Off the Fringe, “Golf’s best short read.” The award winning newsletter, sent twice monthly, that provides an unconventional perspective on the golf world.
Brian Clark
South Lyon
2022-07-02
$46 (cart included), played on Tuesday, June 2022 at 2:00 PM
After playing Moose Run in Anchorage, Alaska in June this year, why not play Moose Ridge in South Lyon, MI, and see the difference. No Moose running around here in South Lyon today. Was told by some of my golfing buddies that it's a "Narrow, Wooded, Rolling, Blind shot Course on Steroids" and they weren't kidding. Ended up paying $48 18/cart after 2pm from the regular weekday $68 or $84 on the weekends.
This is one stretched-out and isolated layout that makes each hole you play totally separate from any other manmade elements. With the five (5) tee boxes you can choose from Black 6,790yds / 73.5 / 132 down to Red 4,758yds / 63.8 / 109 on this Par 35/36 target layout.
My Son Jeremy and I found the course condition today in nothing short of perfect BUT for the aeration of the greens, though smooth, rolling at 8-9 today. We decided to play from the Whites today at 2,947/3,111yds / 69.8 / 125 and for the first time here, that was a good choice. With the meandering narrow mowed fairways, 3" thick rough with woods thick with poison ivy that make ball retrievable..........impossible/O.B. Every hole has a forced tee carry that varies from 150-210yds so check your landing area distances before just swinging away as elevation/wind changes a lot more than it first looks.
The Front 9 starts out with three (3) Par 4's that increase in yardage from the Whites 299-410yds and difficulty. The #4 Par 5 is their #1 Hcp from the Whites at 550yd or 611yds from the Blacks and is nothing but OB if you stray from the short grass. The #7 Par 4 is only 266yds downhill from the Whites (Black 303yd) but the main fairway ends at 100 yds in marker and the kidney-shaped green is well protected (Thick grass/sand) by those that miss the dance floor. The #9 Par 3 Hcp 7 at 183 yds has its water carry tee to the elevated green is a tough view from the box.
The Back 9 starts out with two (2) Par 4's at 318yds each but #11 with a sand trap in the middle of the fairway (180-200) and narrow after that, makes you think. The #13 Par 4 at 383yds really tightens up with water right off the tee so stay left and don't miss the elevated green long or right. (O.B.) The #14 is a 525yd Par 5 that has a forced 2nd shot carry to a split fairway with a long sand trap in the middle. Land at the 100yd marker and miss all the trouble for an easy Par OR roll the dice with the big 3-wood. The #17 is just one long narrow sweeping left 430 yd Par 4 that has a narrow elevated green and OB if you miss long. The #18 Par 5 is a short sweeping right 464yd feel-good end, unless you miss the fairway/green right, and it's O.B. for sure.
Enjoyed playing my Birthday outing here today with Jeremy shooting 40/41 w/ 37putts to my 41/42 w/33putts as my 3 OB's took their toll. Looking forward to returning and playing with a little bit more course awareness.
Would travel: 60-120 Miles, Vacation Worthy
Bottom line: Better than average course for the area, Fair priced based on quality and competitive area pricing, Ranks with the best in this price level
Condition of Course, Price, Pace of Play, Food/ Bar facilities, Difficulty, Ambiance, Staff, Layout, No Houses on Course, Clubhouse
$46 (cart included), played on Tuesday, June 2022 at 2:00 PM
After playing Moose Run in Anchorage, Alaska in June this year, why not play Moose Ridge in South Lyon, MI, and see the difference. No Moose running around here in South Lyon today. Was told by some of my golfing buddies that it's a "Narrow, Wooded, Rolling, Blind shot Course on Steroids" and they weren't kidding. Ended up paying $48 18/cart after 2pm from the regular weekday $68 or $84 on the weekends.
This is one stretched-out and isolated layout that makes each hole you play totally separate from any other manmade elements. With the five (5) tee boxes you can choose from Black 6,790yds / 73.5 / 132 down to Red 4,758yds / 63.8 / 109 on this Par 35/36 target layout.
My Son Jeremy and I found the course condition today in nothing short of perfect BUT for the aeration of the greens, though smooth, rolling at 8-9 today. We decided to play from the Whites today at 2,947/3,111yds / 69.8 / 125 and for the first time here, that was a good choice. With the meandering narrow mowed fairways, 3" thick rough with woods thick with poison ivy that make ball retrievable..........impossible/O.B. Every hole has a forced tee carry that varies from 150-210yds so check your landing area distances before just swinging away as elevation/wind changes a lot more than it first looks.
The Front 9 starts out with three (3) Par 4's that increase in yardage from the Whites 299-410yds and difficulty. The #4 Par 5 is their #1 Hcp from the Whites at 550yd or 611yds from the Blacks and is nothing but OB if you stray from the short grass. The #7 Par 4 is only 266yds downhill from the Whites (Black 303yd) but the main fairway ends at 100 yds in marker and the kidney-shaped green is well protected (Thick grass/sand) by those that miss the dance floor. The #9 Par 3 Hcp 7 at 183 yds has its water carry tee to the elevated green is a tough view from the box.
The Back 9 starts out with two (2) Par 4's at 318yds each but #11 with a sand trap in the middle of the fairway (180-200) and narrow after that, makes you think. The #13 Par 4 at 383yds really tightens up with water right off the tee so stay left and don't miss the elevated green long or right. (O.B.) The #14 is a 525yd Par 5 that has a forced 2nd shot carry to a split fairway with a long sand trap in the middle. Land at the 100yd marker and miss all the trouble for an easy Par OR roll the dice with the big 3-wood. The #17 is just one long narrow sweeping left 430 yd Par 4 that has a narrow elevated green and OB if you miss long. The #18 Par 5 is a short sweeping right 464yd feel-good end, unless you miss the fairway/green right, and it's O.B. for sure.
Enjoyed playing my Birthday outing here today with Jeremy shooting 40/41 w/ 37putts to my 41/42 w/33putts as my 3 OB's took their toll. Looking forward to returning and playing with a little bit more course awareness.