Springfield Oaks Golf Course is Worth the Trip

Oakland County Golf Courses are known by golfers as short, scenic and very well manicured. When you think of wasteful government spending, OC golf layouts in no way resemble the problems of  our State and  Federal government. Springfield Oaks is a super layout that brings in many of the best natural  features that Michigan has to offer. The course has rolling hills, woods, ponds and about every type of tree to collect your golf ball and just about every type of animal native to Michigan peeking out of the woods to tell on you if you hit a bad shot.

   At a layout of 6,033 yards from the back tees to 4,911 from the forward tees, long hitting golfers can choose to blast away and overpower the golf course or pull back and hit three wood  or irons from the tee.

Right side of the green of hole number 1

     The first tee is a prime example of what to expect at Springfield Oaks. Being that this course is very playable from the back tees, I played from them. There is a pond that runs down the left side of the hole including the landing area and a hill marks the majority of the right side. Trees are sprinkled along the hill so driving there could give you a clear shot to the green or could make you layup from this 347 yard par four. If you go dead center 250 yards, you have a wedge and if you a shorter hitter, a mid wedge should find the green.  Go left side of the green and you will pitch downhill and go right and a deep sand bunker will make your birdie try interesting. The greens at this course are outstanding and if you hit it firm you will hear that awesome golf sound when the ball hits the bottom of the cup. 

A view from the 3rd tee box

   The third hole is one of several at Springfield Oaks where you can just blast away from the tee and you feel as though not a bad thing in the world can happen. It is not the case as every course has a defense and this course has both woods,  wetlands and many greens that slope from back to front. This hole slopes downhill and if you smoke it you will have a short pitching shot on this 398 yard hole. A long hitter will use a pitch and run to this green that is fairly defenseless with no water or sand to make you think twice but if you shank your drive right off the tee you will bring the woods and a nasty sand trap down the right side. Guess what I did? Well I went right side and went over the sand trap and went into the woods where the ball hit off of a couple of trees and landed just in bounds. Thank God I went to church last weekend or I might have gotten some ticks in the woods for my trouble.  I was only a pitching wedge to the hole and hit it on the green but about thirty-five feet from the pin where I two putt and did not miss the lip  for birdie by much and sank a testy eight footer for par.

This fairway bunker sits in the middle of the sixth fairway

   The 6th hole is a 375 yard hole where trouble is just about everywhere and that includes the fairway. From the tee box you see a playground and some undesirable must have hit golf balls into some kids at one point as there is a sign warning you not to hit it into a day care facility. Getting back to golf, it looks very tight on the tee but it does open up. A hill and a rough cut of grass awaits you right side. Woods awaits you left and a fairway sand bunker with a crazy lie guarding the lip awaits you if you hit it short and straight. Your best decision is to where your big boy pants and hit it over the bunker where a huge Weeping Willow is a great target for longer hitters and for shorter hitters you might consider going up the right side.  This is a low to mid iron hole for your second shot unless you shank your drive. The green does slope from back to front so if you can control your approach, be below the hole for your best bet. This number one handicap hole demands you respect it as a pond also sits in front of the green as do sand bunkers to the front left and right of this hole. Paring this hole will let you know that you are playing well on this day.

     Hole number seven plays much different from the back to the middle tees. From the back it plays as the longest hole on the course at only 523 yards. The middle tees play 70 yard shorter  but they both have one thing in common as the tree lined left side will possibly be an impediment to golfers who work the ball from left to right. If you have a draw in your arsenal I would suggest that you use it here. The hole plays nearly severely uphill and those that play the course from the back tees shouldn't have to worry about the large bunker on the right side of the fairway unless you hit a postcard shot. From the 463 mark, the bunker definitely comes into play on your drive. While hitting into it is not a great thing, you probably have snap hooked it and the bunker has most likely prevented you from going out of bounds here. Your second shot will go up hill and I would club up one here. If you took geometry class in school you can figure out why.  Golfers can see the flag stick on the front but is obscured to the steep slope that guards the front of the hole. Most golfers will be short of the green here as the hole plays a good 40 to 50 yards longer than the advertised yardage. Golfers should have a wedge to high iron depending on their first two shots.  The green does slope from back to front. I was nearly pin high on my shot and rolled in my birdie putt. This is the first time I have birdied this hole but then again, I have not been here in years.

    The ninth hole is another blastoff hole and at 348 yards, you might want to think about where you place your ball. Going left side is your best play as you take all the major trouble out of the hole. The fairway does slope from the tee box to the green so a well placed drive should roll very well. Going right side is not your best bet as the hill I spoke about on the first hole and the trees that are sprinkled to give separation from the first and ninth holes come into play as does a bunker for those golfers that drive it short and right side. This green slopes from front to back so golfers that drive it 250 can hit a wedge and can land it short and roll it to the pin depending on where it is placed. Don't go long here as there are fescues and your ball will be out of bounds. This is a hole that you should bogey at worst and if you do not at least par this hole you are losing a shot to the field.

The number ten fairway is tight if you do not hit it down the middle with a pond right side.

A view of number 10 from behind the flagstick. The pond is to the left

     Number ten is one of the premium driving holes at Springfield Oaks. Woods await you left side with several large trees awaiting those who like to work the ball from left to right. A pond that juts in and out is on the right side of this 371 yard par four.  I was really off on my driver today and faded my drive just a few yards from the pond on the right side and left myself with about 120 yards to the pin. The green is large and I put it on the green but left myself about 40 feet from the pin. My putt did move a little and it settled about three feet wide of the pin and I rolled in my par and this hole can make you roll a big number if you  shank it on either side.

      Number twelve is another hole that has plenty of trouble and this is the only par four hole that plays to over 400 yards and at 401 is one where if you hit it straight you should earn a par. For those of us who love to live dangerously, you can find trouble and the woods left side and a pond that awaits those who leak the ball right await you.  I went right side and just off  the fairway  and had a tough lie in the long wet grass.

Going right on 12 gives you an uneven lie and these trees to shoot at in conjuncion of a blind shot to the green

Pretty tight look on 13 going up this hill. This picture doesn't do the hill justice.

Number 13 Green

     I hit a crazy five hybrid out of the grass and went to the green over a low lying cluster of trees where I could not see the pin but going left would have left both woods, some deer that were watching me and a cluster of bunkers to shoot at. I said "let's live dangerously" and I went for it. While I did not hit an 'A' shot, the result was there and what thought would be a shot that dies in front of the green actually rolled just off the back of the green on the dog hair. My putt was probably 10-12' from the pin and  I was putting downhill. My stroke was firm and while I thought it was the right speed, the putt rolled, then rolled some more and settled about 15' past the pin. I must missed the par putt putting uphill and settled for a bogey. Only the dog hair saved me from a three-putt.

     The very next hole is possibly the signature hole on the course. Number thirteen is a severe upslope par five and while it plays only 494 yards, the very mature trees on both sides of the fairway demand that you hit it down the middle or you will be most likely pitching out of the tree trunks with a ton of distance left to the green. I shanked my drive right side to the clearing on the right side in the only open slot on the right side of the fairway. (What luck!) My second shot was a fairway wood that was hit solid but unspectacular and left me just under 100 yards to the green. It was on the fairway and with the long wet grass that was in the rough, it certainly is the place to be. Approach shots on this hole will be wedge to a mid-iron effort and this green like most on the course will be slopped from back to front. My wedge was on the front 15' feet of this large green and my putt sloped from left to right and I thought I gave my putt plenty of room to go from left to right and it did not break an inch until the final 10 feet of my sixty foot putt and landed about a foot from the pin for a tap-in par. That par was very well earned on this number two handicapped hole on this course. 

Cut the dog leg here and you could lose your ball or be blocked out of a shot to the green..

The very next hole is a douzy. The 15th hole is only 275 yards and there is as much trouble on this hole as any on the Springfield Oaks layout. A huge fence guards the golfers on three separate holes to the right side of the tee box and a tree line makes golfers that want to cut this severe dog leg right by another bushel of yards. Smart golfers will hit a fairway wood or long iron here but a driver with a 10.5 degree loft could pretty much cut the distance of this hole pretty good.

Make a great shot and its all good. Anything less could leave you looking at this.

Most golfers are not going to be smart and that is why the fence was put up. I went over the trees and shanked my drive right side.  I was very lucky to find an opening but caught my thirty yard pitch shot to the green and it landed on the dog hair and two strokes later I parred this sucker. For those that play the hole right you should go down the middle of the fairway and you will have a wedge or pitch and run to the green. Only bunker left side prevents you from a pretty easy par or birdie.

   The finishing hole has changed in my memory since the last time I played it. Number 18 is only 292 from the tips and once again it is defended by woods that come into play left side and the pond I spoke about on number ten. Trees also come into play past the pond for longer hitters but the best place to go is down the middle. What has changed is the green. It used to be a saucer green where everything funneled to the hole like a game of putt-putt. The green is much more traditional now. A sand bunker

collects short second shots or for very long hitters. If you are in the rough and have not hit it into the trouble, you really need to par this hole here. The green is pretty tricky and do not go behind the flag if possible as it may roll away from you and leave you a tough effort for a four.

  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- 7.5 Good. No suggestions on playing the course as for individual holes but the holes are for the most part self explanatory. The cart paths are marked every 50 yards with a stripe and the large golf ball markers are in the fairway but need to be repainted.
Conditions -9.5 - Course in near excellent shape. Anytime I hit an iron shot out of the rough I had plenty of mowed grass on my club and with it being wet from dew made irons play inconsistent from the higher cuts.     
Playability 9.5- This is a good scoring track. The course is short. The sand bunkers are very and the rough is left long but fair. Playing on a well conditioned course makes it an enjoyable round for golfers. Greens are very sloped for the most part from back to front and this helps golfers that come up short from making big numbers.  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 woods or water here for the most part you have hit a less than average 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 leagues specials for seniors and twilight golf after leagues so call ahead for a tee time. The County does a super job managing this course and I recommend playing it.

A map to the golf course is below and so is a link to the course with all of the specials for SOGC and the other courses in the County system.http://www.destinationoakland.com/parksandtrails/golf/springfieldoaks/Pages/default.aspx