FLINT, MICHIGAN - A STEAL OF A DEAL!
It has been well documented that the economy in parts of Michigan has been weakened by the downturn in the North American auto industry. And Flint, home of the Buick, is no exception. But, for us out-of-state golfers, it means that great golf can be had at a fraction of the price of what we would pay back home.
Like most golfers I know, we stayed at a clean and affordable Comfort Inn in nearby Davison, which is centrally located near the area courses. Our golf tour began with a 25-minute country drive to the Captain’s Club at Woodfield. This Raymond Floyd Signature 18-hole championship
golf course boasts large, undulating
and receptive greens with a
challenging and well-manicured
layout. There are nine dogleg holes
on this par 72 course, so pick the
right tee blocks to suit your game.
From the tips, this course measures
out to only 6765 yards but, at that
distance, plays to a rating of 73.3
and a slope of 133. AND, the cost
for golf, including power cart with
GPS system, was a measly $22 US,
since they classified Frank and me
as seniors at 50 years old and we
played on a weekday before
1:00pm. Now, where else can you
go for that price? (For more pictures
and stories on the Captain’s Club,
please see our sidebar.)
Next, it was off to nearby Fenton and Coyote Preserve. Do not miss this course!
What a gem! It’s an Arnold Palmer Signature Golf Course that has been rated one of the “top 10 public golf courses in Michigan” by Golf Digest. And, it’s no wonder! For only $30 US including cart (because we are older and wiser, and played after 2:00 pm on a weekday), we were treated to one of the most scenic and picturesque “Up North Feel” (as they like to say) courses that we have ever played. This challenging layout offers plenty of elevation changes, with water on all but four holes and greens that roll beautifully. So bring out your “A” game because, from the blue tees, this course measures only 6580 yards (black is 6912) but has a slope of 132 and a course rating of 73.3. (Want more information? Click on the sidebar.)
After a couple of days of sightseeing, going to car museums and attending the Buick Open at the nearby Warwick Hills Golf Club in Grand Blanc, we headed over to the Fenton Farms Golf Club for a game.
It was the Saturday of the July 4th
long weekend and there were maybe
20 cars in the parking lot. Where I
come from, this is unheard of!
Saturdays and Sundays are usually
booked solid, a week in advance.
The front nine on this course might
lull you to sleep, but the back nine
is much more exciting and worth
the trip. The rough has been cut
down so you can spray the ball and
still not be “in jail”—ideal for higher
handicaps. With its respectable
course rating of 71.7 and a slope
of 125 from the 6600 yard blues, I
would recommend that you play this
course first to get the kinks out of
your swing.
That afternoon, we drove to Burton (very close to our hotel) and played the IMA Brookwood Golf Club. This time there was about 30 cars in the parking lot, and the cost was $33.50 US on weekends with cart ($22 US for seniors on weekdays). Unbelievable! This stately old course (built in 1938) is well forested, but open in and around the trees for easy playability. There are plenty of doglegs, so it helps to know where and what to hit for the optimum position for your second shot to these soft and receptive greens. With a slope of 130 and a course rating of 73.2, from the 6911 yards tips to the front tees at 5156 yards, this course is playable for all levels.
From my personal experience, there are few, if any, golf destinations in the northeastern U.S. or Southeastern Canada that can compare to the Flint area for quality and value. Where else can you possibly play 18 holes of championship golf in prime time, with cart, hotel and breakfast starting at $52 US per night? This area has a glorious opportunity to attract new visitors, to a virtually untapped market, by offering tremendous value for a golf experience that anyone can afford. I’ll be back and I’ll tell my friends.
For further information on golf in the Flint area, please contact the Flint Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.
For group information, please contact Gloria DeHart @ 810 232 5758 or email
her @ gdehart@flint.travel
For individual golf packages, including discounted tickets to the 2008 Buick Open, please check out the “Overnight FunPaks” e-commerce website, or contact
Dawn Stableford @ 810 232 3261 or email her @ dstableford@flint.travel
Dave Finn is a contributing writer and is also co-publisher of golf-south.net
