Tom Doak shows his 'minimalist' approach on the Black Forest golf course at Wilderness Valley in Gaylord, Michigan
GAYLORD, Mich. -- The Black Forest Course at Wilderness Valley is renowned architect Tom Doak's second design and the first to really exemplify his "minimalist" approach.
The golf course, which opened in 1992, is set on 400 acres of native Michigan evergreen and hardwood forests and cuts through the land naturally.
Where Doak gets golfers is on the greens and in the bunkering. The greens have that classic look, like they were crafted by hand rather than machinery, making them difficult to read. Many of the breaks are subtle and many of the putts have multiple breaks, including tricky ones around the holes.
There are more than 100 bunkers on the course and no two look alike. They are true hazards, so they are to be avoided at almost any cost.
Each hole is independent of each other and there are no homes on the course. From the tips, it will play more than 7,000 yards, but power isn't the key to success. Golfers must manage this par 72 with careful club selection, calculated misses and a keen short game.