“Currently, the Detroit Golf Club is doing due diligence with regard to a PGA Tour event for the fall of 2011."

Lynn Henning reports that Detroit Golf Club is pursuing a PGA Tour event and presumably, the tour is interested in returning to Detroit.

“Currently, the Detroit Golf Club is doing due diligence with regard to a PGA Tour event for the fall of 2011,” said Flood, whose attorney practice is based in Detroit and Royal Oak. “We also hope to have a PGA Tour event on a regular basis from 2012 through 2016.

“We’re looking at the possibility of the Tour being a regular stop here through those years and we’re doing our diligence on that, as well.”

Flood confirmed serious discussions have taken place with a sponsor, whose identity he declined to reveal.
Another integral part of any Tour event — a charitable cause — also has been discussed. Asked if “education” might be the beneficiary, Flood said “absolutely” but he would not elaborate.

Detroit Golf Club, which is just south of Seven Mile Road and just west of Woodward Avenue, is one of Metro Detroit’s venerable golf sites.

Ross’ artistry was especially prominent on the famed North Course, where any potential PGA Tour event would be played.

This gave me a big chuckle since it's pretty well known that Robert Trent Jones and Art Hills had de-Ross'd the North. I believe they were heading in a good direction though, with Bruce Hepner of Renaissance Golf Design hired to create a master plan (someone correct if it's not Hepner, please). 

Comments

[Chuck]

Yeah, Geoff, what DGC is known for here in Michigan is that it has two Ross-designed courses. There is the little-known Par-68 South Course and the longer, bigger North Course. It was always the North Course that took precedence. And the Club's ego's of several decades ago decreed that they would "improve" the North Course to keep up with the big brother to the north, Oakland Hills. I suspect that the de-Rossing of DGC North is comparable to what was done at Scioto by the lineup of post-Ross architects there. Maybe worse.

The little Par-68 South Course was, gloriously, left alone. And it is now one of my favorite examples of Ross architecture in a region that has a large inventory of Ross designs, in widely varying states of alteration over the years. I think Tom Doak generally agrees in that appraisal of DGC South-North.

I wonder how they might find the requisite length at even the North Course for PGA Tour event. What DGC does offer, is a wonderful array of infrastructure acerage. There's the North Course, the South Course, and even a public muni, Palmer Park, all within walking distance of the main course. So there is that potential.

The neighborhood is sort of like East Lake in Atlanta. It would be nice for something good to happen there.

[Tommy Naccarato]

Chuck,
It pisses me off when I hear of these great classic courses that are being controlled by people with little love or knowledge of the sport; sportsmanship, sporting quality of their designs in general--the very greatness of Golf Architecture itself.

Art Hills? Robert Trent Jones? Just mere names with no value when it comes to the bottom line, which is, of course, why a Bruce Hepner will have to work extra hard to recreate what was once there, simply because those that were there before him and after Ross, should have been designing shopping center parking medians... (if they even have the talent for that)

[Grant]

The changes to Detroit Golf Club in the past 20 years have been productive and the people working on them did have love and knowledge and respect for Ross. Hepner has been great, especially clearing out the pines. Any de-Ross damage was done well prior to Hills and Jones in the 50"s when bunkers were removed, presumably for ease of maintenance reasons. DR left very detailed drawings behind. Ross's brother Alex was the professional at DGC as well as Horton Smith, the winner of the first and third Masters. Some stunning homes and the club house would look pretty sweet on TV.

[Geoff]

Chuck,
My dad and I played the South many years ago at Bruce's recommendation and had a blast, it was fun, fun, fun.