I am relocating to Troy MI, and want to know what courses are most walkable with minimal housing.

Thanks

joining somewhere or public?

just played shepards hollow today. About 20 min from Troy. What a nightmare course! Beautiful but very hard.

I live 5 minutes from Shepherds Hollow and practice their everyday for at least 3 hours a day.... It is undoubtedly the areas most beautiful course, but they don't allow walkers and it is a hike between some holes. Also you're right it is very challenging, and towards the higher price scale at $45 for 18 w/cart but not too bad considering the natural beauty and pristine condition for a public course. Overall I highly recommend it.

Shepherd's is only $45 right now? I wouldn't call that high price scale. Normally that joint is $85.

How are the greens out there right now? Some of them tend to get a bit thin at times.

Todd, you'll be geeked about how many courses there are within 20 miles of you. Some courses don't allow walking, or allow them after a specific time. Close to you:

Pine Trace
Sylvan Glen (Troy Muni)
Sanctuary Lake (Troy Muni)
Pontiac Country Club (it's public)
Fieldstone (site of Buick Open qualifier)
Royal Oak Golf Course (muni)
Rackham (Donald Ross Course)

A little further north (still within 30 min of you)
Cherry Creek
Twin Lakes
Black Heath
The Orchards (Awesome course!)
The Glaciers
Greystone
Shepherd's Hollow
Pine Knob
Westwynd

If you travel West:
Link of Novi
Cattails
Moose Ridge
Tanglewood

(I'm sure I'm missing a few, not a west sider)

Lots of great tracks. Most are reasonably priced, especially with the economy in Michigan right now. For instance, I played Cherry Creek yesterday for $45. Two years ago they were $65.

I play weekly at Links of Novi for my league and while it's definitely walkable and a nice enough layout I think it has some maintenance issues. A lot of the greens are beat up (ball marks, bare spots and general inconsistency) and the course certainly seems to have drainage problems. It's an okay track, but I think there are better options for the money. It also doesn't have drinking water anywhere on the course, which annoys me when I'm walking.

Some other courses on the west side that meet the requirements (walkable and minimal housing):

• Glen Oaks (Farmington Hills): Walkable. No Housing. Fairly basic course but it's cheap--Spring rate is $22 to walk 18 on the weekend, Summer is around $30.
• Farmington Hills Golf Club (Farmington Hills): Walkable. Condos in play on 2 or 3 holes. This is a short course but there is some variety in the holes.
• Lyon Oaks (Wixom): No Housing. There is some distance between holes in places, but it's pretty walkable. Greens fees include cart, but they allow walkers. I played this course for the first time a couple of weeks ago and really enjoyed it. It was in great shape, and the greens in particular were fast and true. I thought it was challenging but fair.

Yes, only $45 right now, Spring Rates still. Not that expensive, but it is at 19. I still manage to get out there to play once a week though. The greens are in really good shape, you wouldn't think so by taking a look at the practice green but on the course they are in grade A shape. Was up there today practicing and have a lesson with Randy up there tonite at 7:15 just working on shortening up my swing some.