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 The Timbers Golf Club (989-871-4884)
Michigan Golf Course Review
The Timbers is an 18-hole championship facility that is easily accessible, located just ten minutes from Frankenmuth. Together with The Fortress, these two layouts provide a
formidable one-two punch for resort golf in this popular section of Michigan. In fact, packages can be set up to play these courses while staying at the Bavarian Inn, with a
breakfast buffet and one of their famous chicken dinners included. As many of you know, this is a great town for shopping, or simply walking the streets and soaking up the atmosphere.
Did I say "resort golf"? The Timbers is actually quite a challenge for a course with a top slope rating of 133. The front nine is intense, with some tight fairways and tricky doglegs.
While playing at just 3141 from the tips, the opening side features lots of water (on 7 holes) and marshy areas that will require your best effort with the short and mid irons. The
back side is longer (3454 from the tips) with three par fives measuring 500 plus yards, and with considerably more sand bunkers. From the whites, The Timbers plays to 6125
and measures 4801 from the front tees. An alternate tee box is available at 5519. Throughout the design you will find secluded holes with considerable forests and natural areas.
This section of the state is relatively flat, so club selection is not a chore. Stakes mark the distance at 200 and 150 yards, and sprinkler heads are measured to the center of the
green. A quadrant system is in place on the greens, so be sure to inquire about the day's pin placement. Green and hole diagrams are provided for on the scorecards, and this
information is also posted at the tee areas.
The Timbers is a course that takes pride in excellent conditioning. The greens are firm and quick, and the tee areas, fairways and bunkers are well sculpted. A spacious putting
green and ample grass range with target areas are on property. The clubhouse here features a full service pro shop, dining area for sandwiches and snacks, and outing facilities for 150 plus.
The opening hole plays tightly with a marsh area just in front of the tee area, and also about 60 yards from the green. The approach is almost all carry, with just 10 yards of grass
between the green and the hazard. The second is the longest par four on the course (432 from the tips) and presents a tree-lined fairway with a narrow approach to a putting
surface with a lone bunker left of the green. After a short and easy par three, you will find one of the prettiest holes of the layout. A tee shot of 180-200 yards in the center of the
fairway will leave an easy approach along a narrow fairway which doglegs 90 degrees left. Anything short left is wet, and long means you will have to carry a natural area (if you
don't land in it). A marsh 15 yards in front of the putting surface presents a challenge on the par three 5th, though there is lots of room for error here. The 6th is another short
dogleg, this time bending to the right. Aim left of the tree line and hope to land about 120 out. Just right of the white post on the left side of the fairway is a good target area off the
tee. Number seven is a great golf hole. The cart path provides a nice line off the tee. Long hitters can carry the water hazard, but with the green nearly surrounded by water, nearly
everyone will have to play this as a 3-shot par five, playing a wedge or short iron to what - for all practical purposes, is an island green. There is a marsh short left and long right on
the mid-range par four 8th. Pay attention to the pin placement here, as the green is long and narrow. The closing hole on the front plays opposite from eight, with a water hazard
along he right side affecting the tee shot, and another on the left side near the green challenging the approach. Play this front nine with one ball and you should have a good
round going.
The water hazard to the right will naturally force you to aim for the left side of the fairway on number ten. A fairly easy approach awaits anything landing on the short grass. There is
plenty of room for error on the par three 11th, though it plays extremely long from the back tees (228 yards - but just 163 from the whites). The long par five 12th begins with lots of
room left off the tee. Water along the left side and green-side mounding make the second and third shots difficult. Nonetheless, this is one of the better opportunities for birdie. A
drive across the parking lot leads to the 13th hole - one of the toughest of the layout. Trees and natural areas along the left side necessitate placement along the right side, all the
way to the green. For those who have played the Timbers in past years, the marsh area in front of the green is now merely light rough, allowing an easier entry to the putting
surface. Aim to be just short of the fairway bunker on the dogleg right par four 14th. This is a pretty hole and a reasonable birdie opportunity. There is a natural area 60 yards in
front of the green on the par three 15th, but there is more room for error than is apparent off the tee. This precedes a couple of interesting doglegs, one bending left and the other
right. Aim for the 150 stake on sixteen, and approach accurately as the mounding near the putting surface slopes away for the green. The 17th bends nearly 90 degrees. Aim just
left of the mounding on the right side, and an easy approach is your reward. The finishing hole is the number one handicap, and is one of the tightest driving holes on the course.
A marsh just in front of the green and trouble long means this is a 3 shot par five for most golfers.
We give the Timbers very high grades for their marking system, on the tee boxes, fairways and greens. What you see is what you get. Though challenging, this is a fair test, with
ample landing areas on most holes. The par fours are very reasonable in length (only 1 over 400 yards) and the par threes are very score-able. How well you perform on the par
fives will determine your score, as they rank as the number 1,2, 3 and 5 handicapped holes. Once on the greens, you will be happy with the firm surfaces which are of medium
size with mild undulations, and are true-rolling.
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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