Zinkand Golf Design and contractor Frontier Golf are nearing completion of a renovation of the golf course at Knollwood Country Club, on the outskirts of Detroit, USA.

Donald Ross proteges Arthur Hamm and George McLean originally designed the course in 1925 and it has remained largely unchanged, aside from renovation projects in 1969 and 2001, by Jerry Matthews and Bob Lohmann respectively.

In May 2024, the club approved a plan by David Zinkand, developed to address the course’s long-standing issues relating to bunkers, shrinking greens, excessive tree growth and poorly performing drainage. “The combination of higher green speeds and shrinking perimeters led to too few pin placements and lost strategic interest,” said Zinkand. “The bunkering had reached the end of its functional lifespan, resulting in poor drainage, contaminated sand and unacceptable playing conditions. Many ageing trees were narrowing the golf course, blocking vistas and damaging turf health. Trees were also often non-native species, taking away from the sense of place.”

Frontier Golf started work on the renovation in August, with one of the first tasks to remove trees and open vistas, also allowing Zinkand to better see the contours of the land.

“We’ve added bunkers, particularly along fairways, to capitalise on and embellish the terrain,” said Zinkand. “Those removed were generally greenside, in the name of improving playability and aesthetics. Their styling exhibits a classic Golden Age character with meandering lips and low leading edges for ease of entry and expanded visibility.

“Previously, there were a lot of greenside bunkers and not many on the fairway, so we have turned that on its head to allow the running game to play a more integral role in the course. This approach has also allowed us to take advantage of the contours on fairways to carve bunkers that inform the strategy of the golf holes.”

Greens were also a key part of the project. “Expanding and recontouring the putting surfaces has helped to introduce more pin positions and intriguing contours that place greater emphasis on shot placement.

“The expansion of fairways and greenside surrounds helps to provide more recovery options and promote the running game. There are a lot more low-mow and bailout areas around greens.”

One of the biggest changes comes at the seventeenth. “A new par-three hole was designed to replace the old seventeenth,” said Zinkand. “It didn’t fit the charming Golden Age allure of Knollwood, and it wasn’t particularly safe given its proximity to the nearby range. An improved concept was created to better fit the property’s character and provide separation with the range. The ninth and tenth holes were also shifted and realigned to take better advantage of a charming, subtle valley along a creek, create improved strategy, as well as improve safety by increasing the distance between holes.”

On the fourth, the pond at the right side, previously not much of a hazard, has been expanded towards the green to bring in more visual interest and make the right side more of a challenge. Zinkand removed a bunker on the left to balance this out and allow players a way to safely navigate the hole.

The revamped Knollwood takes advantage of the site’s natural terrain of dramatic, rolling hills formed around the property’s perimeter, and a gentler stretch in the centre. “The front nine takes the golfer out east and to the dramatic perimeter terrain of the northeast corner, then weaves back to the centre where both finishing holes return to the clubhouse,” said Zinkand. “The back nine starts centrally, amid the front nine finishing holes, and turns counterclockwise to the dramatic western perimeter, before returning to the central finish. The effort to shift holes at the turn and finish in the gentler central stretch of the property has delivered great dividends by expanding these hole corridors, while also capitalising on the subtle terrain and greens complexes through new strategic angles and visual appeal.”

The course is expected to reopen in summer 2025.