Dunham Hills 2.0 in Hartland

By Tom Lang

    It’s not often that a metro Detroit golf course includes a one-mile-plus stretch of dirt road to get to the entrance off the main drag, so right away on the drive into Dunham Hills outside of Hartland you have some indication that you’re going to be in for a remote golf course retreat.

    Dunham Hills delivers.

    The entire property takes shape after its name. Rolling hills are dominant and a beautiful part of the experience. It’s rare that you’ll find a flat, level lie except for the tee boxes, and that’s OK.

    At first glance, you could say the hills are the defense of the golf course, but Ben Cowan, the lead representative for the newer owner/investors group, said it’s really the green complexes that challenge the most.

    “When you have this good of land, you don’t need as many bunkers,” he said. “The flatter the land is, is when you need to create more interest by adding bunkers,” of which Dunham has only two dozen.

    “We have the perfect amount of elevation change, 74 feet. There’s small rolling hills too. The movement in the land is really exciting as a golfer.”

    When hills are always mentioned in tandem with the course, it’s assumed most every golfer power carts their way around the layout. But others say the course is very walkable. Cowan is a former regional rep for a group called the Walking Golfers Society. The Hartland High boys and girls golf teams use it as their home course, and walking is always required in tournaments and at practice.

    “As a high school coach, I love this golf course because it’s walkable,” said Hartland girls’ coach Ethan Hawker. “You have to be creative to be successful – have to be able to (mentally) play the golf hole backwards from the green. The areas around the greens are so tough and the greens can be difficult, that you have to be smart working backwards and thinking about the shots.

    “You have to chip it to the right places, know how to lag putt, and leave shots in the right places.”

   For golfers who haven’t tried Dunham Hills, you’re going to experience some false fronts and a beautiful turtle back green on Hole 6. The green complexes and the rolling hills are as much fun to play as they are to look at. The elevation changes are clearly found all across the property, but none are overly aggressive except for maybe from the back tees of the par 3 Hole 5, and the beautiful elevation drop in the 10th fairway. The 12th green is also perched a little more than others above its par 5 dog leg fairway.

    The overall feeling makes you think your way around the course, to know which the right club is to make up for whether you’re going up or downhill. 

    Tree removal has been going on the last two years, which has greatly increased the condition of the turf as most tree removal programs accomplish. Dunham Hills is no different. The condition is very good for a situation that not long ago was less than stellar.

    Most golfers have heard that Dunham Hills has plans to become Michigan’s next Mike DeVries design, the Proving Grounds. That potential is still in the works, but for now, golfers can enjoy what Dunham Hills offers.

    “The group of people who are involved in this are those that just really love golf – and they want to make Dunham Hills the best version it can be,” Cowan said. “Restore it to its glory, like when 25 years ago it was rated top 3 in metro Detroit. There’s a sense of pride in making Dunham – we call it 2.0 – the best it can be, on our journey to the Proving Grounds.”