Brentwood CC in White Lake has matured nicely into an enjoyable cours

The 9th from the staircase

The Gazebo for weddings is a great front drop to the 9th

   Brentwood Country Club in White Lake has a course that has matured over the 15 years it has been in existence. Run by PGA Professional Barry Pearce and staff aims to please. When the course and the subsequent Beacon Hill literally across the street were built, the courses were constructed as part of a residential offering that would be open for daily fee play. The first time I played Brentwood was when the subdivisions that run throughout the front nine and on select holes on the back seemed to be right on top of you and many homes were under construction. That seems like a long time ago as the houses are covered up by select trees that give a nice buffer where you can see each other without most balls coming into play. That is a great thing.  

     Also, some shots you would have tried when the course opened are no longer available as the trees have matured in select areas and it makes no sense to cut corners on some of the layout. The tips play at 6,424 yards and many of the par fives are reachable in two but it makes more sense to place the ball as you will see for a wedge or pitch and run. I played the course from both the green (back tees) and the whites and the difference is noticeable in both club selection and the look you get from both tee box.

   The first hole is a dandy and shows you that on a 404 yard par four, you are tempted to hit driver but perhaps a fairway wood or even an iron is a better club to select.

These tees jut out on the left side

Playing as a slight dogleg left, it is lined with woods to the left with trees coming out in the landing area and water lining the right side.

The first tee box

Any golfer that slices the golf ball to the right needs to find a club that will give you a good vantage of the pin.  You can find your ball in the water if it goes in several feet but once again, the middle of this slightly tight fairway is the way to go and yes, you will have an equally challenging fairway metal or low iron shot into the green. For those that drive the ball about 250 yards, a middle-iron shot awaits you. Sand also is a factor to the right and the deep bunker to a long and down sloping green from front to back is a tough way to earn par. A clump of trees also acts as a buffer to a home that sits adjacent to the green. If the pin is in the front, anyone that goes behind the green could be in for a three putt as any ball struck downhill could be an instant three-putt. This is a very fun way to begin your day but for me, the first has always been one I wish I would see later in the round.

Play it straight from the green tee box.

You have a slight chance of cutting the treeline left

The 4th from 170 yards. The pin is tucked behind the smallest tree to the right

The third is tree

lined both sides

     Skipping to the 4^th hole, this is a hole where danger lurks throughout this par five and it begins on the tee box. Many golfers that play the back (green tees) will find a marsh that seems to go for 150 yards but is much shorter. The hole is framed from the back by a tree line from the left and houses (with trees guarding them). Do not go in the marsh. It’s three off the tee. When the course first opened, skying it with a three wood into the fairway could put you way down the 90 degree angled hole to the left. Now, the trees are up high and I cannot imagine anyone challenging them. The bunkers are a great place to aim the ball but a fairway wood will be the play for many. The 4^th plays at 532 yards and anyone that draws the ball will love the play. If you slice it right toward the houses, the hole will play about 40 yards longer and you basically have no chance of getting it on the green in two. The white tees will make most long hitters play a fairway wood. As you frame your second shot, the woods/marsh juts in from the left and the neighborhood guarded by pines will help guide you down the middle. Two bombed shots will get you close to getting on the green but most will have a pitch anywhere from under a 100 yards to a long iron shot. Yes, anything can happen on the fourth. The green does go back up a hill with a sand trap to the right and moguls surrounding the green. Putting is an experience as a couple of houses could fit on it and putts go for a ride almost anywhere on this hole. Birdie is very possible if you put it to the right spot on the green. For the bombers, getting on in two will most likely still earn you no better than birdie and I bet most golfers will consider par a very good score on the number two handicapped hole on the course.

The eighth from the tee box. The woods come into play in the background

Cutting the bend to the right and trying to cut yardage is suicidal

   The eighth hole is another par five that is reachable at Brentwood. Where the fourth is basically a suckers play to go for it in two, the eighth plays at only 479 yards and demands a tee shot that is not selfish.  The hole is no more than an iron to fairway wood of the elevated tee box as it plays about 220 yards before the woods comes into play. Most golfers want to cut the corner on this hole but it is one dumb way to manage the 8^th. At the right inside corner, there is a pond and anything that slices will cut into the unplayable hill as balls filter into the marsh on most days. For your best success, just hit a good solid tee shot into the middle of the fairway and do not bring the woods into play. You can easily see the green on any tee shot accept a tee shot that snuggles up to the bend in the corner. Bunkers, sand an a wild ride of a green to anyone that goes for it in two. With it being slightly elevated, most golfers will have anything from a pitch and run to a mid-iron shot for their third but for those of you that go for it in two, putting for eagle will be good for your ego but earning one will be an entirely different story. Par is a good score but birdie could be yours with good course management.

9th Hole Tee shots (left A View from behind the tee box)

    Some will say the ninth is the signature hole. This par three is short at 130 yards, is ready for a postcard and is a hole where anything from ace to a nine (with lost balls) coming into play. With the clubhouse overlooking the hole and a wedding gazebo overhanging just left of the tee box, you will have cameras, drama and one crazy golf shot to consider. The green is not very deep and not has a pond between the tee box and green, a second pond sits just behind the green and hitting a line drive will skip on one or two hops behind the flag stick. I have only seen a few people go behind the green but a bunch go into the pond in front. Club selection is essential. You have a one or two shot selection at best and if the wind is kicking up, this par three can become one nasty hole. Most golfers will hit wedge to mid-iron and hitting it high and soft is the recipe to protect par and getting it close will earn someone a skin guaranteed.  Messing up the hole could give you a nine on nine. Ouch!

Brentwood does have a cart person for outings and busy times but like any man, the smell of something cooking on the grill is a treasure. For me, you have to get yourself a beverage and a brat is something that you just have to do.

The green tee box is a tough play

The white tees offer a much better vantage point

   The tenth hole is another place where the trees, marsh and tall grass has grown up. The green tees are almost impossible to play as the fescues are very high and give you virtually no insight as where to hit the ball. The white tee box is listed as only 360 yards from the center of the green. It certainly seems like it plays less than the yardage listed. Playing to the side of the marsh, you can see the pin and much of the trouble on the 10^th. Woods that should not come into play are on the left side and a clump of trees and marsh come into play on the right. There is a depression that runs the right side and a drive of 250 yards from the whites will give you a Pw-7 iron in. Once again, the green has moguls, a sand trap front right and a green where putts will slide around greet you. Par is a good score and birdie is possible.

The chute

I have always enjoyed holes that basically have a chute with  a hill guarding the hole to the left and right and then having a ball sliding back to the center of the fairway in the middle. While that will be an exaggeration, feel free to whale away on the 12^th. A sand bunker could be in your landing area for short hitters to the left and trees and ob awaits shankers to the right. A modest drive will leave you with a wedge shot in. A bombed tee shot will give you a pitch and run on this 339 yard hole. Once again, beware of the putting surface as putting the ball on the wrong spot will turn a birdie into a bogey quickly.

Cutting the hole is not smart unless you are a scratch player

The 13th green

     The hole that has my attention on this course is the very next hole. The 13^th is a par five that is very pretty from the tee box and gives you a sense of being a battlefield commander as you can see every hazard in front of you. The number 3 handicapped hole plays an elongated and sweeping dog leg left. Think of a kid kicking a soccer ball and being only half way through it and it might give you a picture as the hole sweeps on an arc. There are hazards on this hole but because of the lack of trees, any wind playing strongly in your face  will make this 569 yard- par five turn into a hole that plays 700 yards. Because the 14^th plays adjacent to the 13^th, you could the fairway and shave about 50-75 yards from the hole but with a long rough, these virtually unplayable fescue moguls are not worth it unless you are deadly accurate. The fairway is wide on this par five and using it will provide you the best way to go. A fairway wood is demanded for the second shot and if you have to chip it out of the long grass (mostly left) you will be playing this hole as a par six. The fairway is nice and always cut just right so your second and third shots should put you close to or on the green. Three sand bunkers surround the hole and the pin seems to always be placed center cut or right or left center. The greens keeper must be a sympathetic golfer as this hole will be difficult enough without a tough green to consider.

     While the 14^th hole is listed as brutal, to me, the real knockout hole is the 16^th. It only plays 506 yards from the back but with sloping hills, out of bounds right and a blind second shot, the first time you have played it will make you wish you had a second crack at it. At about the 400 yard mark, the hole suddenly and without warning has the fairway cut low and steeply declines into a marsh. This steep gulley is even more penal to the hole. Any well struck second shot seems like it should be by the hole but will go into the valley of the lost ball and if you have a down sloped shot with a large hill to fly your ball over, well good luck with that. I hate laying up on a par five but for best scoring results, do not go for this hole in two unless you can really crush a golf ball and give youself no more than 210-220 to the hole and can put the stripe to a fairway metal. If you cannot for whatever reason, you have no business going for it. This hole is the toughest on the course. Par to bogey is a great score here. A birdie and heck, I will buy you a beer.

The skinny.

The service is outstanding. They workers will make you feel welcome. It is nice to work with a crew that wants you to have a good time. It would be nice to see the ranger more often. On busy days, they cruise around.

  

Course layout- Excellent- This is not a course that is meant to be 7,500 yards. It plays just fine at 1,100 yards shorter. There are a variety of  holes to play from and this includes places where carry, ball placement, draws and fades can be used. I pulled out every club in my bag but one. The course is defensed by undulated greens, well placed sand and greenside bunkers. You could walk this course but I rarely see anyone if any do this so carts use only  might be the policy.

Amenities- The stunning clubhouse is a great place to hold a party, golf outing or wedding. I used to DJ weddings years ago and Dj’d there 3-4 times. They always do a great job and you should call them and give Barry Pearce and his staff a chance to host your event.

Beacon Hill is also an outstanding place to play and sits about ¾ of a mile from Brentwood and the staff will tell you how to get there.

The bottom line is you have to play this course and Beacon Hill at least once per season if not more. You will get good bang for the buck.