Indian Springs Metro Park is on the Back 40 and is a Good Test of Golf

     The Huron-Clinton Metro Parks have several golf courses and their signature is well taken care of properties that give golfers great bang for the buck. You will not get a resort style experience but you will get an enjoyable round of golf and Indian Springs Golf Course (ISMP) provides that in abundance.

     Unlike Kensington Metro Park which is located just off of I-96 near Milford, Indian Springs is a jog off of M-59 in White Lake. There are multiple ways to get there and from Clarkston take White Lake Road south about four miles and you will see a portion of the golf course and take a right. You can also take M-59 to Teggerdine Road (about 3-4 miles) and then make a left on White Lake Road and go about one mile and turn right.

   The fairways at ISMP are excellent and the rough is in good shape. Right now, few courses have a real maintained second cut as the drought we are in is affecting all golf courses but you can still score as it is not penal except for some bare lies. You will see turkey, deer, rabbits and groundhogs on the grounds but I only saw rabbits on my visits there on the course. 

First Hole Fairway

      ISMP plays as a course with four sets of tees and from the forward tees it plays at 5,425 yards. Two sets of men's tees play from 6,696 from the blues to 6,474 from the white box. The fairways are wide and there is much more trouble on the course than at Kensington from the greens to the subtle trouble that reveals itself throughout the course.

Bird houses are posted on both sides of the fairway at the
150 yard marker

Plenty of subtle to visable Undulations

     One thing I like about Indian Springs is that you see what type of round you will play on the very first hole. The par-four 354 first hole (I played the blues) is a straight as an arrow hole with some trouble left with trees that will become formidable in time but are still growing as the course was constructed in 1989. To the right there are fescues but you really need to snap it hard to reach them. After you drive it from the elevated tee box and your drive nestles somewhere around 250 yards, you should have a wedge to high iron to the green. Once again, the greens are large but they are undulated and as you will discover throughout your round, inconsistent. The green slopes from back to front and a nasty sand bunker resides behind the green. Your best bet is to be in front of the pin and if you can pitch-and-run your second shot below the hole, I recommend it. Anything above the hole could result in you having a bad mood from a three-putt.

Three from the Tee Box

The fairway bunker on number 3 to the right side

    Besides the undulated greens where your putter speed will be tested, trees that jut out at just the right or wrong time will add to your strategy.

This green is one tough play

A view from the bottom of the valley behind
you. Look at the tree jutting out.

   On the par four 442 third hole, you will this happen to you on your second shot. This hole has changed quite a bit since 1989. It used to play as a short par-5 but now plays as a very difficult hole to par as a par-4. Now, nasty sand bunkers lie on the right side in the landing area. They are drivable but if you do miss one, they are there at over 200 yards to the green and you are playing for a bogey five for sure. This dog-leg to the right has fescues to the left side and a tree line to negotiate both left and right side of the fairway so hitting it down the middle is really at a premium. You can hit a bomb of a drive here and still not fully see the green for your second shot. When you do you are in for a surprise. It slopes from back to front and from side to side and this gauntlet of a green is not easy. Throw in a steep slope of a valley in front of the green and birdie is almost blind luck. There is a bunker to the left of the green and you can see why this is the number one handicapped hole on the course. My suggestion is to make this a par-five again as most golfers will realize that a short chip for their third shot is their best play from the valley to the green. Currently, a blind second shot that could fly the green into the woods or hold up golfers waiting to hit their second is a potential problem.

The clothes line of trees is to the left and is not penal like
many holes on the back and number seven.  

   The fifth hole is another one where it has been reworked since the course opened and in my mind, for the better. The 335 yard par four fifth, plays longer than 335 yards as a breeze is almost slightly in your face. There are fairway sand bunkers to the left and right to catch bombers going wide but longer hitters will hit over them. The tree line about 100 yards in front of the tee box have been trimmed back. The tree line was not parallel to the tee box but instead ran vertical meaning if your tee shot was knocked down, you have to chip back to the fairway and that is not the way to go. Your second shot should be a wedge or high iron to the green and you can run it to the green. This is especially true if you come to the right side. The green I believe has also been reworked. It used to slope from the back to the front and also ran hard from the left to the right. It has settled down to a casual undulation and does roll much truer. Golfers should plan on a par or birdie here. A bogey will mean you have lost a stroke in your tournament or outing.

A Vuew from the 7th Tee Box

A View of the 7th Green from the Trap. Plenty of Slope Here

A Beaver Needs to Chomp this Tree Down

     The tree line that juts out perpendicular to the tee box like a shower curtain also happens on the 375 yard par four seventh. The hole plays as an uphill effort with not only on the left but to the right. The trees here are actually more clustered on both sides and funnel toward the fairway with a huge tree that golfers hope not to hit or have a blocked shot. It only plays as the ninth most difficult hole on the course but for me, it is one tough bugger as I always seem to get in some kind of trouble on the tee shot. For golfers that hit it about 250, you will have a wedge to low iron to the green. It plays up hill and the green slopes from back to front and around the collars it slopes off toward the rough so watch yourself when hitting. Really study your putt as putts not solidly struck will flutter and can easily turn into three-putts. 

The 13th View from the Green Looking Toward the Tee Box

   Skipping to the back nine, the 602 yard par five 13th is one where you can be in tough shape right from the get if you do not hit a down-the-middle tee shot. Trees come into play around 200 yards out as they hang like that shower curtain to the right. An oak from the old testament is to the left as well as a tree line. Hitting into either hazard and you are chipping out nearly 400 yards from the green and only Bubba Watson has a 400 yard fairway wood. I got behind the huge oak to the left. I had a shot but had to play along the rough to the left side. A pond resides there and golf balls that go in belong to the nature preserve. The best way to play this hole is down the middle. You say almost all holes are to be played this way. On this hole, driving is at a premium. If you hit it down the middle, you have room for error barring a shank. Weeds run along the entire right side of the hole and are out-of-bounds but careless or mishit shots are the only ones that will find this hole. Long bombers are the only ones that can get on in two. It does tighten up around the hole but the green plays as one of the easier to read ones on the course.  It is tough to give any club suggestions here other than use your driver and whatever club you hit off the fairway like 3 metal wood for your second shot. After that, it is wedge to three wood again depending on how you hit your first two shots. Make a par here and it is a good score. Birdies are possible here as the trouble is at the front end of the score. Plenty of double or triple bogeys are in store for poor tee shots that are blocked out on the drive.

15 is Pretty Tight from the Tee Bos

Investigating Trouble after Teeing off on 15

The Stone Wall will Swallow and Disfigure Your Ball.
The green is in the background.

     The 15th is a par four where ball placement is absolutely key on this hole and I know it firsthand as I was blocked out from the right side by just a few feet.  The hole plays as a dog leg right 402 yard effort and once again, your driver is your key shot. The shower curtain tree line will eat balls to the right side for errant drives whether you go in on the fly or are blocked and have to chip your second shot back to the fairway. A tree line and a few scattered trees sit to the left and can come into play. You will most likely have a shot from the left but it could be obstructed by a tree limb. A stone wall sits on the fairway around 200 yards where a creek occasionally sifts water and it runs from the 17th hole into the rough. If you hit your drive around 250 with some wiggle to the left or right center of the fairway you will clear all of the described hazards and have a nice view of the green. While the woods runs along the right side, the fairway is wide and the shot should be a mid-iron. The green though is a trip. It plays much slower than many on the course and the slight undulations is a head scratcher. You must firmly strike your putts here or a three-putt will ruin your birdie or par chance.

View from the Tee Box on 17

Hitting it Here is almost Certain a Three Shot Par-Five

A View of the Best Place to Drive it on 17

    ISMP has two really nice finishing holes and the 17th is a par-five where you can score if you are accurate off the tee. Did I mention accuracy? There are plenty of woods that will capture any errant shots. From the left the woods close to the fairway on the left side and a ball hit into them will belong to a collector. A mishit or short shot to the left will catch a fairway mogul that will drive your tee shot toward the woods. To the right is the woods and it runs the entire right side to the hole. Once again, take your most accurate club and hit it to a lone tree that sits about 260 yards from the tee box and is located right down the center of the fairway. If you do that, a low iron or metal fairway wood will help you get on in two. For the long bombers, a mid-iron will do it and get you on in two. Once again, ISMP plays best for those that are accurate off the tee box. Sand bunkers are located on both sides of the hole and the green like many slopes from back toward the front.  The green plays like many on the course and hit it firm and with confidence or it will drift and give you a tough comebacker.

The 18th hole is a good test of golf coming back to the clubhouse. The fairway is wide and some golfers will elect to fly the enormous bunker on this 449 yard par four finishing hole. There is some merit to doing this and I could do it when I was younger. Now, my advice is to hit it down the middle while playing this right angle dog leg right. For those that can clear the slight up hill fairway, you will have a clear view of the green to play your second shot. If you do go in the sand bunkers on either side of the fairway, you will be playing for bogey and if you make par, consider it a bogey. The sand traps are enormous and advancing your ball out is a job well done and if you hit it into the fairway over the ridge, well then super. Any seriously errant shots will find the weeds on either side. The green is enormous and it is smart with a fairway wood or long iron shot. Keep your fairway shot in the front portion of the green. It does play slower than some greens and chances are you will come up short if you are not careful. Here is the Skinny... Course Markings- 10- Excellent. No GPS but the hole placards, bird houses at the 150 yard marker and stakes to mark 100, 150, 200 give you an excellent idea of how far you are out. I love the laminated flip charts that are in the carts. Conditions -9.0 - The greens are tough and immaculate. The fairways are watered and you have very few if any bad lies. Playability 7- This course is difficult if you are not driving it down the middle. While driving it long will rarely hurt anyone, you are best served by playing whatever club you can hit straight. The first cut of rough is not much worse than the fairway and I like that. Right now, all courses are hurting from a lack of rain and most supers are letting the rough go a bit to keep the fairways and greens playable. Be smart with your iron shots. Placing the ball in a tough putting spot on the green will add strokes fast. Check the stimps here as a few greens played different in speed. Course Design-8.0 I like how you can use every club in your bag. I also like the wide fairways but know this is not the norm. Metro Park courses are usually good plays and I enjoy playing them. Number 3, the former par five should go back to being one with the long blind shot and really difficult tree line and green. Pace of Play- 9- There is an advantage to a course being located off the back 40. I enjoy this course Junior/Adult Programs and Tournaments- NA at this course but Huron- Clinton has tournaments for all and does a super job directing traffic to their courses with tournaments. They offer discount coupons and specials. ISMP has a history of the course hole-in-ones placed in the clubhouse. There is an animal sanctuary, picnic area, bike/rollerblade trail and wet play area for the kids. The bottom line- This course is 8.5 out of 10. It is a very enjoyable round of golf and play it this season. To Book a Tee Time at Indian Springs, golf in a tournament or outing, contact them at the web address here. vv http://www.metroparks.com/ Also, get on their e-mail list as they send you valuable specials. Here is a sample. We have an exclusive offer just for you!! The Huron-Clinton Metroparks golf tour moves to Lake Erie this week! In order to reward our email friends, Huron-Clinton Metroparks is offering a special golf coupon each week that will rotate among several Metroparks golf courses. The tour moves to Lake Erie Metropark with a special rate of 18 holes and a cart for just $25 ($20 for seniors), good only Tuesday, July 10 and Friday, July 13 from noon to 3 pm. Hurry! This special rate will only be available this week, so make a tee time right now at 734-379-0048. This 6,472-yard, par-72 course, located near Lake Erie in Brownstown, is surrounded by natural wetlands and features gently rolling, bunkered fairways and 20 acres of ponds. Stay in the game with these upcoming tour stops, exclusive to our email members: Huron Meadows Metropark, Tuesday, July 17 and Friday, July 20, available noon-3 Indian Springs Metropark, Tuesday, July 24 and Friday July 27, available noon-3 Kensington Metropark, Tuesday, July 31 and Friday August 3, available noon-3 To redeem this exclusive offer, please print this e-mail and present it to the starter desk upon payment. Tournaments coming up! Junior Tournaments - Kensington Metropark on Monday, July 16 and Stony Creek Metropark on Tuesday, July 17. Click HERE for details. Men's Qualifier Tournament - Kensinton Metropark on Saturday, August 4 and Sunday, August 5. Click HERE for details. Parent/Child Tournament - Kensington Metropark on Saturday, August 18. Click HERE for details. Men's Championship Tournament - Kensington Metropark on Sunday, August 26. Click HERE for details