A historic Detroit-area club recently celebrated a Dave Zinkand-led restoration of its century-old golf course.
Until work began last August at Knollwood Country Club in West Bloomfield, Michigan, the course had been mostly unchanged since 1925 when it was designed by Donald Ross proteges Arthur Hamm and George McLean.
The club approved in May 2024 Zinkand's plan to address issues such as poor drainage, greens that have shrunk over time and bunkers that are plagued by drainage problems and contamination. The project also includes a tree-management plan to address shade issues, deteriorating turf health, safety concerns and open visitors to offer more shot variety.
"The combination of higher green speeds and shrinking perimeters led to too few pin placements and lost strategic interest," Zinkand said when the project began. "The bunkering had reached the end of its functional lifespan, resulting in poor drainage, contaminated sand and unacceptable playing conditions. Many aging trees were narrowing the golf course, blocking vistas and damaging turf health. Trees were also often non-native species."
Construction began last August 2024 as part of Zinkand Golf Design's proposed master plan for the golf course, short-game area and driving range. The 100-year-old course was built over a terrain of rolling hills encompassing its perimeter and gentler grading toward its center. Zinkand's plan included an all new par-3 17th hole, and shifting the tees and landing areas of the 9th and 10th holes to improve strategy and playability.
"The existing 17th hole didn't fit the charming, Golden Age allure of Knollwood, so a new concept was devised to not only better fit the property's character, but also provide additional separation from the practice range," the architect said. "Similarly, the 9th and 10th holes were realigned to take better advantage of a subtle valley along a small creek in the middle of the property, while improving player safety by increasing the distance between the holes."
The project also involved a great deal of bunker work, including moving some and removing others entirely. Some were removed due to poor drainage and contamination, and many others were moved or repositioned to maintain relevancy with today's game. Contamination issues were solved by rebuilding bunkers and lining them with CapillaryFlow liners.
"We've added bunkers, particularly along fairways, to capitalize on and embellish the terrain," said Zinkand. "Those removed were generally greenside, in the name of improving playability and aesthetics. Their styling exhibits a classic Golden Age character with meandering lips and low leading edges for ease of entry and expanded visibility.
"Previously, there were a lot of greenside bunkers and not many on the fairway, so we have turned that on its head to allow the running game to play a more integral role in the course. This approach has also allowed us to take advantage of the contours on fairways to carve bunkers that inform the strategy of the golf holes."
By reclaiming the original perimeter of the putting greens and surrounds, Zinkand was able to mimic the design intent of Hamm and McLean, and recapture pin placements lost over time.
"The expansion of fairways and greenside surrounds helps to provide more recovery options and promote the running game. There are a lot more low-mow and bailout areas around greens," Zinkand said.
"A new par-three hole was designed to replace the old 17th. It didn't fit the charming Golden Age allure of Knollwood, and it wasn't particularly safe given its proximity to the nearby range. An improved concept was created to better fit the property's character and provide separation with the range. The ninth and 10th holes were also shifted and realigned to take better advantage of a charming, subtle valley along a creek, create improved strategy, as well as improve safety by increasing the distance between holes."
Trees were trimmed to improve air circulation and turf health, and non-native species were removed.
"Since opening earlier this month, Knollwood members have been raving about the incredible results that Dave and his team delivered," said Knollwood GM and chief operating officer Tracy Wilson. "(Zinkand)'s deep knowledge of Golden Age architecture, exceptional construction skills and impressive attention to detail have created a private golf experience that now promises to rank among the best in metro Detroit."
