Wolf Creek Golf Course Review

Wolf Creek Golf Course Review
Wolf Creek Golf Club Review: This is the seventh, a 460 yard dogleg left par five

Wolf Creek Golf Course Review

Wolf Creek Golf Club
Adrian, Michigan
Grade: C+
Teachers’ Comments: Unexpectedly interesting

I arrived at Wolf Creek expecting (based on nothing other than my experience of SE Michigan topography) to find a flat, relatively uninteresting layout. The first hole did nothing to assuage that suspicion, running out perfectly flat from the tee.

The second got a little more interesting, with the fairway diving down into a depression before rising up again to the green.

Wolf Creek Golf Course Review
The third at Wolf Creek is a 182 yard par 3.

The third took a page right out of the Northern Michigan golf course play book, with a two club downhill par 3.

It is at that point I realized that Wolf Creek would exceed my (admittedly low) expectations. By the end of the round, I was not at all disappointed at having made the trip.

Wolf Creek Golf Course Review
The eighth at Wolf Creek is a long uphill 373 yard par 4.

Wolf Creek Golf Club — as the name suggests — is routed over and around a ravine and its wide flood plains carved over the millennia by the meandering Wolf Creek. Architect John Francoeur did a good job of using the terrain to create variety and interest in the normally flat landscape.

Half of Wolf Creek’s holes play down, across or up from the creek’s bottom land. The remainder are on the surrounding flatlands. Seven of the holes are doglegs. Water comes into play on five of the holes. About half of the holes are wide open; the remainder have threatening tree lines.

There is a great deal of variety here.

One persistent feature of the course was a patch of rough between the end of the fairway and the green. That meant that every shot had to fly into the small greens, significantly increasing the difficulty. More often than not, my shots, lacking the forward motion I count on, fell short.

From the back tees, Wolf Creek stretches to 6, 207 and plays to a 69.5/118. The white tees measure 5, 970 and play at 68.3/115. A bogey golfer can have a good round here — if he hits it straight.

Wolf Creek Golf Course Review
The fifteenth at Wolf Creek is a 367 yard par 4.

My favorite hole was the dogleg-left par four fifteenth. The hole starts on the flatlands overlooking the creek valley. The drive has an easy carry over the water, but must avoid tree lines on either side.

The second shot on the fifteenth is uphill and blind to a tiny small green. I took an extra club and fell short, my ball entangled in the rough in front of the green.

There are several blind tee and approach shots at Wolf Creek, and local knowledge will be a big advantage.

Wolf Creek Golf Course Review
The tee boxes needed work.

Conditions on the day I played were mixed. The fairways were mostly green, but needed a shorter cut. The greens were in good shape. Many of the tee boxes, however, needed work.

To be fair, Wolf Creek does not bill itself as a premium course, and was very inexpensive. I paid $13 to walk. For that, I received far more than I paid for. I think local players are lucky to have Wolf Creek. For my part — even though I live an hour away — I would be happy to return.

The Wolf Creek Golf Course Review was first published May 14, 2020 from notes and photos taken on a round played May 13, 2020. For all of GolfBlogger’s Michigan Golf Course Reviews, follow the link.


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