Fieldstone Golf Club (Auburn Hills, MI)

Fieldstone was designed by Art Hills in 1998 for the city of Auburn Hills. He took a 27 hole facility and pared it down to 18 holes. It hosts numerous tournaments every year and boasts one of the highest slope and course ratings. 
(The 326/294 yard eighteenth was originally the sixteenth, but as the final hole, is a a good opportunity to net one last birdie. It’s driveable for the long hitter should he decide to take on the water.)

Art Hills moved a ton of dirt at Fieldstone and built elevated greens with steep drop offs on the sides and in the front. I’ve seen several of his courses that force an aerial attack and this one ranks right up there as one of his toughest.  There’s a lot of moguls and mounds for shorter misses, and cut away fairways that drop well below the level of the green. All these features are very difficult for the high handicap which is why I’m leary that a municipal course is frought with such architecture. 

(The short 333/306 yard par four third looks simple but the green is behind a large mound, and unless one challenges the water to gain a view, only the top of the flagstick is visible. It’s also possible for the ball to ricochet off the mound and scamper  across the green into the water.) 

(The 227/197 yard par three eighth is all carry to an elevated green guarded by wetlands and a deep sand trap. With little bailout available, ones best effort is needed. A par is a terrific score.) 

The front nine starts off by the clubhouse before crossing the road for holes two through eight, and then returns for the ninth. A pond and some wetlands are used to create some interesting holes, but for the most part, it’s Hill’s green complexes that give the front its character. 
(The par five seventh has a green that is obscured by this bunker complex. At 582/561 yards, the third shot will be a short to mid iron. Any mishit along the way will make this a difficult par.) 

(Fieldstone has a lot of these fall offs so one has to be careful with approach. The ball will  roll to the bottom til it comes to a stop in the higher grass making for a difficult recovery. This pic is the 414/372 yard ninth.)

The back nine is where the best holes are located minus the tenth and eleventh. The property is wooded with some nice land movement among the wetlands. The holes fit naturally on the property with the hazards demanding accurate play. 

(The par five twelfth possesses the best green at Fieldstone. I love how it’s elevated with the trees, mounds, and bunker framing the shot. Anyone going for this in two must hit a perfect shot. 564/533)

(Look how the thirteenth green sits comfortably in front of the wetlands yet shows little of its depth. Such a shot demands one trust the yardage and hit with no hesitation. 377/347) 

Art Hills does a good job mixing hard holes with birdie opportunities, and Fieldstone does that well. The easier holes have bite to them should you get careless, but the par fives are the real key here. They’re not really reachable, and for the players who are truly long, pose a big threat since any miscue can quickly turn into a double bogey. The best play is to find a strong yardage and attack from there. 

(The sixteenth is a perfect example why the par fives don’t give up birdie so easily. The green is ardently defended by sand and wetlands. Playing at 563/539 yards, it’s at a yardage that tempts long hitters.) 

The tenth and eleventh were originally the seventeenth and eighteenth holes.  They are as bland and as insipid as any two holes you’ll find, and management took a huge risk making them the turn holes and turning the short par four sixteenth into the final hole. 
(The 453/424 yard seventeenth is a long par four with an elevated green. Note how the fairway slopes left below the bunker. Players who come up short will need to pitch it over the sand to save par.) 

Fieldstone has a terrific range that ironically is the focal point of the club. Most clubhouses overlook the last hole, but Fieldstone has a commanding view of the range. It’s just one of the things that catches your attention. Auburn Hills has a championship course that is used for many local competitions. I personally like Pine Trace, another Art Hills course, that’s nearby. Still, I’d give Fieldstone a 5 (good)(worth driving an hour to play.)