Lovers of dogs, art and, oh yeah, golf are going to go bonkers over a recently unveiled design proposal regarding the revamping of Plymouth Township’s financially struggling Hilltop Golf Course.
In what is shaping up to become a one-of-a-kind concept — at least in Michigan, maybe the world, according to the designers — the golf course design firm of Albanese & Lutzke discussed a plan at a recent Plymouth Township Board of Trustees meeting that would reduce Hilltop’s present 18-hole layout to nine holes, while adding several amenities to the site, including a dog park, sculpture trail and four all-purpose athletic fields.
Another eye-opening perk: Albanese & Lutzke co-owner Paul Albanese revealed the course could be designed so that golfers could play one nine-hole layout one day and a totally different layout the next.
The course lost approximately $150,000 during 2017, spurring the township board to seek money-saving changes.
The cost of such an exhaustive overhaul will not be discussed until the board gives the course architects the green light to move forward with the project.
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The initial property design followed a thorough feedback-gathering procedure that included community-involved surveys and the formation of a volunteer golf course committee that consisted of a range of residents — from those with ties to the golf industry to plain-old weekend duffers.
“As unique and innovative as this is, it may not just turn heads in our community, but in the golf world and the art world,” said Albanese, whose resume includes golf course developments in Edinburgh, Scotland, Beijing, China, and a current project in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
“Although I’m a golf architect, the plan itself is going to display more than a golf bent, if you will; it’s going to show a community recreational bent and some other unique ideas.”
Albanese explained to the board that the project is still a work in progress, with the ultimate focus geared toward establishing a golf course master plan.
“We’re still in the exploratory phase,” he said. “Our belief is that the process (of working toward a master plan) should be open and transparent and to allow input from the community as to what they want.”
Leaning heavily on his experience of observing golf course functionality in the birthplace of golf, Albanese said the initial Hilltop proposal is spiced up with some European flavor.
“The golf landscape in Scotland is one that the entire community can embrace, not just golfers,” he said. “Take St. Andrews. It’s a British Open course, but if you visit there just about any time of the year, you’ll see community members walking their dogs around course, not far from the revered greens and bunkers. It’s an amazing sight to see.”
While dogs won’t be allowed on the fairways of the revised Hilltop, a dog park is included just northwest of the course’s perimeter.
The community surveys also reflected a need for all-purpose athletic fields, so four of those — two with natural-grass surfaces and two with artificial turf — were added to the plan.
“I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of integrating art within a golf course,” Albanase said. “Low and behold, a neighbor of mine, Lisa Howard, who is part of the Plymouth Arts Council, approached me and said she was interested in helping integrate some form of art in this project.”
An environmental arts center and a sculpture trail were thus entered into the design.
Efficient use of ideas
The transformation from 18 to nine holes would not only increase space for additional amenities, but will decrease the groundskeeping costs by half, Albanese added.
Albanese projected that 75 percent of the existing greens and fairways could be utilized if the plan moves forward.
“If the nine holes were professionally designed and maintained so that they were at an executive-type level and appeal, it’s conceivable that we could charge the same green fees — or close to it — that are charged now for 18 holes,” Albanese said.
Trustee Bob Doroshewitz raised the possibility of liability to the township if visitors to the interior amenities on the proposed plan were struck by an errant tee shot.
“Some architects would shy away from this plan, but we feel that with the right amount of professional design and judgment — as well as the caveat that visitors will assume risk, just like when people attend a baseball game — we can make it work,” Albanese said.
Pool questioned
While trustees seemed to lean toward approval of the initial plan, some soured at the thought of an outdoor swimming pool on the property.
“Municipal swimming pools are incredibly expensive to maintain and, with the liability issue and all that, if it was up to me, I’d probably rule out a pool,” Supervisor Kurt Heise said.
Billy Casper Golf, which currently manages and maintains the site, is one of two golf course management firms in the running to manage the site once its current contract expires in the spring.
“However, the RFPs (request for proposal) we put out had the firms bid on 18-hole courses with a restaurant,” Heise said. “If we change it to a nine-hole course with the added amenities, they may change their minds and decide to pull out.
“I am intrigued by the nine-hole concept, because that is something people have been talking about for a while. Make Hilltop more enjoyable, competitive — more of an executive course. I’ve heard that often, as well. I just don’t know if the two entities involved feel the nine-hole concept would be profitable.”
When asked how long the course may have to be close during renovation, Albanese delivered a surprising response.
“We’ve remodeled an entire 18-hole golf course and kept it open the entire time,” Albanese said. “Crazy things can be done if you’re dead set on keeping the course open.”
The board agreed to seek more citizen input before moving forward with the plan.
Contact Ed Wright at eawright@hometownlife.com or 517-375-1113.
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The article "You won't believe the concept envisioned for Plymouth's Hilltop Golf Course" was originally published on https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/plymouth/2018/11/02/developer-proposed-one-kind-plan-hilltop-golf-course/1800056002/?src=rss
