Katke Cousins Golf Course
Rochester Hills, MI

Katke Cousins is one of two courses at Oakland University in South Easter Michigan.  It's a private course, however one can purchase a basic membership for a very reasonable $500.  It also boasts one of the greatest short game practice facilities you can ever imagine.  3 greens (cut just like all the rest), which are heavily bunkered set up in a triangle with rolling fairway in between them, including a bunker smack dab in the middle of them so you can practice those 50 yard bunker shots.    You can practice all sorts of shots from 100 yards in, and you can bring your own golf balls!

Katke has a great mix of holes, none of which are gimmicky.  From short par 4s to the very long par 5 9th hole.  It also has 4 excellent par 3s all of which have their own personality.  From the tips it's something like 6950 yards, but most of the time I'll play the more reasonable 6500 yard layout, which rates at 72.3/135.

1st Hole

From the "Grizzly" tees, the first hole is a downhill 430 yard par 4. A bunker on the right, and OB and thick grass on the left requires a fairly accurate drive. You can get away with hitting a FW wood from the tee, however, and take advantage of the downhill nature of the tee shot.

1st Hole Tee

3rd Hole

The 3rd is a par 3 slightly downhill over a pond. The green slopes fairly severely from back to front, especially in the back left portion. This hole plays from 150-160 from the Grizzly, or 200+ from the tips. The safe play is always to take the club which gets you over the left side of the green.

4th Hole

The 4th begins a series of the more difficult holes on the front size. Dogleg right, about 410 yards, a good tee shot either on the left side of the fairway, or a long one down the middle sets up the best approach over a creek to the green.

But lose the tee shot left or right, and you'll be hitting 3. The approach shot requires about 1 extra club to a slightly elevated green.

4th Hole

The landing area of #4

6th Hole

The 6th is a great par 3 that plays from 160-185 depending on the location of the pin. The left side is guarded by a bunker, but the miss is to the right, as a large hill can kick the ball to the left and onto the green.

8th hole

The 8th is a short par 4 that requires accuracy off the tee. The hole only plays about 350, and a driver is not required, and in fact, you can drive into the creek that crosses the fairway about 100 yards from the green.

There is water on the left and right of the fairway, so a long iron is suggested, hitting about 200 yards to the 150 stake. If the pin is back right, however, go too far right in the fairway and you'll be blocked out by a large tree, needing a cut shot or a very high ball to get over.

10th Hole

The 10th is one of the few birdie holes on the course. A par 5, about 480 yards, it plays more like 440. There's a fairway bunker on the left that shouldn't be in play for the bigger hitters, and a fairway bunker all along the right side of the fairway in the driving area. A good hit will leave you 220 or so into the green, but it plays much shorter. You can roll one up to the green just with a 200 yard hit.

11th Hole

As easy as 10 is, 11 is that hard. This hole is only 400, but plays more like 440. A good tee shot is required, and anything left of the fairway drops you below the level of the fairway and makes for a really bad angle into the green.

11th hole

12th Hole

I have to say, Katke has some great par 3s. They're all very different requiring different shot making abilities. It's hard to tell from this photo, but #12 plays very much uphill. Requiring at least 1 more club, the hole can range from 165-180. A bunker guards the front left.

If you successfully manage a decent tee shot, the problem occurs if you're above the hole. The green slopes pretty good from back to front, so just get the ball rolling will usually get you to the hole.

12th hole

17th Hole

The last par 3 on the course features a downhill tee shot ranging from 165-185 on the deep, narrow green. Bunkers all around the green deems accuracy to be parmount.