 PINE KNOB GOLF CLUB (248) 625-4430
Michigan Golf Course Review
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 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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