Kaufman Golf Course in suburban Grand Rapids is one of the finest public golf facilities in West Michigan. It offers terrific views and challenging play, and is welcoming to golfers of any skill level.
Kaufman, which opened in 1965, is an 18-hole course that has an outstanding reputation. Rated 4 stars by Golf Digest, the course features rolling fairways, perfect greens and picturesque scenery. Kaufman is the home course for the highly regarded Kent County Amateur Golf Tournament.
The course conditions are what makes Kaufman such a great place for a round of golf. The course conditions rival any of the courses in the surrounding area, including private clubs. The greens are highly regarded and the flowing layout features natural hills and valleys. Kaufman is also a very walkable course. The land that the course sits on was originally developed as a munitions factory for World War II.
Kaufman Golf Course is a true wildlife sanctuary. Every morning you will be greeted by both flocks of turkeys and heard of white tail deer. In the past 10 years, the populations of both turkey and deer have grown exponentially.
Golfers have their choice of three different tee boxes to play from. When played from the blue tees, the course is very challenging at 6,808 yards. Full distances, ratings and slopes at Kaufman Golf Course are:
|
Tee |
Yardage |
Rating |
Slope |
|
Blue |
6,808 |
72.7 |
132 |
|
White |
6,338 |
70.4 |
129 |
|
Green |
5,202 |
70.8 |
119 |
The most talked about hole on the course is by far the par 4 No. 14. It is a tree lined hole that is very visually different from every other hole on the course. For the most part the course is pretty open, except for the fourteenth. Pine trees guard both sides of the fairway, so hitting a good tee shot is an absolute must if you want to make a par.
Kaufman also offers visitors a spacious driving range that has grass tees with 20 hitting stations. Pin point your game by taking aim at five targets ranging from 100 to 235 yards. The ball dispenser accepts cash and credit cards or you can get a key loaded with a pre-set dollar amount. The course offers small, medium and large buckets for $5, $8, and $10 respectively.
The course also offers one of the best practice putting greens in Michigan; a finely manicured 8,000 square foot green that is conveniently located near the 1st and 10th tees. After a visit to the short game area and sand trap, you’ll be ready to hit the course!
Kaufman Golf Course has hosted the Kent County Amateur for the past 52 years, and has hosted USGA Boys junior qualifiers the past two years and several high school tournaments as well.
There is a Pro Shop and a snack bar on location as well to help with all of your needs before or after a round. The Pro Shop stocks a variety of specialty items and the snack bar features plenty of quick snacks while you are on the go.
Kaufman Golf Course is run by a dedicated team of staff members who enjoy golf just as much as you. Whether maintaining the pristine greens, cooking up your burger for lunch, or giving you tips on the latest equipment, they want to be sure you have a great time with every visit to the course.
To book your next tee time or event at Kaufman Golf Course or to find out more about the facility, visit https://www.kentcountyparks.org/kaufman/more_information.php or call the Pro Shop at 616-538-5050.
-Sal LaFata, Member Services Associate
