This is the first in a new occasional series that looks at golf courses found along Michigan freeways – those you drive by frequently, or on that annual vacation, but never seem to have time to stop and explore.
Maybe you should.
Kensington Metropark
Location: I-96 between New Hudson and Brighton
810-227-8916
Proximity to Freeway: the 4th, 5th and 15th holes are right on the freeway property edge. Six more holes have tees or greens in very close proximity. A little less than half of the round can get fairly loud with traffic noise depending on time of day.
Par: 71Yardage: 6,624 from the back, 5,111 from the front.
Overview: Kensington Metroparks Golf Course has always been a fun track, and now that the park system invested some money to spruce things up it’s an even better experience than a few years ago. Simple touches like all new signs at holes, easy to locate and well-marked junior tees in the fairways, large decorative rocks edging some newly-elevated tees and a spruced-up clubhouse area proves the green fees were re-invested for the long run. 
The first hole provides an immediate test for how well golfers warmed up. It’s a stout 413-yard par 4 heading toward the freeway. A downhill slope in front of the green, however, can help kick approach shots a little closer to the green to help with the length.
No. 3 is a nice par 4 uphill off the tee, so the green is not visible until clearing the peak. Always play approaches to the left as the green complex deceptively slants right. No. 4 tees off over a small valley to a landing area, then a deep valley must be navigated to reach the green.
No. 8 is the most picturesque hole on the course, a par 3 over water to a large green with tons of pin placement options. The view is even better coming off the 7th green and heading downhill to the tee.
Making the turn, the par 4 10th hole would be greatly improved if trees were removed behind the green so there’s an unobstructed, elevated view of Kent Lake. Every single time I play the course someone makes that same comment.
The No. 11 tee shot is a blind dogleg left over a valley and uphill at almost 400 yards. No. 14 is a fair, manageable par 5 dogleg left that goes uphill to start but goes downhill to the green. These are just a few examples of the surprising elevation changes for a course so close to Detroit.
No. 16 is yet another stout hole considering two factors: it’s a longer than mid-range par 4 but the green is easily the smallest one on the course, so approach shots must be spot on. Once reaching the green it has a nice three-leaf clover shape that allows for interesting pin placements.
One welcome observation was that the grounds crew had the greens in terrific condition, sans the lazy golfers who don’t repair ball marks. Come on people.
Rating: 7 on a scale of 10. Really fun course, good conditioning (late August ’18), and walkable even with the nice elevation changes. Priced very fair.
