On Monday, I got out to play a round at Rackham Golf Course in Huntington Woods, just north of Detroit. It an historic course, but has seen better days.
Rackham is a Donald Ross design that was built in 1923. Owned by the City of Detroit, it sits adjacent to the Detroit Zoo on land donated by Horace Rackham. Throughout its history, Rackham was one of a few courses open to play by African Americans. Boxer Joe Louis was a regular, and course golf pro Ben Davis was the first African American member of the Michigan PGA.
Unfortunately, only a little more than half of Ross’ design remains. Parts of the course were commandeered for the construction of I-696 in 1983. The back nine is as Ross intended, but on the front, only the seventh and ninth remain untouched.
The amazing Albert Kahn – designed clubhouse, however, is still there. Kahn, known as the “Architect of Detroit” designed many of the city’s iconic buildings and factories, including the beautiful 18 story art-deco Fisher Building.
I’ll have a full review shortly.
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