard the right side of the fairway where the best angle is found for the approach.) 

The Orchards rests on an expansive piece of land with campground road dividing the front and back nines.  RTJ II strayed a bit from his usual “hard par, easy bogey” philosophy and left a particular side open for a running approach. He kept the forced carries from the tee to a minimum, and focused on position rather than length. It is very playable, and different from the last course I played of his, Heron Lake’s Great Blue Course in Portland. 

(The par three second can’t play any easier than the pin in this picture is located. Look at all the short grass too.)

(The par five sixth is a risk/reward hole. It can be reached in two shots if one challenges the turn off the tee, otherwise players will layup to this view.) 

(The seventh illustrates the beautiful tee boxes and driving lines found here...

...with the hazard crossing the fairway and the hole doglegging to the left, the drive must be accurately placed to have a good angle to the green.) 

I really enjoyed driving the ball here. The driving lanes are presented very well with the grass lines and bunkering. There is never a doubt which way a hole moves. I particularly like how the tee boxes feel isolated with the wetlands just in front. 

(The drive on the uphill ninth needs to be hit far and straight...

...the approach is to a green where the flagstick is barely visible from the fairway. It’s a difficult hole and possibly the toughest on the course.) 

(The tenth plays uphill to well positioned green. A good drive up the right side leaves a nice angle in while the left side forces you to come over the bunker.) 

Every green is well bunkered at the Orchards and the pin can be tucked behind the sand on all of them. While a running approach can be played, it’s not always at the flag. Thankfully, the greens have a nice tilt to them, and not portioned into bileveled sections. It gives it a  classic look! 

(The par five eleventh perfectly illustrates the presentation of the driving lines. It’s just beautiful!!) 

(The uphill par five fifteenth is well defined by bunkers. The long grass in the background is not in play but it frames the hole in a golden hue much different than the vivid green and white.) 

(The eighteenth hole plays downhill and a good drive will catch the speed slot and  propel forward...
...it’s the only green anchored next to the water. Hopefully the drive reached the bottom, if not then it’ll be a slightly downhill lie which is the perfect recipe for a push. It’s a lovely finishing hole with many numbers in play.) 

I came away impressed with The Orchards. It challenges the accomplished player yet is still playable for the high handicapper. My girlfriend was able to play it while only losing one ball. Add in the excellent conditioning, and it’s easy to see why the course gets all the accolades.  I give it a 6 (very good)(worth driving two hours to play).

Firestone Country Club South Course (Akron, OH)

Firestone South has long been one of the principal courses of the PGA Tour. Every summer for the past half century, television viewers have seen the very best golfers play here. If the adage that the cream rises to the top at the best courses is true, then Firestone South must be held in high esteem since the greatest players in the sport have all won here. 

(The par four third is a dogleg right with water fronting the green. Finding the proper position off the tee is key to have a straight shot at the pin.)

As much as the pros love Firestone South, the gca pundits dismiss it as lacking variety and strategy. It’s true the course has many similar holes. It’s routed up and down a hill with eight going uphill and six coming down. Only the par three fifth and par four sixth play east and west. However, Firestone’s greatness comes from the slopes in the fairway, and how you attack them. It comes from the ability to hit sidehill lies to a set of greens that play smaller than what they really are. 

(This is a view of the par three seventh.) 

(The par four eighth is one of my favorite holes. The fairway cants to the right and a drive hit down the left will crest the slope and race down the fairway. It plays shorter than it’s listed yardage, but the approach will be hit from below your feet.)

(The ninth is the longest par four on the course. If the drive carries the ridge in the fairway then it will roll another thirty to forty yards. Otherwise the approach will be a couple hundred yards from an uphill lie. The clubhouse in the background is in play, so folks on the patio best be paying attention.) 

To say the South lacks strategy is a little misleading. Several holes demand the approach come from the correct side of the fairway. Three, eleven, and eighteen come to mind instantly. The trees are tall and ancient, so one has to be mindful where they are laying up and what angle they’re try to achieve. 

(The eleventh green has tiers in both the back left and back right quadrants. One should take a peek while playing the front as the opposite side of the fairway gives best angle and avoids working the ball around a tree.) 

(Twelve is a terrific par three. It’s uphill, bunker fronting, and fall aways on both sides. It’s a demanding tee shot to say the least.) 

(The tee box on thirteen is offset enough to make this a slight dogleg right. It’s imperative to be in the fairway to have a good look at the green. A false front along with bunkers front left and right must be negotiated. Four is a good score.) 

In recent years Firestone has hosted the Bridgestone Invitational and not too long ago World Series of Golf, but between 1960 and 1975, it hosted three PGA Championships. Jay Herbert won in 1960 (281 +1) Al Giegberger in 1966 (280 E) and Jack Nicklaus in 1975 (276 -4).  It’s not a coincidence that it was chosen after RTJ Sr lengthened it in 1959 almost 600 yards. He also added two ponds and fifty bunkers. It pretty much emphasizes his philosophy “easy bogey, hard par”. 

(The view of fourteen green from fifteenth tee. It’s a beautiful parkland course and is in impeccable condition.) 

(The par five sixteenth is known as the monster. It’s six hundred plus yards long, and the fairway tumbles and twists all the way to a green fronted by a pond. At least two of your shots will be from a sidehill lie and if you manage to make a five, then you’ve done a great job. It’s considered by many to be one of the best par fives in the world.) 

Being from northeast Ohio, Firestone is a source of pride. It handles the pros very well, and the tournament is one of the best in the world. For a competitive player like myself, a round of golf here is satisfying. It’s a chance to see just how good you are. I understand the criticism it receives. It can be boring. I get it. But when you shoot a good score here, it’s highly rewarding. I give Firestone a 7 (great)(worth driving 3-4 hours to play). 

(Looking down the hill on seventeen. It goes uphill more than one realizes. From the 150 marker, I couldn’t see the bunker that fronts the green.) 

#88 TOP 100 USA (Golf Magazine)

#96 WORLD TOP 100 (Golf Magazine)

#97 TOP 100 USA (Golf Digest)

#99 TOP 100 USA CLASSIC (Golfweek)

(The eighteenth hole is a long brutal par four with an approach shot that must be threaded between the goal posts. The ability to shape the ball is a great advantage. The option to go low is available too but it’s a tough shot to judge. Note the rear left Sunday pin location in photo.)