If you love to golf and would like a challenge on the links once spring arrives, try out the ninth hole at Addison’s Copper Hills Golf and Country Club in mind.
For its toughness and aesthetic appeal, the ninth hole was recognized by John Deere Credit as being one of the 18 Most Beautifully Brutal Golf Holes in U.S. and Canada (excluding Quebec) contest.
The panel of judges included Golfweek editor Jeff Babineau, Golfdom publisher Pat Roberts, Golf magazine architecture editor Joe Passov and Sports Illustrated golf editor Gary Van Sickle. The judges rated each entry on the basis of the hole’s beauty as well as its difficulty.
At 453 yards, the par-four hole is heavily lined with trees and wetlands. Wetlands also separate the fairway from the green, which is about a 100-yard distance to its middle from the fairway.
The ninth hole is especially tricky to reach on the right side due to a big, dead oak tree that stands in the way. Owner and course designer Curtis Wright recalled how, when the course was being built, lightning struck and killed the tree. ‘I didn’t have the heart to take it down,? he explained. ‘It’s an integral part of the hole.?
What also makes the green challenging is it’s on a 45-degree angle to an approach shot’making the 9,000-square foot green appear much smaller from the fairway. It’s also surrounded on three sides by water and has a small sand trap.
‘The ninth hole at Copper Hills offers an outstanding example of how dedicated course owners, builders, architects and superintendents create and maintain holes that golfers talk about the entire year,? said Steve Knutson, director of golf leasing for JDC, referring to the beauty side of the hole.
Wright, a longtime golfer, doesn’t recall any eagles on the ninth hole. There have been several birdies, including one by himself. Mostly, though, double and triple bogeys.
‘I’ve taken more double-bogeys than pars,? he said.
When it comes to the brutal side of getting the ball into the hole in the fewest shots, Wright is in good company with those who talk of the challenges.
Babineau observed the hole is one where ‘you could make a 4 or a 10.?
Added Passov: ‘It’s an eye-catching Midwestern layout with frightening consequences for missing the green.?
This isn’t the first time the ninth hole has received accolades. From 2005-2007, The Detroit Free Press rated it as one of Metro Detroit’s 18 toughest holes.
As far as Copper Hills, in 1999, it was ranked 16th in the list of Best in the State of Michigan by Golf Digest. It also was chosen in the list of Top 100 women-friendly golf courses in 1999 by Golf for Women magazine.
‘I wanted a tough finishing hole and obviously got it,? said Wright, explaining why he designed the ninth hole that way. ‘I wanted a hole you’d walk away from and have memories of the golf course, a hole that was very challenging but yet still playable. Most people when they play here and you ask them about Copper Hills, they say number nine is a killer.?
Those golfing on the ninth hole can choose closer tees to hit from or’if they’re a professional-grade golfer’the back tees.
Copper Hills Golf and Country Club received four out of five stars in 2008 by Golf Digest as Places to Play. It’s located at 2125 Lakeville Road in Oxford. Its website is at www.copperhills.com.