Flint

A significant number of Golden Age course architects followed a similar maxim when it came to routing: Begin by looping the outside of the property with the front nine before working the back nine within that barrier. Willie Park Jr. was hardly one to follow the party line, so observant golfers will notice that the Flint Golf Club takes the opposite tack.

Fans of Willie Park Jr. will also be thrilled to note that this semi-private country club does allow public access to its golf course, offering a relatively rare Golden Age public option within the golf universe of Detroit. The property is inset to Thread Lake and, although no holes with come in contact with that body proper, a few will play tee shots over its feeder creek.

The most notable is No. 14, a 400-yard par four where players will determine their tee shot as the creek cuts diagonally from front-right to back-left along the middle of the fairway. Some will go long and to the left, but laying up short and to the right will offer the best approach to the guarded green.