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| The weeping willows are everywhere on the north course and are beautiful. |
One of the most impressive things about Hartland Glen is driving up to the clubhouse and seeing all of the very mature Weeping Willow trees that adorn the North course. Hartland Glen is a well-managed golf course where it is very well taken care of and the North course especially is in very good shape. The course has plenty of oversized bunkers that are strategically placed near the greens, in the landing areas of tee shots and also help to keep golfers safe from the holes where errant shots could have players playing from the fairways of adjacent holes.
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| View of green back toward the fairway |
I have played this course as much as anywhere else over the years and can tell you that it is worth the drive on M-59 (Highland Road) about 2 miles east of US-23 and a few miles west of the Oakland/Livingston County border. The course is short at under 6,300 yards from the blues and plays at under 6,100 yards from the white’s and the ladies play it at 5,100. I mention Weeping Willow trees because I love looking at them and they look friendly but playing a ball hit under one is pretty fruitless as the spindly branches knock down your best shots. Like the back which plays shorter yardage wise, golfers are advised that playing the blue tees is a good bet and the difference between the blues and whites is only 11 yards.
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| The catch bunker that seperates the second and 7th holes. |
The second hole is the number one handicapped hole on the course and a premium drive is demanded on this 450 yard par four. You do have to think about where you want to hit your tee shot. Skulling it short and to the right is a huge no-no. There is a pond, then beyond that some trees, a sand trap and a line of trees for a solid offline tee shot. Well, am I encouraging you to drive left? Yes but there is a huge sand bunker for a drive that is nutted left side and the rolling fairway could push your ball toward the bunker for a drive or second shot if you goofed up off the tee. The green will be a fairway metal wood for average hitters and a mid-to high iron for golfers that hit the long ball. The green is large and has bunkers guarding it but you will get a good look at the pin as the sand sits not in front of the green but in the corners and a solid shot will roll on the green and give you a look at a birdie. Survive this hole and the third hole will seem pretty easy as it plays only 350 yards with a down slope toward the green.
Saying that, the fourth hole is one where your best could still leave you wondering if being in the rough is better than the fairway. The landing area of the fairway slopes toward the left and can be soggy if you leave it near the pond that goes along the left side of the hole. The right side has a bunker and some rough that is short and playable and if you play a fade, you will be all right whether you mishit your tee shot or leave it there.
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| View from the tee box on four |
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| Fourth green and view back to the fairway. |
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| Drives can be carried towrad the pond with an uneven lie. |
Go in the bunker and depending on your lie, you could still go for the green. There is sand on this hole like many hole at HGN but it is fair and the lips of the bunkers are not terribly deep compared to other courses so you should be alright. As for me, I hit a solid drive that hit the slope of the fairway and carried a few feet into the left side rough. You will have a good look at the green but the lie will be most likely above your feet. The green is undulated here and you should read your putt here and even look at the other side as it will break even though you looked at it and swears it goes straight.
The seventh hole is the only par five on the front nine and playing at 500 yards, the longest hitters can hit it on the green in flight or by bouncing it on. I have only done it a few times and not this year. It is a dog leg left and there are plenty of targets for you to shape your drive. Don’t go right as the second and sixth holes could come into play if you shank it. A huge tree sits to the left side for those golfers who really want to cut the corner. If you are a righty with a draw, this is the hole for you. If you cream your drive left, you can hit it to the slope of the hill almost out of sight from the tee box and you will be licking your chops. Most average to good hitters will hit a good drive to a cluster of trees through the fairway and if you hit a very good drive offline, there is a fairway bunker on the second hole that will catch your ball and that is no fun on a par five but it does protect your ball from going on the second hole where it can get crazy for you. Your second shot can be ripped here and if you have at least 220+ yards you should be able to take a good rip at the ball. If you hit an awesome drive, you can go for it in two but there is a bunker protecting the green and some sparse trees both sides.
The green does roll true and you could earn a birdie if you make it in three or putt for eagle if you hit two superb shots. As for me, I got on in three with two good shots. My second was pretty sweet but where you drive the ball is as important as how far you hit it.
The back nine has the same character as the front where drive placement is more important than distance.
The eleventh hole is a 510 yard par five where like the 7th hole, two very well struck shots will reach the green but leaves golfers with plenty of wiggle room for a shanked tee or second or even third shot. A tree line exists on the left side that is sparse but balls caught up in them could leave you with a pitch out to the fairway. To the right side it nearly mirrors the right with various trees. For golfers that hit it down the middle, the slight dog leg right comes into focus and a well struck fairway metal wood will be around the green. There are bunkers protecting the green and where there isn’t sand it is slightly elevated and some of the grass is sparse so having a good lie is not a sure thing. If you shank your second shot, there is a bailout area where you can recover so I wouldn’t be afraid to crank it up here. Putting here it is important to watch your speed. I have had a few putts that did tail off but hit it solid and you should be money.
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| 14 from the tee box on this 135 yard par three that seems to play in the wind most of the time. |
Thirteen is an unlucky number but on this par four, you can be pretty wild here and not pay the price. The distance is not easy. It plays at 392 yards and there are fairway bunkers but with the lack of rain, the rough is fairly open and unless you really pull the ball left, you can take the woods out of play by playing the left side of the fairway. Hit it on the fairway and good for you. You will have a bunker that shields the pin and you will not know exactly where the placement is. The green is large and depending on where you play your drive, you should have a low to high iron into the green. If you hook it off the tee to the right, you will have an encounter with the trees and I already told you that going left will not punish you. That is coming at 17. I nearly birdied this sucker and barely missed my tweeter after being about 15 feet to the left of the pin. My ball went around the world and spun out a couple of feet and I had to settle for par here.
Number 15 played downwind and in the summer heat it was welcomed for me and made my driver very thankful. The hole is tricky as there are trees to the left side that are wicked if you hit over there looking to cut the slight dog left par five hole and the woods that separates the North course from the South will collect fades or hooks to the right side. Survive that trauma and this 510 yard hole is a ripper away from either being on or for most of us a short to mid-iron away from the green. The green is large and being on in two or three does not guarantee anything.
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| View from the 17th green. The tree branches are on the right from the green. |
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| Hole looks pretty tight. There is more room than it looks but the ground can be soggy and a fairway shot could be blocked out left side by overhanging tree branches. |
You will want to hit a solid putt because if you are twenty plus feet away you could surprise yourself with a three-putt and turn a birdie into a bogey right away.
The second lowest handicapped hole on the course is tough for a variety of reasons. Seventeen has plenty of trouble and your tee shot must be struck well or you have little chance at par let alone birdie. A cluster of trees is located on the left side and from the tee box it looks like you have very little landing area on the hole. As you navigate the hole you will find that there is more landing area on the left side but the ground is soggy in places and your tee shot can plug on days after rain. Speaking of rain, your ball could splash on a solid drive that goes toward the hidden pond on the right side. A ball hit fairway right side could trickle into the pond or go in on the fly. There is an opening to the right of the pond but there are plenty of trees or branches and you most certainly will pitch toward the hole as the pond is not a high percentage shot to pitch over back toward the fairway. The woods on the left does have a few trees that have branches that jut out and it is possible to hit your iron shot into one and that pretty much cooks the hole. Get through all of that and chips to the green have good cushion under it and I have never birdied this hole but I am sure some people have. Just not this people.
Number 18 is what I call the horseshoe hole. Water surrounds this hole on three sides of this par three and really circles the hole all but the front side of the green. The hole plays from 128 to 145 yards and the back tee box is struggling to grow grass is spots. I admit I played the white’s from this hole only and hit my shot on the green about even with the hole with a nine iron that I floated up to the green. Some trees behind the green help shield the hole from the wind but looking into the water, plenty of people like the horseshoes. I parred this hole and once again, just missed birdie here.
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| Nice look at the horseshoe hole. My name for the 18th. |
Here's the Skinny...
Customer Service- 10.0- They have a friendly staff and this includes the clubhouse, bar and the people on the course.
Course Markings- 8.5 - Very Good. No suggestions on playing the course as for individual holes but the holes are for the most part self explanatory.
Conditions -8.5 - Course in Very Good shape.
Playability 9.5- This is a good scoring track. The course is short. The bunkers on the North are huge but you can hit out of them. The course is not tricked up and that is refreshing. Greens are very straightforward and roll true. Almost no spike marks and this helps. The practice green and facilities will will help you and check it out as it is outstanding to improve your game.
Course Design- 9 - Course laid out with the average to above average golfer in mind. For you to go in the water here, you must hit a pretty poor shot.
The bottom line. I give it a 9.0/10.0. I like the course and it is a very good value for the money. There are a lot of outings and leagues so call ahead for a tee time.
Hartland Glen is an outstanding value for the money. Fairway Friday's are only $20 with a coupon from the Oakland Press.
One of the most impressive things about Hartland Glen is driving up to the clubhouse and seeing all of the very mature Weeping Willow trees that adorn the North course. Hartland Glen is a well-managed golf course where it is very well taken care of and the North course especially is in very good shape. The course has plenty of oversized bunkers that are strategically placed near the greens, in the landing areas of tee shots and also help to keep golfers safe from the holes where errant shots could have players playing from the fairways of adjacent holes. 
The eleventh hole is a 510 yard par five where like the 7th hole, two very well struck shots will reach the green but leaves golfers with plenty of wiggle room for a shanked tee or second or even third shot. A tree line exists on the left side that is sparse but balls caught up in them could leave you with a pitch out to the fairway. To the right side it nearly mirrors the right with various trees. For golfers that hit it down the middle, the slight dog leg right comes into focus and a well struck fairway metal wood will be around the green. There are bunkers protecting the green and where there isn’t sand it is slightly elevated and some of the grass is sparse so having a good lie is not a sure thing. If you shank your second shot, there is a bailout area where you can recover so I wouldn’t be afraid to crank it up here. Putting here it is important to watch your speed. I have had a few putts that did tail off but hit it solid and you should be money. 
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