More Michigan: An enticing entryway

Forest Lake Country Club’s entryway received a top-of-the-line renovation, enhancing the private club’s 18-hole course. The club’s “Top of the Hill” project was completed through member funding and led by architect Chris Wilczynski and superintendent Ryan Moore. 

The project commenced in August 2023 and included a new driving range with new synthetic tees, a 7,500-square-foot putting green, a new tee complex on the first hole and a newly located sixth green. The back nine also saw the repositioning of all greenside bunkers, part of Wilczynski’s master plan. 

“People are really proud, and really proud to bring guests,” Moore says. “Between our amenities and now what we’re doing with the golf course, we’re showing continuous improvement.”

Forest Lake is in Oakland County, a suburban Detroit enclave filled with private clubs aggressively executing renovations. A spike in golf rounds and memberships following the COVID-19 pandemic helped Forest Lake develop a case for executing parts of its master plan.

The 110-acre course was founded in 1926 and originally designed by William Diddel, whose greens feature slopes and undulations still on the course today. The par-71 layout was later partially redesigned by Arthur Hills. Although the course is considered short for yardage, Moore says golfers infrequently score their best rounds here. 

“Don’t judge a golf course by a scorecard,” Moore says. “You’ll probably score worse on this golf course than any other golf course.”

Outside of the added features from the project, the back nine saw bunker removal and repositioning, which has added more hand maintenance requirements for Moore and his team. The bunkers, though, experience fewer washouts.

“They’re easy to rake, so there’s kind of compromise,” Moore adds. “But when we send out my guys on hand-mow day, it’s like you can kind of tell. That’s why I mix it up.”

Since recent renovations, the course has experienced a spike in membership and play. “There’s a lot of continuation in member pride,” Moore says.

The members even fully funded the addition of a clock tower between the putting green, practice range, first tee, sixth green, seventh tee and 18th green. 

The course remained open with at least nine holes of play available during construction. The construction team from MacCurrach Golf Construction moved swiftly and efficiently, Moore says. “I found out that the construction crew does what they do really well, and we do golf course maintenance really, really well,” he adds. “When we’re a part of the construction team, the speed that they’re able to go at is very different from a maintenance crew.”

Kelsie Horner is Golf Course Industry's assistant editor.