Marquette Golf Club - Greywalls Course Part 1

Introduction

Sitting on the South shore of Lake Superior, 3 hours straight north of Green Bay, Wisconsin sits Marquette, Michigan.  Marquette is home to the Northern Michigan University and identified as number seven of the 20 Best Places to Live by Outdoor Life Magazine.  It is just a couple of miles west of Sugar Loaf mountain and about an hour east of  the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.  The population is fairly small, just over 20,000 but that makes it the largest city in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

I drove up here from Escanaba, MI, which sits on the southern side of the U.P. on Lake Michigan.  It is just over an hours drive up to Marquette.  

The reason for this drive is to play at the Greywalls course; part of a two course layout at the Marquette Golf Club.  Marquette GC is a semi-private club and Upper Michigan's only 36 hole course.

Driving up to the course you can see the Heritage course as you turn into the property.  The Heritage course is the original 18 holes and it looks like a very typical old-school parkland style course.  This course was originally designed as a 9 hole course in 1926 by William Langford and Theodore Moreau, with the second nine constructed in 1969 across the street to the north of the original nine.

Driving up the lane to clubhouse and parking area you pass between the 10th hole on your right and the 13th to your left.

Further up, you'll pass the clubhouse and then directly ahead see a very small pro-shop and attached cart storage.  I did not check out the clubhouse but the proshop is one of the smallest I have seen in a long time.  Immediately adjacent to the proshop is a small parking lot with another lot up a short drive into the hills behind

Driving onto the course I was a bit trepidatious.  While the Heritage course looked like it was in fine shape, it did not look like a "destination" course.  I could not image how the Greywalls course earned such a great reputation.  But then I could not have imagined what a different world I would find once I headed to the Greywalls course.

Before moving on to Greywalls, first I wanted to show quickly the limited practice area.  For a 36 hole course the range is very small.  We were here at the same time as a college girls team was practicing, and trying to accommodate our 16 guys and the college team was challenging.  The range can handle about 10 people on it.  With the hitting stations all the way back it is still only 290 yards to the end of the range and the street beyond.   When we were there it was irons only.  I am not sure if this is a permanent restriction but it seems likely to be the case.  Right behind the range is a 60 foot round putting green.  There are no practice bunkers but the green does have a small chipping fringe around it.

There is not much signage telling you how to get from the pro shop to Greywalls but is is a bit of a hike.  Walking Greywalls would not be recommended.  While it is possible the elevation changes and the hike to get to the first tee are enough to discourage almost anyone.

Greywalls is located to the south of the Heritage course.  To get there hop on your cart and take the path at the top of the upper parking area.  It is a drive to the first tee, which sits in the center of the course.  Along the way you will catch glimpses of some of the holes you will face.  Very quickly you will see what a completely different course Greywalls is to the Heritage course.  I don't know that I have ever been on a property that features such night and day different courses.

Greywalls

Designed by Mike DeVries and opened in 2005, Greywalls is one of the most unique and exciting courses that I have ever played.  It is currently ranked as the #10 course you can play in Michigan.  At its peak it was #2 and debuted as one of the top 10 new courses in the country.

When I look back at my experience the best way I can think to summarize it is: Imagine playing one of the great northern Minnesota courses like Fortune Bay or Giants Ridge but then dropping the course onto a mountain.

What you will find here is rugged beauty.  Set amidst crazy elevation changes, featuring some insane rolling fairways, in play rock outcroppings, and all-in-all wonderful conditions.  This is the personification of the phrase "Pure Michigan" to me.

Like I said before, this is truly one of the more remarkable rounds of golf I have played in a long, long time.

The course offers 4 sets of tees.  The Championship tees do not crack the 7,000 yard milestone but don't be fooled. The rating of 144 gives an indication that troubles abound here- sometimes even right in the middle of a fairway.

Tees	Yardage	Rating	Slope
Championship	6,828	144	73
Back	6,537	138	70.7
Middle	5,908	130	68.2
Forward (M)	5,258	118	67
Forward (W)	5,258	137	70.8

Here is a Google Maps image of the course with hole numbers defined.  This image is tiled with North off to the right and East at the top.  You can see a couple of the holes of the Heritage course to the far left.

The climb up to the first tee is a pretty amazing journey.  Once you get to the top you will find another small putting green and a starter shack that also offers refreshments.  The day we played, there were no beverage carts on the course and you will not come upon the shack until the tenth tee, so keep that in mind.

Standing on the practice green it is pretty hard to focus on putting with the panoramic views that are afforded to you.  You can see for miles out onto Lake Superior.  On a clear day you can even see Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore some 50 miles away.

Hole 1

Par 5
579 | 545 | 509 | 477 yards 

Perched adjacent to the practice green is the first tee at Greywalls.  There is no easing in period here, as the day starts with a tough driving hole and a par 5.  It is hard to depict the elevation difference between the elevated back tees and the fairway.

The fairway is canted diagonally from the tees, effectively making this a dogleg right, however the dogleg occurs before the fairway comes into play.  A carry of 200 yards is required to reach the fairway from the back tees.  There is a fairly sizable landing area initially.  It is framed by three bunkers lining the far left side.  This fairway slopes left to right and down the right side, the hole drops off- in some places more severely than others.

The fairway is choked down by a gully coming in from the right side.  This gully is about 300 yards from the back tees.

From the main fairway landing zone, looking towards the green, the hole drops sharlpy before rising again towards the green.

This hole showcases what you will find throughout the round- massively undulating fairways.  In a lot of pictures it is hard to capture the elevation changes but this shot does a pretty good job of showing the maybe 30 foot drop in the middle of the fairway.  It is pretty amazing from an agronomy standpoint that they can keep some of these areas in such good shape.  It is actually important that you pay attention when driving carts on this course.  Be mindful of what lays ahead, even when in the middle of the fairway!

Around 200 yards out the fairway is squeezed down by a ridge of rocks divide the hole into the upper left section and the lower right rough that runs off into the woods.

Once you carry those rocks, the fairway opens up again to a relatively generous landing zone.  There are still some pretty good undulations though, including a trough at about 120 yards that you want to avoid.

The green is not guarded by any bunkers.  It is about 35 yards deep, though not as wide.

The green is slightly mounded so shots hit to the edges will fall off into the chipping collection areas that surround all sides.

Seen here from behind the green, you can see some of the crazy elevation changes on just this first hole alone.  It is going to be a fun day!

Hole 2

Par 4
425 | 397 | 364 | 322 yards

The second hole is a shorter par 4 with a blind hazard off the tee.  The fairway landing area runs out about 100 yards from the green. 

Beyond the fairway landing zone, the hole falls over a rocky cliff as it turns slightly to the right before reaching the green.  The best play here is a driver down the left side of the fairway.  If you play down the right side you can find your second shot partially blocked by the trees hugging that side closer to the green.

A shot here of the typical rough you will find once you leave the primary cut of rough. Keeping the ball in play is paramount here.  Trying to advance a ball from this thick grass is nearly impossible.

From the 150 yard steak you still can't see the cliff that sits just ahead of you.  The green is quite a bit below you from this distance so judge your approach to account for that.

The green is tucked into a cove of trees on the right but it offers a friendly slope off to the left.  You can play your ball a long ways to the left of the green and still have it kick down onto the putting surface.  There isn't much room to miss elsewhere though, so make sure your distance control is good to avoid losing a ball into the trees.

Hole 3

Par 3
174 | 164 | 146 | 115 yards

The first par 3 of the day is a medium length hole that is guarded by a pair of bunkers, one sitting back left and the other off to the right of the green.

There is room to miss short on this green, with about 30 yards of fairway in front.  Before reaching this area it is a forced carry over native grasses.  This green is pretty severely sloped back to front.  A back left pin is the probably the hardest spot to get to.

Shown from the left side of the green, this hole has plenty of danger if you miss the green.  You'd likely prefer finding the bunkers on a miss rather than the gnarly rough that is the alternative.

Looking back at the green from the next tee, you can see the green is a fairly large oval about 30 yards wide and 20 deep.

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Golfing We-Ko-Pa Golf Club Saguaro Part 4

Hole 16

Par 4
328 | 315 | 290 | 290 | 279 yards

The 16th is a short dogleg par 4 that is designed to encourage not hitting driver off the tee. Another forced carry off the tee is required, but this one is a miniscule 150 yards from the tips to reach the fairway.

A string of bunkers run up the right side of the hole, framing the fairway and discouraging trying to cut the corner towards the green.  Another bunker visible from the tee, slightly to the left marks the location of the green.  This bunker sits right in front of the green and guards against long hitters.  There is a small gap to the right- but it offers only about a 10 yards wide gap between that front bunker and another that hugs the right side of the green.

Another deterrent to the short yardage is that this hole plays uphill from tee to green.  Here you can see the view from the corner of the slight dogleg and how the bunkers that sit short of the green and carved into the hill the green sits atop makes this one of the more demanding approach shots within the round.

Playing this as a conservative two shot hole should not provide much of a challenge though.  Certainly the tee shot should be easy to hit the generously wide fairway again.  More important on the 16th will be avoiding the hazards and taking enough club on your second shot to account for the elevation changes.

Here you can see a view taken from on the green and looking back down the hill.  My dad is in the front side bunker.  I just barely cleared that and my ball sits on the dormant fringe.

One thing I don't think I have stressed enough through this review is the impeccable shape the course is kept.  Look at this photo of the 16th green.  It is emblematic of the conditions of all the greens- just perfect.

Hole 17

Par 4
402 | 372 | 358 | 358 | 334 yards

A longer par 4 than the last, this penultimate hole features another wide fairway that slopes with the land from right to left.  Favor the right side to avoid the ball kicking left into the rough.  Another roughly 200 yards maximum carry is required to reach the fairway here, but again the fairway landing zone is a sizable 50 yards across.

Of course if you miss that fairway, your chances are not good for a clean recovery shot...

The fairway rises uphill to a crest about 90 yards from the green.  From there the fairway descends as it turns ever so slightly left.  This green is tucked behind a large bunker fronting the left side.  A left-most pin placement here might be one of the hardest locations to play to you will find.

This green is deeper than it is wide, with it being almost 30 yards from front to back.  Again keeping with the theme of the course, there is a fairly sizable collar all around the green, save for where that bunker sits.  This green is slightly crowned though so chipping from around the green will be uphill which is a bit unusual at Saguaro.

Hole 18

Par 4
508 | 490 | 470 | 411 | 411 yards

Sitting before you on the final hole of the round is a beast.  Topping out at over 500 yards and requiring a carry of 220 yards from the tips to just reach the fairway, wish yourself good luck before your tee shot here.

The shortest route to reach the fairway is to play up the right side.  The fairway here is lower than the fairway further up.  Balls struck to this side are likely to land on the upslope and not get much additional carry,. They may even roll back a bit, a decidedly unwelcoming sight on this length par 4. From this position getting onto the green with your next shot is not likely.

The left side of the hole descends downhill into the desert.  To carry the hazards carved into the hillside offers the best chance at having a manageable shot into the green.  This will require a carry of 250 yards though so hopefully you catch a good one on your drive.

The upper part of the fairway crests out at about 290 yards from the back tees.  If you can catch that the fairway does drop downhill.  This can provide a much needed yardage bonus for a really well struck ball.

Once you crest the hill in the fairway the rest of the hole to the green is laid out in front of you. A series of bunkers run up the left side of the hole.  The right has no hazards, other than the desert scrub.

About 80 yards from the green sits a strategical placed fairway bunker.  This is the likely landing zone for those playing from the lower fairway before the hill.  Just one more little hidden surprise that doesn't present itself until you come over the hill.

The massive bunker that sits down the left side starting at about 160 yards from the green and running over 60 yards.

On your approach the green is open in the front but has a bunker hugging the entire right side.  There is room to miss on all other sides of the green, though a trio of bunkers sit to the left and behind the green if your shot strays too much.

Another 40 yard deep green can add yet a little more distance to finish before you wrap up the round.

Conclusion

For the Yavapai, the phrase We-Ko-Pa translates to "Four Mountains". These are the hills you see to the east of the course. They are often a backdrop for the giant Saguaro cacti that are this courses namesakes. This beautiful desert landscape surrounds the perfectly manicured greens and fairways found on Saguaro.

This course is not the longest, and it plays as a par 71. If the wind is up though it can be a brute. With several short par 4s it means that other par 4s are some real beasts.  Pair that with a head wind and it could be a real challenge to score.

The par 3s each face four different directions of the compass, ensuring that if there is any wind you will get to experience the full effects on those.  Hopefully you'll not experience a tee shot into the wind on the 15th, with its 230 yard distance being challenging enough.

The layout of this course is not really desert "target" golf.  That kind of experience can be more found on the Cholla course.  Here, aside from mostly forced carries off the tee, it is grass from fairway to green.

Tees are placed close to greens and this is one of the few courses in Scottsdale you might actually consider walking (And they actually allow it!).

If you are in Scottsdale and have time for a short drive out of town for some great golf, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend We-Ko-Pa.

Which course is better?  Well, with the 36 hole specials offered, why not make a go of it and experience them both.

That would be a grand day indeed.

We-Ko-Pa Golf Club
18200 E. Toh Vee Circle
Fort McDowell, AZ 85264
866.660.7700
https://wekopa.com/


Part 1: Holes 1-3
Part 2: Holes 4-9
Part 3: Holes 10-15 Part 4: Holes 16-18

Golfing We-Ko-Pa Golf Club Saguaro Part 3

Hole 10

Par 4
337 | 322 | 306 | 306 | 214 yards

Stepping onto the 10th tee you're presented with a quote from the other half of the design duo, Bill Coore.  "Every interesting course owes a debt of gratitude to the land that gave it life".  This quote embodies the minimalist design philosophy held by Coore and Crenshaw, to do as little as possible to the land to create great courses.

The 10th tee is immediately adjacent to the 1st tee.  The 10th is to the right, and the 1st is to the left. A small putting green is also located here in the shadow of the halfway house.

From the tees you have one of the higher elevation points on the course.  To the northeast you have a great vista of the mountains running across the horizon.  Below them, the par 4 10th is exposed.

The largest design feature to this dogleg right hole is the massive bunker that sits at the corner of the bend.  From the back tees it is only 230 yards to carry this hazard.

A large landing area sits to the left of the trap, though a line down that side can carry through the fairway as it turns back to the right.  Provided you can carry it, the best line is just over the right trap, just in line or slightly to the right of the person in the white shirt below.

Closer to the green, if you approach from the left half of the hole you have to fly a bunker sitting short of the green to the left of the fairway.  Another small, deep bunker sits dead center and the front of the green actually wraps around this bunker on both sides.

There is not a lot of room to miss this green, other than short right.  Behind and to the left a pair of bunkers sit hidden and to the right below the green is actually the back tees for the 11th hole.  Anything missing on that side of the green will fall off down to these tees, as you can see in this photo.

We also ran into another hazard on this hole- a curious coyote who followed us a little too closely during the duration of this hole.  Luckily I hadn't used my beef-jerky flavored deodorant this day.

Hole 11

Par 3
197 | 194 | 176 | 154 | 154 yards

The 11th, while not the longest par 3, is a tough test.  Slightly uphill, it plays northerly.  You must carry a fair distance of desert before a small fairway area comes into play short of the green.

Short and left of the fairway is a large deep bunker.  Anything hit to the dormant grass area will roll back towards the desert.

There is about 25 yards of fairway short of this green.  The green is 40 yards deep but only around 20 yards across.  Obviously misses to the right will bring in the bunkers sitting down that side.

Hole 12

Par 4
476 | 461 | 423 | 332 | 332 yards

A long straight ahead par 4.  From the tips it is 190 yards to carry the desert and the large centrally located trap before finding the rough.  It is another 30 yards still until you reach the fairway.

Provided you can carry it far enough, the fairway is massive to land on- almost 50 yards across. A bunker complex does sit just off the left side of the fairway at 300 yards from the back tees.

Even with the left bunkers you still have 220 yards into the green.  The green is fronted by a cross bunker that sits in the center of the hole.  The bunker starts at 40 yards from the front of the green and is in play until about 15 yards from the green.

Running up to the green is not likely to happen on this hole.  If played into the wind on this westward facing hole, three shots to reach the green are likely.  The designers did take mercy on you though.  Aside from that front bunker the green is otherwise unguarded and presents a massive target, being almost 50 yards deep.

Hole 13

Par 4
470 | 457 | 417 | 417 |324 yards

A second back-to-back long par 4 awaits you on the 13th.  The landing zone off the tee is gigantic- almost 70 yards across!  There is a single small bunker sitting in the middle of this fairway but provided you avoid this (it is about 280 yards from the back tees) you should not have a problem finding the short stuff.

This is yet another fairly lengthy forced carry of about 200 yards from the back tees to reach the fairway.

Playing even with that fairway bunker you'll have 170 yards to the center of the green on your second shot.

A pair of bunkers 80 yards short of the green squeezes down the fairway visually but should not really be in play for most people.

Short and right of the green there is a bunker that is much more in play.  If you avoid that, again you'll have plenty of room if you do not hit the green.

Hole 14

Par 5
538 | 527 | 513 | 513 | 433 yards

The 14th features the only split fairway on the course.  A smaller fairway on the right offers a shorter route to the green but it requires a more accurate tee shot and a second forced carry on your second shot.

The left fairway runs continuously up to the green but doglegs to the right and presents a longer route to get home.

Regardless of the course you choose to play you will have another forced carry to reach the fairway. On either direction there is a possibility of running out of fairway for long hitters.  From the tips the right island fairway ends about 310 yards out.

At the furthest, the left fairway is slightly longer down its heart, quitting about 320 yards.  This distance reduces as you play further down the left though.

Not that many have to worry about 300+ yard drives but if you are playing up it could be a concern.

Of course you could split the difference of the two fairways and find the strip of desert separating the two options :)

As you make the turn on the left fairway's dogleg you have an unobstructed run to the green in the distance.

A smattering of bunkers run up the left side of the fairway, in strategic positions corresponding to landing areas for those playing to reach the green in three shots. One more sits on the left side of the green.  Down the other side, the desert is more in play until you reach the green where a trio of bunkers protect that side.

This is an accessible green to try reach in two.  A large area to the left of the green is the spot to miss on long approaches.  While there is a bunker on that side also, it is the more favorable side to miss than the right side where the desert can come quickly into play.

Hole 15

Par 3
255 | 233 | 209 | 209 | 114 yards

The last par 3 of the day that awaits you is the longest and most punishing of the par 3s for the round.  Topping out at 255 yards from the back tees, into the wind from the elevated tees this can be a full-out driver swing required.

It is 150 yards down the right side to reach the grass.  If you go at the green, bunkers run almost the entire distance to the front of the green requiring a true carry onto the green.

Keeping with the course's theme, a generous grass area to the left of the green is offered for those who can't reach from the tee, or who just don't manage to hit this green which is one of the largest on the course, being over 50 yards from front to back.

Playing from the fairway short of the the green is not too bad an option.  Likely a better one than a wild shot into the desert, or a long bunker shot from the left side.

Part 1: Holes 1-3
Part 2: Holes 4-9
Part 4: Holes 16-18