Katke-Cousins Golf Course

Reader Ratings / Reviews

• Katke-Cousins Golf Course

  
  by Larrybud
  on July 30th, 2010 11:58

  I've been a member at Katke for about 5 years, and have probably played it 150 times (it's now 2010). This is a very challenging course and for most people who have never played here, it's as difficult as anywhere they've ever played. But it is FAIR. The conditions are usually excellent here, however I think they've layed down too much water on this course in the last couple of years. Note that the green on #2 is only a couple of year old and is still maturing, as well as about 80% of the green on #3, which suffered extensive damange over the winter. The layout is near perfect, except for a disappointing 18th hole. I thought I'd give a hole by hole review (from the blues) since I know it so well:
  
  Katke starts with a deceptively long down hill par 4. While the card says it about 430, it plays more like 400, especially if you catch the left hand side of the fairway. However, you're offered with a fairly wide open tee shot, with the 9th fairway to your right. Just don't pull it 30 yards into the thick rough! The 2nd shot also plays a bit downhill, so use the correct club to this large green.
  
  The 2nd hole was redesigned in 2009. While it's 70 yards longer, it's an easier hole to score on due to the nature of the green. Get one going down the left hand side of the fairway again and you'll add a few more yards to your drive and have a short iron or wedge into the green. Just don't go over the green on your approach because it's guarded by water. A back left pin is a sucker pin, as you have very little green to maneuver there.
  
  #3 is a gorgeous downhill par 3 over water with a kidney bean shaped green. Feast or famine here. I usually laser off the distance to the back edge of the bunker, and choose the club which will put me over that, regardless of the pin position.
  
  Once we get to #4 I always tell people the easy holes are done! #4 is a difficult long par 4, dogleg right. Hazard right and left off the tee, with a fairway that banks to the right. It requires an accurate and long tee shot, and another accurate approach.
  
  #5 is a short hole but don't let it's length deceive you. The left hand side is guarded by hazard, and if go right, and you'll be in a deep valley and a good chance that you'll be blocked out by trees. If the pin is in front, and you're in the back of the green, be prepared for a putt which is a LOT faster than it looks!
  
  #6 is a difficult par 3. A narrow green, this hole can play anywhere from 220 to 150 yards depending on the tee box and pin position on this 40 yard deep green. There's a slight bailout area to the right of the green and if you catch the hill on the right, you might get lucky enough to bounce back on. Go too far right over the cart path and you'll bounce even further right and end up in no-man's land.
  
  #7 is a much better par 5 now that they've removed a tree at the corner of the dogleg. While it looks like you might be able to reach this green in two, you'll have to be able to hit the ball a mile high and somehow avoid the large tree that protects the front left of the green. The play is a driver off the tee, then a layup to the to the top of the shelf.
  
  #8 is a great short par 4. Hazard right and left requires an accurate 200 yard tee shot, which will leave you about 150 in depending on the pin.
  
  #9 is a feast or famine par 5. 560 yards, all uphill, plays more like 600. While the tee shot is the most open on the course, hitting the fairway here is really important because the rough to the right and left of it is always very lush, and you'll have an awkward uneven lie. Hit the fairway and you'll have to navigate another accurate 2nd shot. To the left is the "valley of sin", where you'll leave yourself with a tough uphill 3rd shot. Go too far right and you could end up in the pine trees. The 3rd shot will be all uphill, and is a difficult club selection, to a deep green.
  
  #10 is a scoring opportunity. Only about 490 yard par 5, it plays more like 450 because it's downhill. I've been fortunate enough to eagle this hole a few times over the years, and you can really get your back 9 off to a good start here.
  
  While #11 is shorter than #10, it often seems longer! 430 yard par 4,. it might just play 450. Another accurate tee shot is required and a high approach to the green is necessary because of a green which slopes subtlely from back to front.
  
  #12 is a great uphill par 3. I'm usually not a fan of uphill holes, but this one is fun. A wide green, club selection is really important here. The hole plays 12-14 yards longer than the yardage (which is also mismarked on the tee box). The green slopes severely from back to front, and you really need to stay under the hole here.
  
  #13 is another scorable short par 4. Some guys try to drive the green, but I have yet to see it be successful. I usually hit a 200-220 yard shot and have 130 left in.
  
  #14 is short on the card, 360 yards, but IMO is the most difficult tee shot on the course. A downhill teeshot, dogleg right, with a bunker at the left corner. Hazard left and right... other than that, it's wide open! Drive is the key here. Hit a good one and you could have a wedge into the green. Hit one too far right and you'll be blocked by the trees. Hit one into the hazard on the right and a double-bogey is in your future. All in all, the bunker is not a bad spot to be in.
  
  #15 is a longish par 5. Again, hazard right and left off the tee. You don't necessarily have to hit driver here, but you can get home in two for the big hitters. Good risk/reward hole.
  
  #16 starts a tough finishing 3 holes. Dogleg right, uphill 2nd shot, bunker on the right corner. If you're a big hitter, you can take it over the bunker. But if not, play it out left. Go too far left and you might have 200 yards into the green. 4 is a great score here!
  
  #17 is a long 190yd par 3 to a very narrow but deep green. Guarded by bunkers all around, you'll have a cool view of the Meadowbrook Mansion here, and maybe even a wedding 100 yards away as you putt out. A miss right is better than a miss left, because the green slopes left to right.
  
  #18 is a tough par 4, but the design needs some work. A sharp dogleg left, OB to the left, you can't cut over the corner (although many have tried). The problem is that you can only hit the ball about 225 off the tee, or you'll need a 30 yard hook. The aimpoint is a tiny pine tree beyond the fairway. They need to cut down a couple of the trees on the left to put back a risk/reward shot off the tee. With a driver in hand, all I see is all risk with no reward. So be prepared for a 200 yard approach shot, which plays 6 or 7 more than it looks.
  
  Katke is a great test of golf, with some tough tee shots, and difficult greens.