Sylvan Glen Golf Course Review

Sylvan Glen Golf Course Review

Sylvan Glen Golf Course
Troy, Michigan
Grade: C
Teachers’ Comments: A solid muni

If Sylvan Glen were my neighborhood course, I would be happy to play it on a regular basis. As with so many Michigan municipal courses, it offers a pleasant golf experience at a reasonable price.

Sylvan Glen is one of two courses maintained by the city of Troy, Michigan. Built in 1922, Sylvan Glen is an old-school parklands design, with parallel holes separated by tree lines. It is largely flat, with the exception being the tee shot on thirteen and several holes that play over a creek and ravine.

Most of the holes at Sylvan Glen are straightforward affairs. The par 4 sixth is the only real dogleg, although the par five twelfth has a sweeping curve to the right. A creek is in play on eight of the holes, but truthfully is only really an issue on four, nine and eighteen. On those holes, the approach shot requires a carry over the creek to the green. On eighteen, for example, if you’re a little short, you ball is in the creek (as happened to my playing partners). You can see this in the photo at top.

My favorite hole was the par 4 second. The tee shot must carry a creek and ravine to land on a fairway set at a 45 degree angle to the teeing area. The more you bit off, the closer you get to the hole.

The far end of the fairway is set against a slope topped with trees. Hit the ball too far for the angle you choose (as I did) and you’ll end up in the tree line.

The green on the second is slightly elevated, with bunkers to the left and right.

I’d like another shot at Sylvan Glen’s second. I played it quite poorly the first time. On the second, I would try to take advantage of the wide landing zone, which is quite hidden from the tee.

The par four sixth offered a nice strategic challenge, but the presence of Square Lake Road on the left side was absolutely terrifying. My playing partners hit their balls into the road. Aiming well away from the road, I hit my ball into the trees on the right.

Sylvan Glen is a par 71. From the tips, it stretches to 6, 686 yards and plays to a 73.4/123. One tee further up, Sylvan Glen comes in at 6, 208 yards and plays at 69.3/119. The more forward tees are at 5, 554 and play at 66.3/116.

Conditions on the day I played were what you would expect from a well-cared for muni. Fairways were mostly grown in with green stuff, with just few jarring spots. The greens were in good shape. The tee boxes were a little beat up, but still very playable.

My biggest complaint about Sylvan Glen on the day I played was pace-of-play. The course was packed, and the round overly long.

The Sylvan Glen Golf Course Review was first published November 18, 2019 from notes and photos taken on a round in the summer of 2019.