Fox Hills Golf & Banquet Center in Plymouth, MI, has something for golfers of all ages and abilities. Just ask James Piot, who grew up playing golf at Fox Hills and went on to win the U.S. Amateur title at Oakmont in 2021. He turned pro in 2022 and is now playing on the LIV Tour with a top-10 finish in Bangkok. That may be the best advertising Fox Hills has received in recent years!
Fox Hills is home to 63 holes of superb golf set on 500 acres of prime Michigan real estate: the 18-hole, par-3 Strategic Fox Course, the 27-hole Classic Fox Course, and the 18-hole Golden Fox Course. What I found interesting is that regardless of which course you’re playing, all the greens are in tremendous condition and rolled true! They get quicker as you move from the Strategic Fox to Fox Classic to Golden Fox. The two 18-hole layouts have five sets of tees, so finding a suitable yardage shouldn’t be a problem. And, although they are all on the same property, each course has its own clubhouse.
The Strategic Fox Course was designed by renowned Michigan architect Ray Hearn and opened for play in 2001. With yardages ranging from 91 to 196 yards, odds are you’ll hit every iron in the bag, and maybe a hybrid or two! The course offers well-groomed fairways and greens with terrific views of the surrounding area. It is a great course for beginners and will challenge experienced players looking to improve their approach shots and short game. On that note, there’s also a driving range and short game area.
Strategic Fox has three patriotic tee boxes (red, white, and blue) with yardages from 1,738 to 2,524 yards. Water and wetlands come into play on several holes. The 17th hole plays 171 yards from the Blue Tees and is nearly all carry over water. A lone bunker protects this large, kidney-shaped green that is much wider than it is deep.
The Classic Fox layouts are fine examples of what a traditional country club golf course looked like. The gently rolling hills, mature trees, and small greens make it a throwback to what golf once was. The original 18-hole course was built in 1927 and was known then as Plymouth Country Club. This Wilfred Reid design was recently renovated and blends in perfectly with the original to create a more modern look and feel with enhancements that bring out the original layout’s character. In 1982, Jim Lipe designed an additional 9 holes, which completed the 27-hole layout. These are great courses to walk and soak in the natural beauty.
The clubhouse features Fox Hills’ original log cabin, which dates back to 1927 and was renovated in 2008. It still features the warmth and charm of the original log cabin. Classic Fox only has a practice putting green, so if you want to hit balls before play, arrive early and head next door to The Golden Fox.
There are a few subtle differences between each layout. The Hills features rolling fairways and an interesting collection of doglegs that favor right-handed golfers, especially if the can hit a fade. Most greens are open in front and are typically flanked by bunkers. Finding the green in regulation can lead to good scores!
The terrain on the Woodlands is similar to the Hills, although the trees and brush lining the fairways are more dense. It’s also the tightest of all three 9s. Many find the greens on the Woodlands more challenging due to the undulation and ridges that create subtle breaks. Number 9 is a 305-yard par 4, with a slight dogleg left. Tee off from an elevated tee box downhill towards the green. If you know where to hit it off the tee, there’s a good chance you can make it to the green.
On The Lakes Course, water comes into play on seven holes, and there’s less bunkering. The 9th hole on the Lakes Course exemplifies this layout’s name. It’s a 472-yard par 5 dogleg right with a large lake at the corner of the dogleg. It may seem insignificant, but with the slope of the fairway you’re hitting into from the tee, this lake gathers a lot of golf balls.
Once again, we’ve saved the best for last. The Golden Fox Course is the pinnacle of golf at Fox Hills. This links-style 18-hole championship course is the work of Arthur Hills and, like many of his designs, is reminiscent of courses you would find along the North Sea in Scotland. As you venture off some of the fairways, you’ll find a mix of prairie grasses, wetlands, deep bunkers, and large, undulating bent-grass greens often surrounded by large mounds. There’s a large driving range and an easy course to walk. Golden Fox is the most challenging of all the Fox Hills courses.
Number 9 on Golden Fox is an interesting par 4 that plays 325 yards from the Blue Tees. There’s a fairway bunker in the landing area on the right side, but the intriguing part is the large hickory tree sitting in the middle of the fairway about 40 yards short of the green. The smart shot is to hit your tee shot short enough that you leave yourself room to go over the tree with your approach shot. Get too close to the tree, and you’re looking at a long bump-and-run shot under the tree limbs into a well-undulated green with two deep bunkers on the left.
Number 15 takes the cake for uniqueness! It’s a 335-yard dogleg right par 4, and you don’t want to be right off the tee! What makes this hole interesting is the approach shot. It’s blind – the green sits so far below the fairway that they use a 10-foot pin to give you an idea of where the hole is. The green is wide and not that deep. It’s a tricky but entertaining little hole!
We all know that Michigan winters can be brutal, and that golf is usually a forgotten event. Fox Hills has something that will drive away those winter blues. Their Performance Center now features eight Trackman simulators, representing the latest shot performance technology. With Trackman’s advanced radar and camera tracking, you can learn everything about your golf swing and identify areas that could use improvement. You can also challenge friends to a round on over 260 preprogrammed courses or play challenging skill games with the kids. It’s a great way to keep your golf swing in good shape during the cold Michigan winters.
In addition to being known for 63 holes of spectacular golf, Fox Hills has been recognized as one of the top wedding venues in Michigan and is home to three separate and unique banquet centers that can host upwards of 400 guests.
This is just a brief outline of what Fox Hills has to offer. It’s easily reachable from the metro Detroit area and will delight any golfer. I’ve never seen a golf facility that offers so much! For more information, you can find them online at www.foxhills.com.