100 Years: Idyl Wyld in Livonia
By Tom Lang
The City of Livonia – often cited with a population of 100,000 people – was established in 1950 and developed from flat farmland.
It is pre-dated by the Idyl Wyld Golf Course, which turned 100 years old here in 2025.
Located along busy Five Mile Road, not far down the street from the famous Roperti’s Turkey Farm (established 1948), the old course is land-locked by suburban housing built in the 1960s and ‘70s on its other three sides.
I lived on Five Mile Road for 20 years, literally just one mile away, so I have had the chance to play the old course several times. While it is a shorter layout, maxing out at under 5,900 yards, it’s a pleasure to play. More than 100 golfers on GolfPass gave it four out of five stars – and about half as many more golfers rated it with 5- and 3-star reviews.
An aerial photo from the 1940s show the same layout as today, so there’s no reason to believe any significant changes have been made in its 100 years. In 1975 it was purchased by the city and has operated as a Muni ever since.
The course is crisscrossed by three small waterways which are the main hazards to challenge golfers. These creeks and streams have over the centuries carved out some small valleys and dips in the terrain that provides a gentle rolling layout.
Like most any older municipal course, the greens are smaller than today’s modern designs. The entire experience feels very intimate and is a good place for families and others learning and fine-tuning their games – especially with the lower green fee rates than most courses.
Understandably a few of the holes have less-than-attractive netting/fencing to keep balls out of neighboring yards. There is no doubt you are playing in a suburban city when playing the outer-edge holes.
None of the fairways are very wide, but the trees lining the course are pushed back on many holes. Most of any ‘natural junk’ is cleared out from under the trees so you can find your ball and keep playing. The greens were in good condition in late August but you can tell the grounds crew is working hard to make them even better. The course is more lush and green than my memory serves me from the last time playing it 7-8 years prior.
My two favorite holes are 12 and 15. Hole 12 is a straightaway drive off the tee that includes a layup short of sand bunkering to be in position to turn a little left to hit over a creek-caused chasm to the back-to-front slopping green. Hole 15 is a medium par 4 that must also clear a stream near the green to reach the elevated putting surface built into a small hillside.
All types of players were out on the Saturday I toured it, ranging from 20-30-something young men and senior men, to couples of all ages enjoying a small outing together. All in all, a fun place to play golf that still provides a challenge for any golfer.
