Leon Halip
Leon Halip
Leon Halip
Leon Halip
Ben Jared
Mike Mulholland
Ben Jared
Ben Jared
Detroit Golf Club: North
Detroit, MI•Private
Awards
Panelists Score
Detroit Golf Club: North
17911 Hamilton Rd
Detroit, MI 48203-1797
United States
Overview
Donald Ross designed two 18-hole courses at Detroit Golf Club on a tight plot of land in the middle of the city. An extensive renovation project was completed by Bruce Hepner in 2015 to restore the greens and bunkers. Immediately following the 2025 Rocket Classic, the club embarked on another massive renovation, for a reported $16 million, led by Tyler Rae's team to lean into bringing back strategic elements of Ross' design. Most holes are framed by trees and are mostly up and back on flat land, though subtle rumbles in the land provide enough movement to offer strategic value and demanding shotmaking into these Ross greens, which average 5,150 square feet. The results of Rae's work will be seen on the North course when it reopens ahead of the 2026 Rocket Classic, and the South course will come next.
About
Golf Digest Panelists
Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists
100 Greatest / Best In State Scores
Shot Options
Character
Challenge
Layout Variety
Fun
Aesthetics
Conditioning
Reviews
Review
“Detroit Golf Club got as much as any club can expect out of its renovation. It is a charming golf course that had life pounded into an otherwise flat terrain. Certainly one of the Best in State and well worth a visit!"
Read More2026
Review
“The club did an excellent job with the renovation. The improvements to the golf course are very considerable. While many golf courses don't take risks on renovations, the Detroit Golf Club took a risk and have been rewarded with a greatly improved golf course. In terms of where they started and where they finished, this renovation has to be one of the best in the country this year. The club has a very flat piece of property. It is not a project that the architect could pull interest out of the ground. The architect had to create the interest and Tyler Rae did here with excellent bunker placement. The bunkers and greens really create a great deal of interest for this golf course. It certainly deserves to be in the top tier of courses in Best in State and in the Next 100 (101-200) Courses."
Read More2026
Review
“Significant upgrade to a generally "flat" visual property. New trap designs are excellent although repetitive. Long grass around bunkers, while visually appealing, are far to punitive for everyday players."
Read More2026
Review
“The Detroit Golf Club has done a wonderful job of restoring the North Course to its former Donald Ross glory. The use of bunkering throughout the course from the fairways to the greens is stunning and serves to frame many of the holes from the tee. Bunker layering along the fairways gives the impression of narrow fairways from the tee even though generous fairways do exist. The green complexes were superb with several elevated greens seemingly cantilevered over stunning bunkers. The greens were large and welcoming with very flexible pin positions possible on each green. The restoration accomplished its intended purpose of restoring the course to it Ross roots without trying to be anything more."
Read More2026
Review
“The Detroit Golf Club has done a wonderful job of restoring the North Course to its former Donald Ross glory. The use of bunkering throughout the course from the fairways to the greens is stunning and serves to frame many of the holes from the tee. Bunker layering along the fairways gives the impression of narrow fairways from the tee even though generous fairways do exist. The green complexes were superb with several elevated greens seemingly cantilevered over stunning bunkers. The greens were large and welcoming with very flexible pin positions possible on each green. The restoration accomplished its intended purpose of restoring the course to it Ross roots without trying to be anything more."
Read More2026
Review
“A great restoration. Incredible greens: Donald Ross, but not Pinehurst No. 2 Donald Ross. Movement everywhere, many elevated corners, and HUGE. So much ability to have different pin placements. Many huge bunkers imposing their presence all the time. Wispy eyelashes on most of the bunkers, making for a more challenging course, because the tall grass is essentially unplayable."
Read More2026
Review
“Excellent diversity of greens complexes with numerous pinnable locations and intricate slopes. The greens and surrounds are approachable by numerous shot types and encourage the golfer to consider landing zones and contouring on their approaches and greenside pitches/chips. Bunkers are well placed and thoughtful to encourage decisions off the tee and on approaches. Initmate routing that plays over and alongside and adjacent to an aesthetic ditch drainage network. Bunkers restoration is quite aesthetic."
Read More2026
Review
“Detroit Golf Club’s North Course, a Donald Ross design recently renovated by Tyler Rae, emphasizes strategic shot selection off the tee. Specific landing areas provide the best angles into the greens, making placement important even on the longer holes. The green complexes are relatively understated, with several raised putting surfaces characteristic of Ross’s work."
Read More2026
Review
“Detroit Golf Club North is hole after hole that is simply straight with tree lined fairways, with the typical Ross false fronts on some of the greens. The conditioning is good, and the greens held shots very well. But, it is a very mundane Ross design. Ross essentially phoned this design in. A decent place to play, but Oakland Hills is far superior and should be the place to go if visiting Detroit."
Read More2023
Review
“36 holes of classic Ross. The south course is well worth playing."
Read More2022
