At least 5 public courses built in 1923 in Michigan still open for play.
Article by Tom Lang, MI Golf Journal MIGOLFJOURNAL.COM (February 2023)
February is the time of year Michigan golf lovers start seeing a light at the end of the tunnel and know that, with the right kind of weather, golfing in March is possible and not that far off.
We also share a summary of the state’s five public courses that turn 100 years old in 2023. We invite you to give them a try, as we also plan to do and report on later this year.
RACKHAM GOLF COURSE, Detroit
Technically in Huntington Woods but owned by the City of Detroit, Rackham claims to be the first 18-hole public course to open in Michigan, 100 years ago. (Other public courses are older but opened as 9 holes.) The Donald Ross original design had some alterations in the late 1980s due to the construction of I-696 that travels along the course’s edges and the bordering Detroit Zoo.
ROUGE PARK, Detroit
The 18-hole track is considered a wildlife oasis among the concrete and development of the city, often with deer, turkeys, pheasant, hawks, heron, and many other birds found on the property. The Rouge River runs through the course – not far from the intersection of I-96 and Telegraph Road – and influences shots on at least seven holes. Many fairways are tree lined yet the greens have some subtle but not aggressive undulations.
Thank you for joining us on these adventures and more.
Tom Lang
Editor and Publisher