Members at this PGA Tour golf course are being asked to pony up $16.1M for renovations

Detroit Golf Club’s courses, site of the Rocket Mortgage Classic on the PGA Tour since 2019, were designed by legendary architect Donald Ross and opened in 1916.

The Rocket Mortgage Classic is played on a combination course of the club’s two layouts, the North and the South. The tournament layout starts on No. 8 of the North Course, then plays No. 9 of the North. Players then tackle what is normally No. 1 of the South Course before teeing off on what is normally No. 2 of the North and playing the next five holes in order.

An upcoming vote at the club will determine whether a full renovation will be put into motion, according to a story in the Detroit News. The estimated cost, according to reporting by the News, is expected to be $16.1 million and would be paid for largely through a one-time assessment for members.

Here’s more from the News:

The club also would allocate $2.2 million from Rocket Mortgage Classic funds for the project.

Voting by members begins March 6, and closes March 16. An approval rate of more than 60% is being required by the prospective lenders working with Detroit Golf Club.

The proposed renovations — which, most notably to fans, include the removal of the large pond at the par-5 14th hole, a signature hole, to help with drainage — coincide with the 125th anniversary of Detroit Golf Club.

The master plan of the proposed renovations at The Detroit Golf Club, which was originally designed by Donald J. Ross.

“As we approach Detroit Golf Club’s 125th year, we are celebrating the past but also looking toward the future,” Michael Pricer, DGC president, said in a statement to The News, which inquired about the project. “The proposed golf course project has been initiated by our membership to continue an exceptional golf course experience for many generations to come.”

The combined layout typically plays to 7,370 yards with a par of 72 for the tournament.

Rickie Fowler buried a 12-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to win a battle with Adam Hadwin and Collin Morikawa in Detroit and end a four-year victory drought at the 2023 playing of the event. Other winners since inception include Tony Finau, Cameron Davis, Bryson DeChambeau and Nate Lashley.