BLACKHEATH GOLF CLUB (248-601-8000)
Michigan Golf Course Review
Located on Rochester Road just 4 miles north of the town, Blackheath Golf Club affords Metro Detroiters a
chance to play a true Scottish, heathland layout. Don't have time to drive to Oscoda to play the Gailes? (Highly
recommended !) You won't have to drive far to experience the next best thing. I had the opportunity to review
Blackheath on a sunny fall afternoon, and consider this to be one of my most enjoyable golfing experiences of the
year. The course was designed by the same fellow (Kevin Aldridge) who created one of the top layouts in
Michigan - the now famous Gailes, at Lakewood Shores Resort. The similarities are many - the finely sculpted
tee boxes, large undulating greens, heather rough, and huge greenside mounds and deep bunker complexes.
Being relatively new (2 years old), Blackheath's rough is not as formidable as the Gailes - where it is virtually
impossible to find mis-placed shots. It is nearly feasible to play one ball on this course, making it all the more fun.
The opening hole is a good one. A drive anywhere near the center of the fairway will afford you an opportunity for
a clear downhill approach on this mid-length par four that doglegs slightly left. Don't be deceived by the putting
surface that appears to slope from back to front. It is level! Ditto for the second green, which is easily reached in
regulation after a downhill tee shot followed by a short iron or wedge. The third is a narrow par three. Best bet is
to be slightly right, as the swamp on the left side extends close to the green. You will have to successfully execute
a challenging tee shot on the first par five, which is long and demanding. The fifth is just as tough - a par 4 with a
large tree protecting the left side of the fairway, making the hole play extra long. There is no room to be long on
the difficult approach to an elevated green. An uphill tee shot, with a fairway sloping left to right (towards a huge
waste area) on the next hole, makes the 4th through 6th stretch the toughest sequence on the course. A fairly
simple par three is followed by an extremely beautiful par five, playing downhill off the tee to a wide fairway
defined by water and bunkers. The ninth is also gorgeous - a long and difficult par three, with an extremely undulating green protected by a deep bunker right and mounding all around.
The back starts out like a roller coaster - with mild elevation changes, mounding, deep swales and pot bunkers
providing an obstacle course on holes 10 through 12. The green complex on the tenth reminded me of the 10th
on the Gailes - with mounds rolling all around the putting surface, funneling shots toward the center. Heather
rough and a deep pot bunker long left make this an exciting experience. Eleven begins with a relatively blind tee
shot, with quite a bit of room for error. Aim down the cart path and you will do well. A fairway wood or long iron
will put you in position for an extremely uphill approach, to a putting surface flanked by mounds. It looks tough
because it is. Par is a great score here. Twelve is a short par three, to a green that is again protected by
mounds and deep bunkers, and is extremely undulating. Leaving the "crater" holes, you will have lots of room on
your next tee shot, but will be challenged by a narrow approach. A water hazard long left makes the short par four
fourteenth a bit tricky. Lay up accurately (200 yards) and you have a good shot at par or better.
Another short par three over a ridge of rolling mounds makes this two score-able holes in a row. Hopefully you
will perform well on these two as 16 is Blackheath's toughest. In fact it is brutal. The downhill tee shot must be
straight and long, as there is water short left and rolling rough and a creek to the right. If you are fortunate enough
to reach in regulation, you will find a large undulating green in the way of par. Birdie this hole and I'm buying!
Seventeen will play longer than you realize, as your second and third shots are very uphill. The green is very putt
-able however, making this a reasonable opportunity for a bird. Now for the closer! The eighteenth is
aesthetically beautiful - and representative of the charm of the Blackheath layout (see the first picture of this
review). A slightly downhill shot from perfectly sculpted tee boxes must be long and accurate. Mounding and
bunkers border both sides of the fairway, and the green is one of the largest in Michigan (Sparky measured 150
feet from front to back). Enormous, with subtle slopes, this putting complex is also reminiscent of the Aldridge
designed Gailes finishing hole - which measures at over 180 feet from front to back. Obviously, you will want to land on the correct portion of this humongous green.
The red, white and blue flags at Blackheath to designate front, center, and back pin placements were extremely
pratical. Stakes marking yardages from 100 - 200 yards out on the fairways were also appreciated. The
unpretentious clubhouse features a pro shop and snack bar, and there is a grass range and putting/chipping
green on property. A truly unique golfing experience and a great bargain. This is a "must play" for avid golfers.
Bonus - with few trees - Blackheath is practical to play in the fall, as there are little leaves on the course.
Check out the Two Guys Who Golf detailed information page on this course (which includes a link to the course's website if available) - click here
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