This year, the Oakland County Golf Scene is bringing you coverage from soup to nuts and we will be and this includes playing and giving you updates on many of the metro Detroit areas best courses with an emphasis of the OC. I will start by thanking Mark Syron, whose family has owned the club for generations for letting me survey the course to let everyone know what a super experience the course is.
Pontiac Country Club has long been a jewel in Oakland County golf and attracts among the most players from sunrise to sunset among all courses locally. This year, the golf season has gotten started slower than most due to Mother Nature giving us highs in the 40’s most days.
We kick off our 2011 playing season at Pontiac Country Club in Waterford. Remember when Birmingham was in Troy care in the old car commercials, as anyone that plays golf knows, Pontiac Country Club is located in Waterford and has some of the most strategic holes collectively as any in Oakland County. This 6360 yard layout from the blues (6116) from the whites and (5334) yards from the ladies tees is a golf course where everything is strategic. Typically, in my mind, the Syron’s have built a course where every bunker has a purpose and they use the lay of the land to make golfers play the golf course with their minds as much as their skills making you think about which clubs you pull out of your bag.
Hole one is a par 5 where at 465 yards is reachable in two but is not the smart play because of two large bunkers guarding an elevated green and trees and a small green making any play in two a risk for most golfers who could hit the green but then leave an unplayable lie from behind the green. A short pitch shot where you can control your third shot will give you a birdie opportunity.
The third hole is a par 5 where 482 yards is all it takes to hit the center of the green. Still, a large tree overhangs this hole and forces you to hit a draw, in the rough in a cluster of trees or you can play to the left of the tree and take your chances in the rough. A series of bunkers protect the green and will turn any short approach shot into perhaps one sand shot landing into a second sand shot for golfers who are too aggressive. Long hitters will not have to worry about this as there is a large landing area on the green.
The fourth hole is a short (307 yard) par four and since I last played this course several years ago, has landscaped rocks guarding it and is not wise to drive as there is not much room behind the green. Have you noticed a pattern here? Every shot is a shot where you have to think about the risk/reward. On the cold day 40 degrees) I played PCC, this was not the day to be going for too many pins as just keeping my hands warm was as much as I could do on this day.
Photo from Unknown
I love the par four 7th hole. This 364 yard dandy is cut by a creek in the landing area for most golfers and once again forces you to think about whether you want to chance a penalty stroke for hitting a great shot that ends up in a creek that rarely surrenders a golf ball you hit into it. (Trust me, I know). This hole was my best of the day as I split the fairway about 15 yards short of the creek thanks to the wind and I put a pitching wedge on the green and just missed a birdie putt. Since this is the first time I have played this year, I was really hoping for one on this frigid day.
The back nine also have plenty of super holes and the 10th is a par 5 (493 yard hole) where two well played shots can reach the green in two but I played this hole everywhere but where you are supposed to. I made a mess of the hole and double bogeyed it. The hole is ripe for the pickings and a smart player will birdie or par this hole and gain a stroke on the field.
The 12th hole is a little tighter than some on the course and is severely uphill at the flag. You can easily reach the green with a well placed second shot but the green is an adventure and putting a ball above the hole could be an easy three putt. My advice is to play the pin from below the hole if possible. For those of you just hoping to be on the green in two to really stare your putt down and think about this shot.
The 14th hole is a 374 yard dandy. A straight hitter should hit it and take a wedge to the green. A longer approach shot will bring the fence protecting neighborhood from errant golf shots into play. An errant t-shot to the left will give you an uneven lie for a second shot and a really long bunker will collect errant tee shots to the right and will quickly pinball your score if you try to reach the green. Pitch it out and play for a tough par or a bogey if that happens.
The 16th hole has been rated as one of the toughest par threes in Oakland County. It is a 220 yard par three and has a large bunker for collecting short t-shots and a pond to remind golfers that accuracy is important to playing this hole. The green is very tricky and if you do have a birdie putt, chances are this enormous green will leave you with a putt that will not do what you think it should. If you birdie this hole, you certainly have gained a shot or two against a tournament or your league.
Finally, the 17th hole is a 169 yard par three. It is guarded by a creek in front which should not bother most golfers as the green is deep and you can club up one to take it out of play. There is a large dead tree guarding it to the left and anyone that plays a fade or want to land it soft might get there golf ball caught up in it and then the creek is a problem. Hitting the green is still not terribly hard, the putt is tricky as the greens at this course require thinking and making sure that you do not leave yourself a tricky putt on the comeback and a possible three putt. I saw a girl from Walled Lake nearly hit a hole in one last fall against Kettering and her tap in netted her a bird.
The bottom line about Pontiac Country Club is that it is a fun course and a challenging one for any golfer. Serious golfers love this course for the strategy as the Syron Memorial is a must play for golfers from all over and the Syron’s host many prep golfers for county tournaments and have for years.
I suggest you call the course at 248-682-6333 ahead as once the weather gets warm, you will want to call ahead. If you agree or disagree with my opinions, send in a post as we want to present the most informed opinions possible in this golf blog.
If you are a golf pro or course owner, call me Roy J. (Joe) Akers care of the Oakland Press at 248-238-4449 and we will make sure we make an appointment to visit your course.
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