Of the many golf architects that have shaped the land beneath their hands, among the most famous is the one named Alister Mackenzie. He has designed Cypress Point and Augusta National to name but a few and among his works, is the Crystal Downs course of Michigan.

Being nestled between Lake Michigan and Crystal Lake, wind is a constant factor while at play. That, combined with a terrain that is quite hilly, making accurate shots is a must at Crystal Downs if you want to keep your score down.

Alistair Mackenzie was reportedly quite good at putting and as a result, the designs of his course tend to reflect that style of play. The greens at this course are especially challenging being augmented by the already undulating terrain, which upon the fifth hole creates a blind shot to the green. The eighth hole holds another interesting challenge: A 550-yard, par five that play’s all the way uphill unto a sloping green. The untamed slopes that litter the fairway do not aid the player’s shot. The fifth through the seventh hole’s are less than 380 yards but the insidious subtlety of both the terrain and the vision of the architect make these holes far from an easy challenge. The front nine of Crystal Downs are considered to be among the best of Alister MacKenzie’s work. A transition takes place when one travels to the final holes of the course, where you are transported to holes that would not look out of place among the legendary courses of the United Kingdom.

Get a lot of practice in before taking on the hills of Crystal Downs. Every time you visit, it will find a new way to surprise you.