The Kingsley Club

Evolution of the design of The Kingsley Club
The original intention of The Kingsley Club was to create a world-class golf club that would stand up to the best courses. It was to be a comfortable club with a small clubhouse, some club cottages for overnight stays, no development, a small private membership, and a golf course that fit in with the land.

The Site
The Kingsley Club covers 400 acres, more than enough to build a golf course, of varying terrain, contour, and vegetation. The soils of the property are glacial deposits which drain freely, are resistive to erosion, and support a diverse plant community. The majority of the land is upland with dramatic elevation changes in many places and contour that ranges from smooth-flowing valleys and hills to erratic ridges and bowls which rise and fall sharply. There is a wetland in the center of the property that has been left undisturbed and away from the golf course and facilities.

Much of the property was clear-cut in the 1980's and was left with little mature vegetation. Much of that area has been incorporated into the golf course, particularly on the front nine, where the course is virtually treeless in the center but bordered by mature northern hardwood forest. The openness of these holes, combined with the high elevation of the property in regard to the surrounding landscape, exposes the golfer to the elements and constantly challenges his resolve to not only beat his opponent but also nature.

The area of the back nine also had some clear-cut areas, but also has many fine maple, oak, beech, and pine trees which highlight the holes. The eighteenth re-emerges into the open landscape, completing the transition back to the grassland of the front nine.

Hole #1
The first hole is a long par 5 from an elevated tee across a ridge and up to a green nestled in the distance. With a series of bunkers bisecting an upper and lower fairway, the player has the option of driving to a broad plateau for a better look at the second shot or playing around the base of the hill on the left. A good drive to the upper portion will reward the player with substantial additional roll and the possibility of the longest hitters getting home in two.

The approach is through a narrow slot, which opens up on the other side to undulating ground and a green nestled in an amphitheater. Options for the shot include draws and fades with the ball running in from the front or right side or pitching the ball to the pin, to take advantage of the back to front slope of the green.

Hole #2
A commanding view of most of the front nine is seen upon the approach to the second tee along with vistas of distant fields and forests. Although the second is one of the shortest holes on the course, the shot is a testy pitch along an exposed ridgetop. The openness of the hole atop the ridge ensures that the wind is always a factor for the player and will require a creative shot to keep the ball on the green. A short iron or wedge from the left side tees lines up with the length of the green but has less approach area to run the ball in. From the right tees, there is more approach but the green’s back right pin is tucked behind a deep bunker.

Hole #3
The third hole is a medium-long par 4 that will normally play into the wind. The correct path to the green is relatively flat for the well-executed shot, but an error to the left or right will most likely result in an awkward lie that is blind or semi-blind to a very large green. The green curves around a deep hollow on the front right of the approach with two small bunkers protecting the right side of the green. A large prominent ridge in the putting surface separates the left and right sides, creating numerous combinations for playing the hole. A player who attacks with his approach has the opportunity to run the ball through a gap in the bunkers, fly it in to the surface, work it along the ridge on the green, or play short or left, leaving a variety of options for the third shot.

Hole #4
The tee shot of the fourth hole is across a broad valley of native rough to a wildly undulating fairway. The prime landing area is a narrow ridge, which falls off to either side. The high part gives the best view of the approach, which is a large, broad ridge that obscures the front pins of the green and provides multiple options for the approach shot.

The green is an enormous double bowl divided by a wide, pinnable plateau, so even a difficult approach has a very good opportunity to reach the green in regulation. A well-struck second will find the ball on the green and hopefully looking for a birdie, but the indifferently struck one will be hard-pressed to avoid a three-putt.

Hole #5
The fifth is a long par 3 to a punchbowl green with the lowest point at the back right. The easiest shot to play will be one of 175-190 yards designed to filter down to the pin, but to get it close to the cup may require anything from a soft, high fade to a low sharp hook. Many indifferent shots will find the back right of the green and get the higher handicap player on the green in regulation with a go at a birdie.




Hole #6
The sixth hole shares many of the same teeing areas as the second hole but plays as a medium to short par four in another direction. A wide landing area sloping severely from right to left is countered by a narrow gauntlet for the approach shot. The green is a crowned shelf with shaved turf falling away at the left and back and a bunker at the back right.

A good drive will favor the right side so that the ball will roll left to a flatter spot and give a better angle to approach the gap into the green. Options include a pitch-and-run through the gap, high pitch to the green, or pitch to the right front over the bunkers which will kick down onto the green. The green surface itself is subtler and flatter than others at The Kingsley Club and will challenge golfers that assume it is easier than it really is.

A good opportunity for birdie or par, yet big numbers threaten indifferent approaches.

Hole #7
Working its way around a large hill on the right and over several large depressions, the seventh is a dramatic medium-length par 5 with a sweeping vista from the very elevated tee, followed by a blind second shot. Be sure to take in holes 2-6 from the tee, as this is your last look at them until your next round. Then glimpse at the view down the corridor to the 8th green and #9 before focusing on the seventh.

Long hitters will often opt to lay up with a fairway wood with the wind behind them in order to avoid going into the white pines just past the landing area. The pin position will dictate where to play the second shot from, either providing for a full wedge or short iron from a plateau or a bump-and-run, pitch, or flop from the bowl just short of the green when the pin is tucked in the back left. Guide your second shot in relation to the tall maples which are just to the right of the green - left of them for a lay-up second and at them for a longer shot. If conditions are favorable, long hitters may be able to go for the green, but their shot will be blind and test their confidence.

The seventh is an exhilarating hole which makes for a dramatic exit from the southern plateau of the front nine.

Hole #8
The eighth is a wonderfully strategic short par four. Most pin locations will be benefited by a drive over the three bunkers in the ridge 175 yards from the back tee - this approach angle gives the player more options on his approach. The open and safer left side of the fairway demands a pitch over a very deep bunker cut tight to the left side of the green. The green is small and severely sloped, with miss-hits rolling off the right side and leaving a difficult shot to the pin and short approaches coming back off the green and rolling back down the apron.




Hole #9
This short hole has two teeing options to a kidney-shaped peninsula green perched above a deep bowl and guarded by bunkers on the low side. The green is contoured to allow a ball on the wrong side of the kidney to be putted around the higher midsection to either of the lower ends. The ninth is an intimidating hole that will reward patience and play that use the slopes of the green-site to work the ball to the pin.




Hole #10
The tenth is a medium-length par four from an elevated tee to a valley that leads gently uphill to a broad, sweeping green. The wide-openness of the hole will mislead players into not placing their tee shot to the correct spot from which to attack the pin, making the approach more difficult to get close to the hole.

The green resides at the crest of a broad roll in the landscape and is subdivided into many smaller cupping targets. The left pin is blind but will accept a run-up over the large roll in the approach. The right front is visible but the uphill second shot is somewhat unnerving - a run-up is safe or you can fly it to the pin.

Hole #11
The eleventh is a medium par 3 with the green set on an idyllic wooded plateau and fronted by a sharp valley. The shot is diagonally across the face of a ridge with a deep pot bunker. The shot can either feed in from the sloping left approach or fly to the surface. The green is tiered with a smaller back portion above the front and unpinnable on the right, deflecting balls off the side. This is a postcard hole and will certainly be memorable for many golfers.


Hole #12
The twelfth is a very long par four, from an elevated tee to a tight valley with a steep hill on the right and woods on the left. The landing area feeds downhill and to the center of a flat fairway, although long drives could wind up on a large roll coming off the right hillside. The green, although small, is bunkerless and set between hills, allowing it to accept a well-executed shot and provide a good opportunity for a par.


Hole #13
The thirteenth is a very short par 4 and has a huge, undulating green. Numerous options off the tee will reward the player who places his drive in the right spot of the wide fairway to attack the pin position of the day. Players may opt to go for the green, hoping to get close and have a chance for an eagle. Others will drive to the fairway left of the green and run, pitch, or putt the ball to the hole. More options are available for those who choose a short or long iron off the tee to a particular spot on the wide fairway and leaving anything from a putt to a full pitching wedge to the pin.

The green will test the approach shot and putting skills of the best players with its diverse array of pin areas separated by severe slopes which feed the ball to or away from the cup.

This hole is unlike any other and will definitely be a topic of conversation at the nineteenth hole!

Hole #14
A bold drive over the sandy ridge on the right side of the hole will reward the player with much extra distance and a better angle for the second, possibly even setting up a chance to get to the green for the biggest hitters. The landing area for the second shot and approach gets narrower the closer one gets to the green, with two bunkers on the right threatening to turn the hole into a struggle for par. The green is wedged between the rising land and bunkers on the right and falls off on the left towards the close property line. The green is very small and pitched severely back-to-front and right-to-left. Five will be a good score here.

Hole #15
A long par 4 that demands a big drive and a long approach uphill to a perched green, the fifteenth will separate those who can make or create shots and reward them with a par.

Drives to the left side of the fairway have a better angle of approach, but the flat area there is small. Most drives will work to the right, leaving a tougher approach that is crowded by the trees on the right. The long iron or fairway wood approach will be hard-pressed to find the very small peninsula green. Those blocked out on the right have the opportunity to run the ball off the left hillside and up onto the green. Only a very wild or long approach will find a bunker here.

Birdies will be few and far between at #15 and subsequently pars will provide a big boost for a strong finish to the round.

Hole #16
A beautiful example of a “Redan” hole, the sixteenth will call for a shot to land short of the green and work its way to the hole from the right. Aggressive shots will run through the green into a swale or bunker at the back. Pulled shots will skirt left into a deep bunker, leaving a very difficult recovery, and pushed or sliced shots will require a delicate downhill touch to get close to the hole.





Hole #17
A reachable par five for many players, the seventeenth plays to the top of a ridge before falling sharply to a large bowl and then rising again to a green set amongst mature hardwoods. The landing area is crowded by menacing bunkers on the right and left, although recovery from them still provides an opportunity to reach the green in regulation.

Good drives will crest the landing area at the top of the hill, run down to the bowl, and leave a short iron for an approach. Drives to the top of the hill will look down upon the picturesque green setting and have a chance to get home in two with a well-struck fairway wood.

A second shot not reaching the green will be uphill to a green that is protected by a large bunker on the left, short of the approach, flanked on the right by 3 bunkers and one at the back right. The green is fairly good-sized but severe, with a small front and right portion along with a false-front which quickly falls back down the approach.

Hole #18
The eighteenth plays down an undulating valley and back up to a green set in an open amphitheater below the first tees and clubhouse.

The landing area rolls dramatically and sweeps down to the left valley. Choose the high road on the right to be above the green for the left front pins or the valley left for a better angle to the back right pin positions.

The approach shot re-enters the open grassland of the front side, to a green set off by dramatic bunkering on the front right and left side, demanding precision to the last stroke. The putting surface is a gentle bowl with subtle movement, giving a good approach the chance for a birdie finish or demanding creativity to find the cup.

Practice Area
The practice area provides a great combination in short game, putting, and long stroke practice.

A double-ended driving range with seven target greens, multiple teeing areas for events or lessons, and practice bunkers is without peer in northern Michigan.

The short game facility features an undulating green with fairway, rough, and 5 bunkers around it to practice any type of approach or recovery shot one may encounter on the course. The putting green has great diversity and will help players warm up and hone their putting skills for the challenges that await them on the golf course. It also sets up well for a 19th hole challenge shot from the clubhouse lawn or 10th tee!

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