I played Rouge in Detroit today. It’s a Donald Ross design; you can see it clearly in the greens. They’re all smallish, open in the front, and slightly elevated. It’s hard to get a shot to stick. Anything that rolls to the fringe is going down off the sides into collection areas.
Nice course, and nicely kept.
I just heard back from the Donald Ross Society. They thought that the Rouge Park and Rogell courses were one and the same.
I may have “discovered” a lost Ross.
The Donald Ross Society does not list Rouge Golf Course as a Ross-designed layout. We can put a positive spin on it. Let’s say an admirer of Ross was inspired to mimic his work in designing Rouge rather than accuse anyone of crassly copying Ross without paying him his fee.
Vargo Golf took over running most of Detroit’s courses this year from American Golf. Good to hear that the conditions are still good.
Who knew there was a Donald Ross Society?
Vargo claims its a Ross course. GolfLink lists it as a Ross course. Maybe this society just overlooked it? I’m going to email them and ask.