You may be a master at putt-putt, but how’s your long game? Driving the ball can be a tricky skill to master, and Jackson’s lengthy courses will truly put this skill to the test. So get out your driver and study up on the courses and holes that will challenge your long shot the most!
Grande Golf Club
The Grande Golf Club is the longest course in Jackson County, with 7,150 yards to play. This means plenty of opportunity to use your driver and tackle the variety of par 5s on this course.
Holes 4 and 8 are par 5s that give you a chance to reach the green in two if you have a strong drive. Holes 7 and 14 can also be great holes to let it rip, depending on how you choose to play them. You’ll need to navigate around wetlands at each hole, so a solid drive will be necessary to carry the ball over.
The 16th hole is considered the most challenging hole in Jackson County, and considering its length, par would be an impressive score on this par 4. You will also be challenged at the end of the course with hole 18, which is a par 4 that was designed to be as wide as a football field, giving you another perfect long shot opportunity.
Calderone Farms Golf Club
At 7,001 total yards of golf at Calderone Farms, you will definitely need to get your driver out at this course.
The longest par 5 is at hole 10, coming in at 607 yards, where even the longest hitters struggle to get home in two. This course also has some straight away par 5s to test your drive. You’ll have to take two long shots to get to the green on the 13th hole, and a solid tee shot will be essential for holes 1 and 6.
Some shorter par 4s give you the chance to use a good drive at the beginning to test your luck at a birdie. Start with your driver on holes 5 and 16 and see how close you can get to the green!
Cascades Golf Course
You’ll need to have your driver out right from the start of golfing on Cascades Golf Course, with back-to-back par 5s and longest hole of the course being hole 1. These two straight away shots will be a great chance to warm up your driver as you prepare to tackle the rest of the course.
After that, you’ll put your skills to the test as you tackle the most challenging driving hole on the front nine, hole 5. Hazards on both sides of the fairway make this a difficult drive. The back nine will challenge you as well, with hole 12 being the most difficult driving hole on the course, and hole 10 the longest on the back nine.
Hole 17 is Cascades’ signature hole, which will require you to carry the ball over a creek. You’ll have to fly the ball over 250 yards if you try to drive over the canal, truly testing your skills with the driver.
Clark Lake Golf Course
Clark Lake Golf Course is home to Michigan’s longest regulation blue tees, totaling 7,580 yards between the North and South courses. There are 27 holes total, so you can choose between the East, North, and South 9s for your round of golf. These record-length courses mean that you’ll have no choice but to practice your driving shots as you work your way through!
The fairways are just inviting you to break out the driver and see how well you can cover the yards at this great course nestled between Lake Columbia and Clark Lake in southern Jackson County.
Hickory Hills Golf Course
Another great option to pack in a lot of golf is Hickory Hills Golf Course, which has 36 holes to play. Each of the four nines have two par 5s, and plenty of straight away holes where you’ll be able to really test your swing with the driver.
The Green course has some of the longest holes. Holes 2 and 4 will challenge your long shot while adding some strategy in navigating hazards. On the Blue course you’ll finish strong with holes 5, 7, 8, and 9 providing some longer straight away opportunities. At Hickory Hills you can find a nine that satisfies what you’re looking for, with no shortage of holes to work on your long game!
