PINE KNOB GOLF CLUB (248-625-4430)
Michigan Golf Course Review - 5/14/05 - updated June, 2008
Pine Knob is a Leo Bishop/Lori Viola design that has been awarded 3-1/2 stars by Golf Digest Places to Play.
Award-winning course designer, Dan Pohl, has continually updated greens, bunkers and general course layout
to make it a better golf experience in the last few years. The course includes 27 holes of championship golf, with
three distinctive nines to choose from: The Eagle, The Falcon, and The Hawk. The Two Guys Who Golf visited
Pine Knob in May of 2005 when there was some consideration of closing The Hawk and making this an 18-hole
layout. In June of 2008 they invited us out to review The Hawk and let us know that after plenty of reconstruction it
is here to stay, and is actually considered a favorite among many golfers who choose to play all 27-holes.
The terrain at Pine Knob is rolling in nature, with some dramatic elevation changes from tee to green. The
conditioning is of consistently high quality, and attention is paid to the details like landscaping and service (valet
parking is available). On property is a clubhouse with pro shop and snack bar/lounge with beverages and lunch
items. Just across the way however - are full banquet and outing facilities that can accommodate up to 280
people, with a great variety of plans to choose from. For info on the Golf Mansion and Carriage House, plus
other details concerning special events, call the office or visit the Pine Knob Mansion website thru the link provided at the bottom of this page.
Practice facilities include a putting green, and a grass range with four target flags, six hitting stations and three
practice bunkers. The driving range is narrow and tree lined, it actually used to be a golf hole before the course
was redesigned. Golfers at Pine Knob will find the course well marked, with sprinkler heads measured to the
center of the green, 150 yard stakes on the fairways of par fours and fives, and yardage blocks posted at 100,
150 and 200 yards. Small flags on the flag sticks indicate front, middle and back pin placements
The Eagle nine begins dramatically, with the tee shot on one playing from an extremely elevated tee area.
Number two also plays downhill, and is a long par three that demands a carry over water, with bail out room to
the right. Almost as impressive, are the beautiful mansions that line the right side on these two golf holes, and
are present all along the Eagle nine. Landscaped tee areas lead to rolling fairways on this course - and the
greens are usually round in shape, slope from back to front and are only mild in undulation. A good tip is to stay
below the hole on the Eagle course, as tough downhill putts generally await golfers who fly it past the pin. This is
the prettiest and most interesting of the layouts here. The three tee boxes play to 3189, 2912 and 2440 yards.
The longest nine is The Falcon course which features large, undulating greens and manicured fairways that often
provide generous landing areas off the tee. The greens are easily approachable with open fronts and low lipped
sand bunkers that allow for recoveries and up and down opportunities. After a dry opening hole, water comes
into play on the next seven. The par three 4th is an especially pretty golf hole, as it presents a forced carry over a
pond. A creek crosses the fairway on number five, and the hazards on the next three holes are generally on the perimeter. The three sets of tees play to 3405, 2994 and 2432 yards.
The Hawk nine, much like The Falcon, is mostly flat in front of the putting surfaces. The greens also seem to be
slightly smaller than those of the other two courses. There is significant elevation change with sloping, mounded
fairways, and large mounds in the tall grass on the sides of fairways. The first hole is short and down hill with no
room for error on either side of the landing zone as the ground slopes down away from the fairway. The last hole
is a par three with bunkers that circle the green and guard it from every direction. The three tee boxes play to 3167, 2753 and 2338 yards.
Pine Knob is a wonderful golf course, with great service and nice amenities. While set in an upscale residential
community, Pine Knob still provides the feeling of being with nature, as wildlife abounds. The facilities and
secluded setting make this an ideal location for outings and for special events. Golfers of all skill levels will find
the course inviting, as slope ratings range from 11 to 133. The property is easy to get to, from the Sashabaw
Road exit along I-75. For more info including a direct link to their website, visit our page for Pine Knob by clicking here.
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