Western

Donald Ross writes passionately in his book Golf Has Never Failed Me that all developments — clubhouses, member amenities, housing — revolving around a golf course should be settled after the course’s needs have been met. And so Ross was brought in to design the Western Golf & Country Club, a short way west of Detroit, one of the first “planned developments” tied to a community golf club.

The course’s defining feature is the Tarabusi Creek, which flows straight through the long, thin property. Although 14 of the holes line the creek, few of them bring the body into play. As Ross also notes in his book, a few water hazards are permissible, and should perhaps even be encouraged. That moment comes at Western during No. 15, a par five where players can consider crossing the angled creek during their second shot, at the risk of a splashdown landing.

The club was a natural host for the Western Open during 1960, the name of the club being what it is.