Playing Detroit Golf Club and Greystone

Playing Detroit Golf Club and Greystone

I was recovering from a back injury this past week, so I only managed to find my way to two courses away from my home at Washtenaw Golf Club. I did not play well at either, as I was unable to make either a decent backswing nor a full swing through. I managed, though, overclubbing on every shot and playing a lot of pitches rather than trying to hit more sharp and potentially painful wedges.

On Monday, I played Detroit Golf Club as part of an outing for media members ahead of the Rocket Mortgage Classic. It was the second time I have played there and we used the routing that will be used during the tournament.

The two eighteens at Detroit Golf Clubs are Donald Ross designs dating to 1913. The original six holes, however, were designed by Bert Way in 1899. That is the same year that Way, an English professional built the original six holes at Washtenaw Golf Club. Way is perhaps best known for his work designing Firestone Golf Club.

On Thursday, I traveled to Washington, Michigan to play Greystone, a course which brags of the best finishing holes in Michigan.

Unfortunately, that day everyone started on the back nine and the “best finishing holes” were a rising and falling movement, rather than a crescendo finish.

The 16th, 17th and 18th of the Bruce Matthews design all play around a lake that was a former rock quarry. We played the downhill par 3 (pictured) into a stiff wind. The next two holes curve around the lake, with narrow fairways that sit precariously on the shores.

On that day, I was randomly paired with two very nice guys, one of whom turned out to be the father of a former student of mine.

Small world.