Lakeview Hills - North Course (810-359-8901)
Michigan Golf Course Review
Lexington, Michigan - 20 miles north of Port Huron is the unlikely location of a fine golf facility with two upscale championship courses. Lakeview Hills features the original South
Course, a traditional design with rolling topography traversing 6300 yards. The North Course is the newer layout, and has been part of the resort since 1991. The facilities at the
Lakeview Hills include over 30 resort accommodations, a 16-lane bowling alley, a health club, racquet ball courts, conference center, and dining options. Cross-country skiing is
featured during winter months, and 3 banquet halls are available year-round for weddings, business seminars and special events. Accommodations include standard rooms,
deluxe Jacuzzi rooms, executive suites, and a 6 bedroom estate house, with private pool.
The obvious draw here however, is the golf. Besides the two 18-hole courses, on property are a grass range with targets, and a putting green. Golf lessons are available, and stay
and play packages feature unlimited golf, accommodations and some meals. With the listed rates, if you play 5 rounds on a 3 day/2 night package, you are basically staying there
for free! The Sunday through Thursday Weekday Value Package is a great deal, with a room and a day of unlimited golf included.
Our review features the North Course, considered to be of the resort variety, with a great mix of open, tree-lined and water holes. The many holes with generous landing areas are
consistently lined with mounds of heather in opportune spots along the fairways. First time players will surely find themselves in these hazards from time to time. Five holes at
least, provide considerable challenge with precarious water hazards, and the few tight, tree-lined fairways stand out upon completion of the round, for their rustic beauty and
conditions, and for the challenge (especially off the tee) that they present. An especially nice feature is the informative scorecards for the North Course. They provide not only a
diagram, but also tips on how to play each hole, much like the hole diagram/yardage guides that are found on the carts at some upscale properties. The information here is very accurate.
The tips on the North Course measure 6852, and are quite challenging with a 139 slope rating. The Blues will be the tees of choice for most golfers, with the 6148 yards playing to
a 131 slope. The white (5646 - 128) and forward tees (4995 - 131) are fair but testy. This is not a course where you automatically pull out the driver when approaching the tee area.
There are significant doglegs, creeks and patches of high grass that warrant well placed drives of 200 yards or so. Check out the GAM on the mid tee boxes for accurate distances,
and pay attention to the small flag indicators on the flag sticks for the day's pin placement. There are yardage plates at 100/150/200 - but the most helpful info is right there on your scorecard.
The opening hole is fair - a mild dogleg left par five with heather on both sides of the fairway. Nail your drive between the fairway bunkers and it is reachable in two - for long hitters.
A creek crosses the fairway twice on the very tight par four 2nd. Accuracy is the key concept off the tee here. The green on number three is ridged and undulating, and plays slightly
uphill, but is still designed for par. Do as the card says on number four, and an easy approach on this 45 degree dogleg right is the reward. This precedes a long, tough par five -
one of the tightest driving holes on the course. Due to its length, there is little choice but to hit driver off the tee here. A lay up is recommended off the tee on six, as a creek crosses
about 190 from the GAM. There is not much to be gained with the driver on this short par four - heather and pines line both sides of the narrow fairway. The seventh is the number
one handicap. Drive up to the 150 and have a look at the layout. There is very little room on the right side. The best play is a long drive hit just right of the last pine tree on the left.
Anything short or to the right will find not only heather, but a blind approach to a green with water on 3 sides. There is some bail out room short left. The eighth is a pretty par three
over water, again with some bail out room left. As a closing hole on the front, the ninth presents a decent challenge, with a water hazard along the right and length (410 from the
blues) keeping it interesting.
A dogleg left par four opens the back-side, with deep fairway bunkers guarding the green. This is followed by one of the trickiest holes on the course. Aim for the tree in the center
of the fairway. A lay up before the creek is not an option here. You must carry it by at least 30 yards to have a clear shot at the flag. This 45 degree dogleg right is extremely tough to
cut, except for the longest hitters. Number 12 makes it 2 tough driving holes in a row. This short par five is extremely tight, and is best played as a three shot hole. A lay up to the
left side is recommended off the tee, as the tree on the right will block any approaches from that side. A deep green-side bunker on the right is the only obstacle to a low score on
the par 3 thirteenth, which is the #18 handicap. On 14, you can cut this dogleg right with a well-placed drive over the trees. Keep in mind that a narrow creeks runs in front, about
150 out. The fifteenth is an easy hole if you can avoid all the heather, which is not readily discernable off the tee. Pine trees also come into play near the putting surface. The
number two handicap follows, and in my opinion, is the only "unfair" hole on the course. This hole is banana shaped, with the green playing downhill to the left. Only tee shots hit
exactly at the white stake will have a good look at the green. Anything short presents an extremely blind approach - anything long is trouble. The seventeenth is a short par three,
that plays all of the yardage advertised. Try to stay below the hole on this back to front sloped green. Number 18 is a beautiful closing hole. The water hazard is just 215 yards from
the GAM, so an accurate lay up is recommended. Left is the place to be for those going long. The approach is nearly all carry over the hazard, to a mildly undulating putting surface.
Play it smart and this is one of the best birdie opportunities of the day.
The finishing hole is special, and is the highlight of a group of pretty water holes that are an important part of the make-up of the North Course. With the few thickly bordered, rustic
tree line fairways, and the many open holes lined with mounds of heather, Lakeview Hills North provides some of the best variety of any course in Southeastern Michigan. If you
want to play a lot of golf and have a resort experience, but do not want to drive far - Lakeview Hills is a nice option for a day or weekend getaway. The shores of Lake Huron, and
Lexington beaches are just a mile away.
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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