Cherry Creek Golf Course Review
Cherry Creek Golf Course
Shelby Township, Michigan
Grade: B
Teachers’ Comments: A nice, generally well-kept design. Evil grounds crew.
Cherry Creek is a marsh and parklands course designed by Lanny Wadkins and Mike Bylen. Given the flat terrain, Cherry Creek had the potential to be boring, but the architects did a good job of creating interest with available marsh, creeks and rough.
Much of the fun and challenge at Cherry Creek comes from fairways interrupted by patches of marsh, rough or rivulets. Fairway stretches also were often broken by cart paths. Water is a factor on six holes. Tree lined fairways seemed tight.
The end result is a design that requires good course management skills. It is target golf. Knowing your club distances is critical. Ripping a shot off the tee and letting it roll out — while a good plan at some courses — will often end up in trouble at Cherry Creek. Shots must often be long enough to carry the first hazard, but not so far as to end up in the second.
In a weird way, Cherry Creek is a bit like a desert golf course, with islands of fairway interrupted by waste areas and hazards. A good round will be dependent upon the golfer’s ability to pick his way across the course.
From the tips, Cherry Creek rolls out to 6, 833 yards, where it plays to a 73.3/142. That’s a difficult course. The blue tees at 6, 323 yards and 71.3/136 are nearly as difficult.
The ninth at Cherry Creek is a 572 yard par 5 A view from the fairway of the upper-and-lower split fairways on Cherry Creek’s ninth A view from the lower fairway on Cherry Creek’s ninth
My favorite hole was the par five ninth. Beginning with a carry over a patch of marshy rough, it runs through a tunnel of trees before opening up to a very interesting two-level fairway. Because I only played the Cherry Creek once — and took the low road — I am not sure which is the preferred route. Both require a carry over rough to the green. I think that upon multiple playings, a strategy would develop based on the pin location on any given day.
The Blue/White Combo tees are at 6,003 yards and play to a 69.1/131. A little shorter are the White tees at 5, 642, playing 68.1/124.
Conditions on the day I played were generally good. There were, however a couple of holes where the fairways were suffering.
On a much less positive note, I had a very disturbing encounter at Cherry Creek with one of the grounds crew on the fifth hole. As I was getting set for my second shot, the mower drove up behind me to within ten feet and then sat there revving the engine. For more than a moment, I thought he actually might run me over. It was disturbingly close.
As I was on foot, there was no motor cart between me and the blades. I tried to wave him back, but he just kept running the engine at me.
I’m sure he thought it was funny. I did not.
In the end, Cherry Creek is a very nice facility — in spite of the homicidal mower. It has a very large range and practice area and an oversized clubhouse perfect for events. If I lived in the area, I certainly would try to play it regularly. I don’t, however, feel the need to play it again.
The Cherry Creek golf course review was first published on GolfBlogger.Com on March 9, 2021 from notes and photos taken on a round played in the summer of 2020. For all of GolfBlogger’s Michigan Golf Course Reviews, follow the link.
A photo tour of Cherry Creek follows
The first at Cherry Creek is a 422 yard par 4. The second at Cherry Creek is a 450 yard par 4. The third at Cherry Creek is a 204 yard par 3. Four at Cherry Creek is a 424 yard par 4. The fifth at Cherry Creek is a 491 yard par 5. A view of Cherry Creek par 5 fifth from the fairway. Seven at Cherry Creek is a 179 yard par 3. The eighth at Cherry Creek is a 318 yard par 4. The ninth at Cherry Creek is a 572 yard par 5 A view from the fairway of the upper-and-lower split fairways on Cherry Creek’s ninth A view from the lower fairway on Cherry Creek’s ninth The tenth at Cherry Creek is a 436 yard par 4. Eleven at Cherry Creek is a 401 yard par 4. The twelfth at Cherry Creek is a 211 yard par 3. Cherry Creek’s Thirteenth is a 380 yard par 4. Fourteen at Cherry Creek is a 547 yard par 5. The fifteenth is a 134 yard par 3 Sixteen at Cherry Creek is a 510 yard par 5. Seventeen at Cherry Creek is a 169 yard par 3 The eighteenth at Cherry Creek is a 538 yard par 5
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