Hidden River Golf and Casting Club

[Shankster]

Hidden River Golf and Casting Club

Brutus, Michigan

https://www.hiddenriver.com

 

 

After driving by this course for my 4.5 years spent in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula driving back to see our parents, I finally got a chance to get out and enjoy some fresh Northern Michigan air!

 

Getting to the course takes you off US 31 on the way to the Mackinac Bridge just north of Alanson, Michigan. Driving down the road on the way to the clubhouse drive, you pass over the Maple River, which is the Hidden River that is the namesake of the course. Once you are on the driveway, you get a nice view of the 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd holes. A little further up the driveway and you can see the Michigan Lodge style proshop and restaurant. The proshop is full of many logoed items, which is a fly and a HR. (I will be going back for a hat.) Being that fly fishing is something I have always wanted to do; this course had some special allure for me.

 

The grounds are well taken care of, the carts are electric, covered and have USB charging ports, and sand for your divots. The inside of the proshop has the lodge feel, like you want to set up camp and stay for a while. The restaurant was closed, so we didn’t get to enjoy any of it.

 

The first hole is a medium length par 4, lined with trees on both sides, a bunker on the right at about 220-250, and one on the left guarding the green but shouldn’t cause anyone too many issues. The green complex is quite fun, the flagstick location today was back left, in a little bowl area. 

 

The second hole almost mirrors the first and runs parallel to it in the opposite direction. Many trees outline the hole, and the fairway narrows at the 250 mark, which also is home to a large bunker on the left. The green is guarded on the right by a bunker, but again shouldn’t cause too many issues.  This green is not quite as undulating as the first and is right near the driveway.

 

The third hole is a mid/long par three, pointed right at the clubhouse, but unless you hit a big pull hook (righties) you should be ok.  Bunkers short, but unless you absolutely chunk your shot, are just for looks. The green is sort of perched up, but mostly flat. (I sank a 68’ putt on it…)

 

Take a hike down a long trail to the fourth hole, it takes about 4 minutes to get there. This hole is also tree line, and appears to be really tight from the tee, but if you aim just left of the bunker at the 240ish mark you will have plenty of room, fader or drawer of the ball. The rest of the hole is pretty bland and offers a flat green. The blind tee shot makes the hole difficult.

 

The fifth hole is guarded all down the right by a man-made u-shaped pond surrounding the seventh green. Bunkers line the left side of the hole, overall a great hole.

The sixth is a dogleg left with a large waste area on the right from about 180-260. The left side of the hole is lined with pine trees. Smaller bunkers scatter the right-hand side of the hole, but the green is left out to dry with no protection from its fellow sand. 

 

The seventh hole is the longest hole on the course, features a double fairway which the first one runs out at about 300. Bunkers line the right-hand side, catching any slicers ball without problem. The approach shot faces water on both sides, but the reeds are grow up enough that you can hardly tell there is water there. Flattish green.

 

Hole eight has water left from the previous hole, and sand right all along the average driving length for many players. Bunkers right stop at the 250 mark. Two medium sized bunkers on either side of the fairway, just short of the green.

 

Number nine is a downhill par three.  Very short, and very downhill….

 

Ten… tree lined on both sides a medium length par 4, with bunkers left. No big deal. Wonderful view all the way to the hole.

 

Eleven is a par 5 which has water right in the 200-250 range. Trees left and offers about 4 yards of rough on either side, accuracy is a premium on this hole, as it is on the others. Not one bunker on this hole.

 

Twelve is a short par 4, dogleg left, but it is a forced lay up.  The river runs through it… which gives a sort of blind approach, not too fond of that. Bunkers straight out at the 250 mark.  Take an iron, plink one out in the fairway, wedge it close, make par.  Perched green.

 

13… Is a 200+ yard uphill par three with a blind landing area if the flag is in the back like it was today. No bunkers, but there are some pockets around the green that would make good ones.

 

Fourteen is another forced layup, or so I thought. I rode out to take a look and it looked a lot shorter. A long iron, wood, or even driver for some will work, but the trees on the right make it hard to dechipher were to land the ball. Aim for the 150 marker, you will enjoy a nice look at the gree. Water short and right alongside the lay up area. One small bunker behind the green to catch the errant shots… almost got me. 

 

Fifteen is a downhill par 3, measureing 243 yards from the back. Swamp far left, pine forest all down the right, a bunker right short, and a long bunker left of the cart path.  This hole is dangerous.  Beware.

 

Sixteen is an odd hole. It feels a lot more uphill than it actually is. Forced layup, long iron for me, left at A wedge into a medium sized green. Fairway is a premium here.

 

Seventeen is a beast. Pine’s right, sand left, and right. Bunkers guard the green right and short left. I pulled my drive into the sand on the left, then managed to smack a tree on my way out, on in 3 and still made par though, par 5.  This was not fun. 

 

18, man what a cool hole. I hadn’t hit a draw all day with my woods, well this hole is not the type of hole to hit a draw on.  You will end up in the junk, which also happens to be a huge drop off. Water short right, not in play. Sand on the right at the 250 mark.  Long green. Make par here and move on.  Long hitters can probably reach this under the right conditions. 

 

Overall the fairways were tight in places that I am not used to, which made it difficult, but I managed to hit 10 of them…? There is not much rough before heading off into Bear country. The greens were bent grass and lightning fast, even with all the rain they just got. The course is well groomed, and well taken care of. The larger bunkers did have some larger rocks in them, (think gravel road) The lodge itself is worth the stop, and so is the Hidden River that runs through it. 

 

I will be going back, but with a different plan of attack next time.  More irons off the tee, and aim for better placement.

 

Sorry for the lack of photos, my wife did not understand that I meant to take a bunch of them. 

 

 

[Shankster]

Added some words.

[Chip Strokes]

what a beautiful place to lose half a dozen balls. 

[Shankster]

1 hour ago, Chip Strokes said:

what a beautiful place to lose half a dozen balls. 

Good call Sir, I lost 4 on one hole… 18.  It was terrible. As you can see I cut the score off the Arccos picture… it was baaaaad.