DETROIT (WXYZ) — The 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic returns to Detroit Golf Club starting June 27. Stretching to 7,370 yards in the northern part of Detroit, this historic Donald Ross course is set to challenge some of the best golfers in the world.
Related: 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic: Everything you need to know
This is a hole-by-hole look at Detroit Golf Club ahead of the tournament.
Hole 1 – Par 4 – 397 yards
The starting hole is a 397-yard par-4. It’s Detroit Golf Club’s original starting hole that Ross designed in 1916. Players who manage to avoid the two bunkers on the left side of the fairway will have a wedge in for a shot at birdie.
Hole 2 – Par 4 – 453 yards
Hole two is another par 4 stretching to 453 yards with trees lining the fairway and a centerline bunker with bunkers surrounding it on either side in the roug. Players who opt to avoid driver here will have a mid or short iron into this green.
Hole 3 – Par 4 – 393 yards
The third hole at Detroit Golf Club is the only one on the south course used for the tournament. Players should watch their approach shot to the green that slopes back to front. If players are above the hole, it could be a tough putt.
Hole 4 – Par 5 – 635 yards
At 635 yards, the par-5 fourth hole is the longest at Detroit Golf Club. Bunkers line the left side of the fairway and green, with trees and a net to the right and a slight dogleg left. Players trying to reach this hole in two will have a long shot into the green.
Hole 5 – Par 3 – 167 yards
The fifth is a shorter par-3 measuring 167 yards. The uphill tee shot plays slightly longer, with a blind green and deep bunkers surrounding it. Accuracy will be key at this hole.
Hole 6 – Par 4 – 461 yards
Accuracy off the tee at the par-4 sixth is also key to setting up the approach shot. The two-tiered green will have players trying to stay below the hole. In 2021, it was the first of all the holes to play above par on average, and any player making birdie will likely pick up a stroke.
Hole 7 – Par 5 – 552 yards
The seventh hole is a par-5 that played on average below par last year. It's a tight driving hole that will have players avoiding the trees and out of bounds left. Players who don’t find the fairway will have a tough layup before trying to reach the green in regulation.
Hole 8 – Par 4 – 372 yards
Hole 8 is the shortest par-4 on the course at just 372 yards. Players who opt for driver will need to be accurate, but a layup will leave a wedge into the two-tiered green, which drops off on the left side. A par here is a good score.
Hole 9 – Par 3 – 207 yards
The finishing hole on the front 9 is a long par-3 at over 200 yards, slightly downhill. Several tee complexes can have it playing between 175 yards and 207 yards, with out-of-bounds near the green. It’s the only other hole to play on average above par on the front 9.
Hole 10 – Par 4 – 425 yards
The tenth hole is a short dogleg left. Depending on the drive, players will have short-iron or wedge into the green. Going too far straight or left will leave a tougher shot from DGC’s thick rough.
Hole 11 – Par 3 – 233 yards
The longest par-3 on the course, the 11th can be played anywhere from 180 to 233 yards long. A large tee complex with a front bowl will have players being thankful to make par if they miss the green.
Hole 12 – Par 4 – 489 yards
At 489 yards, par is a great score at the 12th, the longest par-4 on the course. The green has a false front, so players will need to control their approach shot and avoid missing the green in regulation if it rolls down the deep slope.
Hole 13 – Par 4 – 393 yards
With a slight dogleg left, a precise tee shot is necessary on the 13th hole, so many players will opt for something other than driver off the tee. Fans should see plenty of birdies here.
Hole 14 – Par 5 – 555 yards
The par-5 15th had nearly 1/3 of players making birdies in 2021, as it’s a shorter par-5 at 555 yards. Players opting to hit the green in two will need to avoid the false front on the left side of the green, and carry the pond in front of it. This hole also kicks off AREA 313, which is one of the loudest spots on the course.
Hole 15 – Par 3 – 160 yards
Players who hit the green on the shortest par-3 on the course will be loudly cheered by fans in Area 313. Large bunkers protect the front, right and left sides of the green, and the hole plays longer than its posted yardage. Any player with a hole-in-one here gets the hardest part of Area 313 done.
Hole 16 – Par 4 – 446 yards
The final hole of AREA 313, players who make a birdie on this 446-yard par-4 will only need an ace on 15 and an eagle on 14 to win $313,000 for a charity of their choice. Fairway bunkers guard the landing area, and many players will have a challenging birdie putt.
Hole 17 – Par 5 – 577 yards
The final par-5 at Detroit Golf Club is reachable and straight, with 45% of players making birdies last year. The green has a generous opening that will also allow players to roll their second shots on the putting surface.
Hole 18 – Par 4 – 455 yards
1The closing hole at Detroit Golf Club will provide much excitement coming down the stretch. A shallow ditch runs the entire length of the hole, and a tee shot to the right side of the fairway will need to avoid two bunkers and the stands. Once on the green, players will face one of the most difficult putting surfaces on the course, and a par might be all that is needed to win on Saturday.
