LOCATION: Take I-69 to U.S. 127, south to Lake Lansing Road, east to Chandler 2.5 miles north ADDRESS: 15101 Chandler Road, Bath, MI 48808 YARDAGE: 5,151/7,308; 5 sets of tees ARCHITECT: Chris Lutzke YEAR OPENED: 2003 PHONE: (888) 411-4295 WEB SITE: www.hawkhollow.com

It’s just one hole, a tiny little par 3 of just 146 yards from the tips. But the par-3 17th hole at Eagle Eye represents everything that is good
about the impressive golf destination Darryl Kesler has built in the middle of farm country near East Lansing.

It shows the vision and creativity – and the dedication to being a first-class facility – which Kesler used in building his green kingdom of fairways, tees and greens. The 17th hole is a true replica of the famous No. 17 island green at the TPC of Sawgrass, home of The Players Championship. Hitting the green requires precision and guts. Memorable golf demands both.

But Eagle Eye, and the whole complex for that matter, is hardly a one-hole wonder. The entire Kesler-owned golf facility encompasses nearly two square miles, with two championship courses, a putting course, two classy clubhouses with banquet and conference facilities, three practice facilities and home sites ranging from single family to condominium living to estate homes.
You might come play golf for a day, and end up staying considerably longer.

Michigan’s most prolific architect Jerry Matthews started it all with his design at Hawk Hollow, which made Golf Digest’s Best New Public Courses list. Hawk Hollow grew to 27 holes and remains a local favorite. The Falcon, a walking nine on the west side of Chandler Road, and the Little Hawk, one of only a handful of bentgrass, 18-hole putting courses in the world, are added amenities that few facilities offer. They can be great fun for families or beginners or just for a low-key, less expensive round of golf.
Eagle Eye, with its grand clubhouse and massive banquet facility, became the king of Kesler’s castle in 2003. Architect Chris Lutzke, a protégé of legendary Pete Dye, borrowed all the tricks from his mentor to build a monumental test that hosted a U.S. Open qualifier earlier this summer.

Eagle Eye’s twin sisters – the finishing par-5s at No. 9 and No. 18 that wrap around the same lake – are both beautiful and beguiling at once. Even Dye admits Eagle Eye ranks among the best courses anywhere.

“Some of mine are pretty bad,” Dye said at the grand opening. “This one is good. It’s got a lot of ambience. It has a great look. This course is good enough for a major championship.”

The Michigan section of the PGA picked the complex as its home for that very reason. It regularly hosts its PGA Championship on both Hawk Hollow and Eagle Eye. Are you up for the challenge?