Tough but fair: Pheasant Run Golf Club in Canton
CANTON, Mich. -- Pheasant Run Golf Club is one of the west metro area's best golf facilities. This 18-hole Arthur Hills design features great conditioning from tee to green and provides excellent fairway yardage and pin placement information.
The practice green and grass driving range are expansive, offering country club type conditions. Pheasant Run also features a stylish pro shop and clubhouse with a patio and a complete bar and grill.
The golf course itself is challenging but fun to play. Most of the holes offer fair landing areas, though there is trouble if you stray too far, generally in the form of water hazards and marsh land. After the opening hole, the front nine plays almost entirely through a residential community.
Though play is sometimes tight, the track is nicely laid, with some especially interesting par threes. The two par 5s are reachable and good birdie opportunities. You should be able to get off to a good start on the front, as the par 4s are relatively short from all except the championship tees.
Pheasant Run Golf Club's back nine opens with a beautiful but somewhat intimidating par 4, with water in play on both the tee shot and the approach. The next four holes are quite forgiving with wide landing areas and fairly large greens. Sloping mounds and penal rough will add strokes, however, if you do not keep the ball in the fairway.
The final four holes are the most beautiful -- and the most challenging -- on the course. No. 15 is a par 3 that plays over a marsh (and plays longer than it seems) and 16 is a long par 4 (No. 1 handicap) that demands a tee shot that draws or runs along the tree line near the left side of the fairway.
This is a sharp dogleg left -- leaving you with a long approach if you stay right. No. 17 is quite manageable but keep it together on the picturesque 18th. A long fade over the water (for a right handed golfer) will put you in good position -- but you will need to decide whether to go for it or lay-up for a safer approach over the water hazard and away from the mounds and bunkers. Most will have to lay-up. This is a great finishing, signature hole -- and one that can make or break your round.
Pheasant Run is easily accessible from anywhere in the metro area -- with little traffic to deal with once you are on the west side. It is fun, challenging and will not beat you up (it will leave that to you to do for yourself).
July 8, 2002
Mark "Sparky" Honey, Contributor
Mark "Sparky" Honey is the U.S. Editor & Marketing agent at Two Guys Who Golf.