Romeo Golf and Country Club South Course (586-752-9673)
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To visit this course's website click here. A web site for this course is currently unavailable.
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Michigan Golf Course Review
Romeo Golf Club, on 32 Mile Road just a mile and a half west of Romeo Plank Road, plays to 6295 with a slope rating that ranges from 115 to 131. A
huge putting green near the clubhouse is available to players and there also is am ample grass practice range with target flags.
Romeo is well known as a host for tournaments, leagues and events. Players will find good conditioning from tee to green, with bent grass fairways and
tee areas, nicely sculpted bunkers, and rough that is cut short enough as not to be intimidating. Red, white and blue stakes on the fairways provide
yardage to the center of the greens from 100, 150 and 200 yards away. Small flags on each stick indicate the day's pin placements. And hole diagrams are provided for near each tee area.
This review features the South Course, an interesting design that has water hazards in play on 12 holes, and numerous gentle doglegs. From the blue
tees (tips here) the South Course has only three par fours that play over 400 yards - two of them on the front nine which is the longer of the two sides at
3240 yards. The four par fives are difficult to reach in two, accept for the longest hitters, but are good birdie opportunities for those who stay on the
fairway on their initial 2 shots. None of the par threes measure more than 180 yards, and should also present easy par and possible birdie tries. The key
to scoring well here is accuracy off the tee. Most of the approaches are quite reasonable, and the medium to large sized greens are only mildly undulating.
The opening hole is a mid-range par five with a water hazard on the right side and a narrow creek crossing the fairway just in front of the putting surface.
The narrow fairway off the tee on two opens up past the tree line on both sides, with an easy approach from anywhere on the short grass. After a wide
open and simple par three, we find one of the most interesting holes of the layout. An accurate tee shot landing softly over the tree on the right, or past
the white 150 yards stake will present a rather easy approach on the dogleg right par four. Anything long or left is trouble, as it is quite easy to drive
through the fairway. The water hazard short right should not come into play, unless the drive is badly shanked. The 171 yards par three 5th plays all of
the distance, but is wide open and is an easy up and down for those short or wide. The drive on number six must penetrate the narrow corridor over the
creek and between the tree lines on either side of the fairway. This is a tough tee shot, but an easy approach. The seventh plays parallel with a drive
over the same creek to a fairway that is open, with some scattered trees. The eighth is one of the toughest holes of the layout, with the demanding tee
shot similar to the one on number 6. There is a creek about 150 yards out. The par five 9th plays long, with the right side of the fairway the most
opportune position, even though a water hazard runs along that side. It bends slightly left, with a lone bunker on the left side of the green. With a total of
only 24 bunkers on the South Course, there is a good likely hood you will not visit the beach at all.
Number ten is the # 1 handicap. Though short, it is challenging due to the water hazard that fronts the green about 30 yards out. Read the sign
concerning placement off the tee on 11, as the creek running across the fairway is only 170 yards away. Either give it all you have, or play it safe and
approach this 294 yard hole in two. After an easy par three, you will find another relatively straight, short and easy par four, measuring 359 yards from the
blues. Fourteen is the longest par 4 on the course (452 from the backs and 399 from the white tees) with lots of room right, all the way to the green.
Number fifteen is the shortest par 3 at 128 yards, and the best birdie try of the layout. Par or better, in fact, is quite possible on all 4 par threes. Sixteen is
a 329 yard par four that is open off the tee, with a creek running just in front of the putting surface making this the number 2 handicap. You must carry
water hazards twice on 17 - once off the tee and again on the approach, with a pond about 200 yards out. Long hitters might be able to reach in two here.
The final hole presents an ample landing area along a tree-lined fairway, with an easy approach to a large green sloped back to front.
The Romeo Golf and Country Club is one of the oldest and most traditional layouts in the Metro area, and also one of the most popular. It is easily
accessible from M-53 (Van Dyke freeway), in which you would head east on 32 Mile Road, or from Romeo Plank (head west). Walking is allowed at all
times, and 18-hole green fees with cart are kept in the high $30 to low $40 range - a good bargain and wonderful value for such a course. Golf Digest has
awarded Romeo Golf Club 3 stars in their Places to Play publication - and as they put it - it is worth getting off the highway to play!
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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