TAYLOR – Renowned golf course architect Arthur Hills, who recently passed away, believed in matching the golf course design to the audience that would play it.
The popularity of the Lakes of Taylor Golf Club course indicates he built a great match, and the championship course owned and operated by the City of Taylor promises to be a great fit for the 10th GAM Net Match Play Championship presented by Dunham’s Sports Monday through Wednesday.
A field of 78 golfers with GAM GHIN Handicap indexes of 20.4 or lower will play 18 holes of stroke play for net scores on Monday to determine a low 16 golfers to fill out a match play bracket. The round of 16 matches and quarterfinals are Tuesday, and the semifinal and final matches are on Wednesday.
The Net Match Play Championship is part of the GAM’s continuing effort to serve more than just elite golfers with competitive tournaments by handicap index.
The Lakes of Taylor course opened in 1995 and spans 7,028 yards to 5,119 yards with five tee positions. It opens with a stadium style hole and closes with an expansive No. 18 hole with water hugging the left side. The course offers a rolling variety of holes and looks in parkland, meadow and links styles set off by native grasses.
Hills gave players plenty of room to maneuver the ball and a variety of different green settings as targets as well. The par 5 No. 8 hole that plays to 531 yards is the No. 1 handicap hole and stands up to its reputation along one of the small lakes or ponds that make the course especially interesting. The par 3 No. 17 hole can be played as long as 201 yards and demands accuracy over water and into the side of a hill.
The facility also houses the Lakehouse Bar and Grille for post or pre-round meals.
Ian Walker is the general manager and Robert Makowski is the superintendent. Learn more at taylorgolf.com.
Last year, then 19-year-old Brett MacNeil of Mason, playing off a five-handicap, wielded a hot putter and beat 59-year-old Bud Keefer of Pontiac 7 and 5 in the finals at Paint Creek Golf Club.
Mason is returning to defend as part of six of the previous nine winners of the tournament.
Also returning are 2019 champion Chris Badgley of Trenton, 2018 champion and 2019 runner-up Joe DeNino of Taylor, who plays a lot of his golf at Lakes of Taylor, 2016 winner Jack McHale of Macomb, 2015 winner David McTear of Redford and 2013 champ Mike Piazza of Allen Park.
