What does a consistent drizzle and a round of golf have in common? Well, welcome to Michigan spring weather and a trip to Bald Mountain Golf Course.
I would like to thank the Prieskorn family for allowing me to come out and enjoy their course on Saturday, May 14th. This 3,500+ yard course from the blues and 3,322 yard course from the white's is carved out of rolling hills and woods and is located behind the Bald Mountain resort area about 3 miles north of the Palace of Auburn Hills.
Number 1 is a 472 yard par 5 and this short hole from the blues gives you a birdie opportunity right out of the clubhouse. So warm up to give you a chance to go one under ten minutes into your around. Due to the rain, all Detroit area golf courses played longer this weekend and your ball will not roll as it will on a hot steamy summers day. Par or birdie this hole or you will lose ground to the field or to someone who collected your money for a game of skins.
A much more formidable hole that will really make you work for birdie is the par five number four. This 547 yard effort demands a good tee shot. You have some wiggle room here but go left and you go into the trees. This is where I played this hole from. My chip caught the wet grass in the rough and my third shot was 70 yards short of the green. I ended up with seven on this hole and a good drive would have shaved a stroke or two from my scorecard. The green demands respect so measure your putt carefully so you do not three putt.
Number seven is a tricky par four. It is a good driving hole and is only 346 yards from the blues. It does go downhill and who doesn't like hitting a drive downhill? There are trees ready to click errant drives in the landing areas on either side of the fairway. I went right here into some trees but was lucky enough to have a second shot. If you have the ability to frame your iron shot, watch yourself here.This is a two tiered green with the right side of the green being the higher of the tiers and the left side must be negotiated depending on where the pin placement is. I putted downhill to the left side and hit a solid putt that still rolled six feet past the hole from the second tier and consider myself lucky. I did roll in the comebacker and saved a five.
What I have not mentioned so far is Bald Mountain has a major differential in scoring from the front to the back side of the course. The front nine is a par 37 and plays to over 3,500 yards and the back nine plays to just under 3.100 yards from the tips and is a par 34.
Your first par three on this nine is the eighth hole. It plays uphill with a slight valley between the tee box to the green. You might consider playing up a club here. Bunkers guard this hole and a short shot will give you a sand shot to the right. This hole putts largely true so anything putted uphill will help you achieve par. This is the only par three on this side so enjoy it.
Speaking about enjoying the front side par three eighth, the back nine has three par threes plus a drivable par four. I will start there. The 11th is a steak to a hungry dog. It is drivable from the whites (278 yards) but there is plenty of trouble for errant tee shots. There is a valley to the left with a cluster of trees lining the left side of the fairway and a steep valley to the left of the green. There are assorted trees to the right but is mostly open if you go there. Sand guards the green to the right side and in front of the green. Even if your tee shot lands in one of the obstacles, you have nothing to fear as you are chipping for eagle. I made par here and while everyone wants bird, I am remaking my swing so I am pretty inconsistent and will take that score all day until I regain my form.
Another fun hole to drive is number 12. This 420 yard par four is wide open. I mean really wide open. I would not snap hook it left and (how many golfers do that?) Other than than, get out that really expensive ball you bought in the pro shop. I hit it well here and also put it just off the green with my second shot. A timely chip and one putt gave me another par. Bald Moauntain has plenty of grass or collection bunkers to add to your challenge and there is a nasty one here. Hitting out of a cushy lie is not a problem but put your ball with a side hill lie and it could add a stroke to your card.
Two consecutive par threes await you on 13 and 14.
The first is a nice tee shot of 206 yards. I will admit that I played the white tees on this hole at 190 yards as I wanted to hit my 3 iron as I used it for my golf lesson on Friday evening and hit it pretty well and wanted to test it in an actual round. I did not hit it well here and pushed it right. I still had a super chip here and managed to get up and down. The green here is really a trick. It is very undulated. The pin placement was front right today and you must bear down to read it. Go to the top tier in the back and God Bless You. Your down hill putt will go rolling, rolling, rolling, until you say Rawhide. It is pretty hard to put your shot back there from the tee and when you play the course, I have to believe the pin will mostly be in the front of the green somewhere so plan on hitting it there. A lone deer was grazing on this hole and my daughter and I tried capturing the deer but he slipped into the woods before we could make him see cheese.
The next par three is the very next hole. In my mind this is a much toughter hole due to the trouble that surrounds it. Hit the green and "ole Jed is a millionaire." Go left short and you have a grass bunker. Go left beyond that bunker and you have a blind pitch to the green. That is where I went. I couldn't stand the prosperity of three consecutive pars. The hole really just requires a good solid shot. The green has some undulations depending on where you land on it.
Number 15 is a par four of 438 yards and the fairway is both downhill and as wide as anyone that wants to pull a driver out without the fear of losing a ball can hope for. I do recommend that you not go right though as there is a nasty bunker. I landed on the side of it and hit a poor second shot playing with the ball above my feet 3-4." The green is big and any putt you hit will most likely be uphill. Do not misread your speed or you will have a long second putt.
Number 16 is another hole where driver can be pulled out without a lot of fear. The rough to the left will still give you a good look at the pin. A drive down the middle is lovely but to the right there is a cluster of trees and most likely you will not be in them but if you go short you will have to negotiate a shot over the top and this could leave you a pitchout to the fairway.
The final hole I will address today is the par three 17th. This hole has two greens (203 yards) for the men and 154 for the ladies. It plays over a valley and is oblong shaped. I was short here and chunked a chip in the wet grass. Finally a good chip and a putt gave me bogey. I saw a high school player four-putt this green after getting a GIR as he played the wrong club so club selection is important.
One of the most impressive things about Bald Mountain on this day is the quick play of the golfers. We teed off at 7 am sharp. There were already three foursomes on the course and as I played with one other player, we played out the fourth hole and finished up the holes afterward. These golfers really played quick and considering the rain that was off and on during the round, a kudos goes out to everyone for making this an enjoyable round. Also, the course was busy. It is a testement to golfers in Michigan to come out when the weather is not nice and Bald Mountain has a fair amount of booked times and walk up customers. I never recommend just showing up to a golf course and I would not do it here as the rainy day allowed for last minute business. I would call the course at the number listed below and give them a try as you will have a fun test of golf.
Map of course ^^^^^
Contact VVVVV
Our next review will take us to The Orachard in Macomb County.
