 |
By VW
Located south of Kalamazoo, Angel’s Crossing is one of the best kept secrets in Michigan. But it’s a relatively new course, so there are rough edges, including a barely passable clubhouse and an utter lack of signage, requiring an “X marks the spot” hunt for every tee. And the worst, in my opinion: No alcohol! So, here in Vicksburg, you can drink up the stunning design of the course, but you can’t do it with a Miller Lite. However, they are more than comfortable with the use of a personal cooler. A friend and I showed up for our first round and a very sweet clubhouse attendant directed us to the Shell station less than a mile east of the course. With open slots in front of us and no one set to tee off immediately after us, we got a foam cooler and a case of beer for less than $25. So, in retrospect, maybe not offering alcohol could be a positive attribute…
Angel’s Crossing’s architect took full advantage of the undulating and open terrain. True to the industrial heritage of the region, the course is set on the site of one of the largest paper mills in Michigan. There are five tees, offering a challenge to a range of skilled golfers.
| #1 |
"Home on the Range." From this Par 4, you can see almost the entire course. Deep waste bunkers line both sides of the fairway. Even bogie-shooters can hit the landing area on this hole. Go for the gusto and you will have a short second to a slightly elevated green that drops like Niagara Falls on the back side. Shoot for the front of the green to allow for a better approach uphill. |
| #2 |
"Lonesome Valley." With the green just 273 yards away, this short Par 4 begs to be driven. Thick woods on the left and a mess on the right leave little room for errant tee shots. The elevated green is guarded on the front side by a bunker deeper than Barry White's voice. Play it smart with a fairway wood or hybrid and take a well-deserved par. |
| #3 |
"All in the Family." Be careful when you approach the tee the first time you play. We made the mistake of playing the back tees, not realizing that the whites were around the corner, offering a less obstructed view of the green. Playing the back tees requires a play over a marsh to the green, situated so the top of the flag is the only visible sign of the pin location. From the white and forward tees, the hole plays significantly easier, both in distance and approach. The left side falls off toward the marsh and the right side is guarded by yet another deep bunker. |
| #4 |
"Box Lunch." This is an aptly named hole. You can and will get your lunch served to you on this Par 5, a legitimate 500-yard hole. The hole plays long due to the dogleg right, with tall grasses and woods lining the fairway left and right. Your second shot will most likely put you at a distance that will carry you right into the grouping of five fairway bunkers dead center of the fairway. The slope of the last bunker obstructs the view of the abbreviated green, so whether you are playing your second or third shot onto the green, there will be a significant measure of guesswork and luck (that pretty much sums up my approach!). |
| #5 |
"Shepard's Crook." This 302-yard Par 4 is possibly my favorite on the entire course. Thanks to limited skills with my irons, this hole removes that necessity by giving you a chance to cut the open corner and drive the green, a two-tiered monster where the pin is generally stuck at the bottom of the down slope. While there is a risk to this approach, in observing fellow golfers that choose to play GIR golf, playing to the corner offers a greater risk of losing your tee shot. The tree line serves as a backstop for those playing to the corner. The distance to the dogleg, in my opinion, is a tweener. Most play a driver and spend precious time on the course kicking through overgrowth, while others are marking their balls on the green. |
| #6 |
"The Chasm." On approach, this looks like a typical, ho-hum Par 3. First timers and those that return again and again will constantly be awed by the topography. The obvious jeopardy from the tee is the bunker on the right and waste area beyond that. However, unless the green is overshot, without exception, golf balls will find their way to the middle of a huge green that is three feet below the front and back. Three jacks on this hole are common and add to the enjoyment of what appears to be mundane. |
| #7 |
"Nostalgia." Named for the contour of the green (a punchbowl turned upside down), the Par 4 7th is a shot maker's dream. The trees line the left side of the fairway through a dogleg left. If you can hook your tee shot, you will leave yourself in the A position for your approach. Straight or faded drives take you into a mound at the right corner and trees beyond. Let us know if you would like advice on this position, as my once-regaled hook comes up missing just at this point in the round. Once on the green, there is a sense of appreciation for the historical significance of the punchbowl as nearly every angle offers a challenge to even the most deft putters. |
| #8 |
"The Hill." While this Par 5 delivered one of my first legitimate eagles off of the succession of two great shots, the 8th has always left me wanting for more. While the name may allude to some mountainous trek, there is little elevation throughout this course. 240 yards will clear the fairway bunker and spot you in a wide open landing area. The further your drive, the better the view of the green. Make your putt and move on to better things. |
| #9 |
"Risk." The 9th is a fun short-length Par 4 that offers yet another opportunity to drive the green. Lock in on the bunker dead center and there is a chance of running your tee shot onto the green. Deviate from that target and you are faced with heavy woods on the right and fescue on the left. The 9th is the perfect finishing hole for the front as your confidence can be boosted by par or better. |
| #10 |
"Skyline." You will find little in the way of amenities at the turn, so whatever you have with you (in your bag or cooler) is what you have for the back nine. The Par 4 10th is a recurring theme at this course; wide landing areas and open greens that challenge depth perception, club selection, and ultimately the golfer. Waste bunkers line both sides of the fairway and the entirety of the hole is spent climbing (modestly remember) to the green. I have played this dead center of the fairway and from the 17th tee box. Neither presented a better angle than the other. The green is simply tough to judge. There are three levels to the green and a hesitant short game will send the ball in the opposite direction. |
| #11 |
"Forget Me Not." I cannot help but laugh when I approach the tee on the Par 4 11th. Even mid-length drivers can reach this green, which sits at the end of a dogleg right below the tee box. You can play modestly here and shoot for the corner 180 yards away or take the fairway out and driver over the waste bunkers to the green itself. No postage stamp, this green is wide, deep, and accommodating. What is always funny to me is the memory of a round with some friends that were new not only to Angel's Crossing but to the game of golf. One friend in particular, Podj, to his own shock and amazement, drove the green on 11 while a foursome in front of us was still on the green. I followed Podj (ready golf is always the golden rule) with a drive to the right side of the green where the men were currently walking off toward their respective carts. I have always followed golfing etiquette, so to have the group from the Flomax commercial waiting for our motley crew green side was ridiculous and dangerous. |
| #12 |
"The Redan." The Par 3 12th, like so many longer par 3's, will always be viewed as snobbery by those of us that don't like to decide between a 2 Iron that we know we can't hit and a driver we know we can't control. This Par 3 is not as bad as some, but it can play anywhere from 100 yards (forward tees) to 260 yards (tips), with the whites right in the meat of the curve. It is entire mental, but when I am faced with a wide open space between the tee and green on a par 3, I usually end up laying up and walking in disgust to my tee shot. No matter the case, a huge bunker defends almost the entire green. Yao Ming couldn't see the green from this bunker. The hole was well-designed around this bunker because there is no real shot at the flag that doesn't bring the bunker into play. So, go for it! What do you have to lose? Five dollars? A round of drinks? Your wife? Whichever way, you will end up ahead. |
| #13 |
"Ole Yeller." This 500-yard plus Par 5, while grand in scale (and maybe even in concept), left no impression on me. If you are like me, you can close your eyes and remember a course, hole by hole, sometimes shot by shot. With this hole, I have either repressed the memory due to absolutely sophomoric play or it simply didn't deliver. Either way, what I do know is that, for one of a few times on this course, precision is critical. The first landing area is choked by twin bunkers and similar hazards await your second shot. Play your second shot out to the right to take the bunkers out of play. |
| #14 |
"Foonman's Field." A straight unencumbered fairway gives the impression that low scores are guaranteed if you only hit the ball. Jeopardy presents itself by tucking the green behind a 500-year-old oak tree. Because I am prone to a slight fade, I have never enjoyed the luxury of an approach shot that did not involve that damn tree- that is to say nothing of the slope of the green. Play your approach to the front of the green and your first putt will most certainly fly past the pin. Shoot for the back of the green and you may end up in the tall stuff. The beauty of this hole is the subtlety with which they torture you. |
| #15 |
"Hickory." The Par 4 15th is another of my favorites at the Crossing. There is water 150 yards out that bends in toward the fairway, squeezing the landing area if you carry the edge of the pond. Kill the ball off of the tee and a set of bunkers and tall grasses await you. One of the few water holes that I can say with blushing I never put a ball in the drink. |
| #16 |
"Point Blank." This is what a par 3 should be. The length is sufficient to challenge your accuracy, but doesn't become your focus. Bunkers abound and the pin is often set just beyond them. |
| #17 |
"The Natural." Every course should give signature names to the holes. It just seems to class the joint up a notch when you can refer to scoring well on The Natural. Of the four Par 5's here, this is by far the most enjoyable to me. Maybe it is because the layout is beautiful and the scenery divine. Or, maybe it is just that it has been a long round and the end is literally in sight. The 17th is referred to as a Cape Hole. Architects certainly know better, but based on experience, it's named because of the shape and flow of the hole from tee to green. Look at an atlas, zoom in on Cape Cod, and that is roughly the 17th at Angel's Crossing. I have only seen a few tee shots that split the middle (myself among those few). Most end up down the left side, either between bunkers or in the tall grass. Attempting the green from this point is fruitless, because you will most likely not get the loft required to carry up to the green. The entire hole slopes to this spot, so always play the high side and let it drift to the center of the fairway. |
| #18 |
"Judgment." The finishing hole at The Crossing, like many of the preceding holes appears simple, strategically speaking. Moderate drive down the middle, safe approach to the green, two putt for par, and then a nice glass of lemonade. This fairway is tight. Mounds of fescue wait to deliver your Pro-V to golf ball heaven on the right and the marsh on the left has claimed shoes and pant legs since opening. The green is narrow and deep, with a single bunker to ward off approaching shots. Land your shot, make your putt, and savor the enjoyment of a round at Angel's Crossing. |
| Unfortunately, there is little in the way of services or activity after your round. Drop your cart, load your gear, and head for Kalamazoo! |
 |
 |
| 1) |
Fee Factor
|
18
|
| High season rates are reasonable and low season rates are a steal. |
| 2) |
Friendliness Factor
|
17
|
| Everyone at Angel's Crossing was extremely polite. However, with so little to offer in fringe benefits, how can you really gauge the reception? |
| 3) |
Fringe Factor
|
16
|
| We are willing to cut the course some slack in this area due to the course entering its fourth year of operation. The clubhouse is fairly sparse and looks to have been an afterthought. The practice facility is sufficient and all should improve with time and success. |
| 4) |
From 1st Tee to Handshake Factor
|
18
|
| Always a great experience at this course. Friends that are new to the course rave about it. Bring your own beverage and enjoy golf near its best. |
| 5) |
Fun Factor
|
19
|
| A course can be fun for any number of reasons. This course excels at making average golfers feel good about their game. It is challenging but not torturing. Each round here has been a modest improvement over the last. |
Website: http://www.golfangelscrossing.com
Check out the Where to section: for places to eat, drink, and stay in southwest Michigan.
|
