by DAVE FINN | COYOTE PRESERVE

I haven’t played too many Arnold Palmer courses that I did not like, and this is no exception. We only played 11 holes this day, so I look forward to the opportunity to play the whole course again in the near future.

Fortunately, Palmer was given an ideal 400-acre piece of property to work with, and he used it to his advantage. There are plenty of natural elevation changes, and he kept a lot of area untouched to retain its natural beauty. This course feels like you are playing in Northern Michigan or Northern Ontario, but you are just off US 23, only minutes south of Flint.

My first thought was how pristine this course was and how scenic the holes were. The greens were large and undulating but rolled very true.

My demise started on the 5th hole. This fairway offers the best vista on the course but be careful of your second shot on this 420-yard hole, because you WILL have a downhill lie with a large pond looming in front of the green. (I tin cupped it and shot a nine.)





















The 6th hole is a beautiful downhill par 3 offering little bailout area because of bunkers long and left and a big pond short and right. A word of advice: thin will not win on this hole. Another double bogie!

















Next is the long par 5 7th, which can seem a little narrow after you’ve blown up the last two holes. But if you keep your drive along the right side, everything (including mine) will feed down to the fairway. Don’t be fooled into going for this green in two. Lay up to the 100-yard marker and take your chances with a short iron to this well-guarded green. (I came back to respectability, here.)

The 8th has to be one of their signature holes, even though all their par 3s are outstanding, This one is framed with forest and offers a deep gully up front to capture any chunky shots. A word to the wise: don’t be
right, either!

I’m not sure what impressed me the most—the
scenery (including two herons), the challenge,
the condition of the course or the price—but
Coyote Preserve is definitely on my “have to
play list.”

For more information on the Coyote Preserve
Golf Club, visit their website @
www.coyotepreserve.com. To book a tee time,
please contact Matt Miller, Head Professional @
810 714 3206 or email him
@ matt@coyotepreserve.com.

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Dave Finn is a contributing writer and is also co-publisher of golf-south.net