Wesburn Golf Course Review
Wesburn Golf Course
South Rockwood, Michigan
Grade: C-
Teachers’ Comments: Rather ordinary.
If I was somewhat disappointed in Wesburn, it may have been because I hoped for more than the course had to give. Because Wesburn was built in 1910, I expected a solid dose of old school design. What I found instead was rather ordinary.
The first thirteen holes at Wesburn are routed on a flat piece of land on the soutwest side of South Huron River Drive. Holes fourteen through eighteen are on a low flood plain on the northeast side of the road.
The southwest thirteen are wide open affairs, with little to threaten tee shots or approaches to the greens. A creek runs through four of these holes, offering some variety and challenge. There’s also a rivulet that intersects four other holes, but when I played it was mostly dry and just a lateral depression in the ground.
The northeast five are just weird. Tightly packed and exceedingly narrow, these seemed like an afterthought. I wonder if they were even in the original course plan. There is, for example, a 186 yard dogleg par four. Who does that?
From the back tees, Wesburn stretches to 6, 277 yards and plays to a 70/1.121. The middle tees are in at 5, 739 and play at a 69.2/117.
My favorite hole was the par four ninth. A slight dogleg right, the hole is bisected by a creek with steep banks and marsh grasses. A golfer must either have the length and confidence to fly that creek, or lay up short, and try to make the green with a long second. It’s also one of the few holes with a decent sized bunker, which guard the left side.
Conditions on the day I played were adequate. The greens were all in decent shape, but many fairways needed help. Overall, the course had a bit of a shaggy feel.
Wesburn has an interesting back story. It was purchased from the Dodge family in 1958 by Walter Walters, who was interested not only in running a course, but also in acting as a supplier of logo golf balls and gear. Owning a course let him establish a green grass account with Titleist. Initially beginning with Titleist imprints, he launched the Wesburn Golf company in 1981 as a specialty advertising company. It currently is known as Tee-Time Custom Logo Golf Balls and is run by Walters’ daughter Shelly.
If Wesburn was my neighborhood course, I would happily play it on a regular basis. As it is not, however, I really don’t see a need to make a special trip to return.
The Wesburn Golf Course Review was published April 2, 2020 from notes and photos taken on a round played in August 2019. For more Michigan Golf Course reviews follow the link.
A photo tour of Wesburn Golf Course follows:
The first at Wesburn is a 533 yard par 5. Wesburn’s second is a 424 yard par 4. The third at Wesburn is a 335 yard par 4. The fourth at Wesburn is a 377 yard par 4. Wesburn’s fifth is a 402 yard par 4. The sixth at Wesburn is a 480 yard par 5. Seven at Wesburn is a 358 yard par 4. The eighth at Wesburn is a 230 yard par 3. Nine at Wesburn is a 411 yard par 4. The clubhouse at Wesburn The eleventh at Wesburn is a 489 yard par 5 A snake in the tee dispenser at Wesburn Twelve at Wesburn is a 525 yard par 5. The thirteenth at Wesburn is a 162 yard par 3. Fourteen at Wesburn is a 284 yard par 4. The fifteenth at Wesburn is a 186 yard par 4. Sixteen at Wesburn is a 193 yard par 3. The seventeenth at Wesburn is a 343 yard par 4.
