By Randy Prichard
Photography by Scott Allen Agency

The golf just keeps getting better at one of the most scenic golf experiences in Southwest Michigan. The Lynx Golf Course has added GPS equipped golf carts to speed play and improve yardage accuracy to pin placement.

The architects for the Lynx were the Scott Family (Gull Lake View, Stonehedge). You can see their discriminating approach to quality golf throughout the 18-hole layout.

The Lynx is not overly long, measuring 6,471-yards from the back tees. This makes the course refreshingly playable and easy to negotiate. Only 35 bunkers dot the course, most of which guard the greens. Only two sand hazards line the fairways of the four par 5s.

Both nines begin and end at the highest point on the course. The clubhouse sits 135 feet above Kalamazoo River valley. The front side sends you east and concludes with a short, uphill left dogleg par 4 measuring 353-yards. The backside features the course’s signature hole, No. 10, a par 4 of 411 yards that shoots straight south, both laterally and vertically.

Greens superintendent Tony Sonders and his six-person crew must be commended on how they groom this popular cat. The bentgrass greens are exceptional; they receive the ball very well and roll true. The putting surfaces border on large but are not huge and there’s very little undulation to contend with. Four sets of tees make the Lynx enjoyable for golfers of all skill levels.

The longest of the par 3s measures 196-yards but plays more like 170 since the green is roughly 70-feet below the tee box and the wind is generally at your back or over your right shoulder.

The par 5s on the front nine are relatively short, especially No.8 (486 yards), but both play uphill and you can’t see the elevated greens from either fairway. Of the par 5s, seventeen, measuring 538 yards, gets my vote as the best. The tee shot should remain to the right side of the landing area, which is obscured by a slight elevation in the fairway. Further down the right side you’ll find a pond that adds scenic value to the hole more than anything. With the exception of the par-5 fifteenth hole, each of the par 5s will likely be three-shot holes due to the bunkering that protects the front of each green.

Only 3 of the par 4s measure over 400 yards, number ten being the longest, and number four being the most scenic, with a water hazard some 200 yards from the blue tees.

Perhaps you’d like to call the Lynx home. You can. Choose from three condominium home styles starting from the $150,000s with three year golf memberships available to new residents.

The Lynx is proud to announce they are now members of the Executive Women’s Golf Association offering discounts to members.

Located nearly midway between Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids, the Lynx Golf Course is a short drive west of U.S. 131 on M-89 west of Otsego, about 90-minutes from South Bend, two hours from Chicago or 45-minutes from Grand Rapids.

Greens fees (excluding specials, discounts and twilight rates) are $45 and $40 for weekend and weekday play, respectively. The clubhouse has a pro shop and a restaurant/grill. Tune your game for a memorable round at the Lynx practice facility.

Course Rating: 71.2
Slope: 139

Click on logo to be directed to the Lynx web-site and take advantage of the Michigan Golf Online Special.