Courtesy of Saint John's Resort
Saint John’s Resort in Plymouth, Michigan, announced its new golf course will open for play in spring 2024. The project is part of a $50-million resort transformation of the resort that commenced in 2021 under the property’s new ownership group, the non-profit Pulte Family Charitable Foundation. The effort is one of the biggest public golf projects in the Detroit area in the past two decades.
“It's hard to believe that a golf rich state like Michigan and the metro Detroit area has not had a new high-end public golf facility in so long,” said Paul Wegert, CEO of Boutique Hotel Professionals and managing director of Saint John’s Resort. “We believe the area is prime for a new high-end golf product, and we are very happy that we have elevated the golf experience to match our resort transformation. Our golfers and guests, who visit from all over the country, will be excited when they see it.”
Designed by Michigan-based golf course architect Raymond Hearn, the new golf course, named “The Cardinal,” has undergone a complete transformation, including a new 18-hole championship golf course, seven-hole par-3 course with famous template greens and a two-acre putting course.
Hearn has partnered LaBar Golf Renovations to alter the southeast Michigan golf property. Merion Golf Club, Muirfield Village Golf Club, Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, Winged Foot Country Club and Oakland Hills Country Club are among LaBar’s past projects. Hearn and LaBar worked closely with Saint John’s Resort superintendent Kevin Peck throughout construction.
The Cardinal at Saint John’s Resort sits on 200 acres of rolling land where the original 27-holes were completely removed to build the new course. The course presents an original experience with holes being routed in all directions factoring in elevation, wind, terrain and scenic beauty. The course also utilizes the flow of the land and the beautiful 100-year-old trees that were saved during the project and now frame many of the holes, providing a classic design aesthetic from the Golden Age of golf course architecture. Several holes also feature classic green contours and bunkering.
“It has been a thrill to be able to work on this project for Saint John’s Resort and the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation,” Hearn said. “The land, with its natural glacier forms and beautiful hundred-year-old trees, was a great foundation to work with. We were able to save many of the old mature trees and create a routing that kept them in play around green sites and along fairways, which is a bit unique in today’s golf course architecture that focuses more on tree removal.
“This also allowed me to draw on my inspiration from previous Donald Ross, Tom Bendelow and Willie Park Jr. projects as well as one of my favorite courses, The Old Course at Sunningdale by Willie Park Jr. Our goal was to create a fun golf experience and I believe we have achieved that and then some with this project.”
Hearn, an ASGCA member, recognized the importance of making the course entertaining and playable for all levels of players. He created fun and strategy by using a five-tee system on each hole to provide multiple approach angles.
Complementing the new championship course is a seven-hole short course, two-acre putting course and short-game area. The multipurpose golf entertainment venue will wrap around the resort’s driving range and Carl’s Golfland. The short course offers inspiration from famous green complexes such as the Punchbowl, Redan and Biarritz. The putting course drew its inspiration from the putting venues at St. Andrews and Pinehurst.
“The layout of our property, with the proximity of Carl’s Golfland and the range, was a perfect location to create a pure golf entertainment venue,” Wegert said. “We have also added a new food and beverage venue near the putting course, which will be a great gathering place for golfers, corporate groups, wedding parties, families, and kids.”.
In 2021, the William J Pulte estate purchased the former Inn at St. John’s from the Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit and donated it to the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation, which has since rebranded the property into Saint John’s Resort.
In addition to the golf course development, the resort and hotel transformation includes updated rooms, a 6,200-square-foot pavilion, 17,000-square-foot grand ballroom, new wedding pavilion, wine bar and other interior upgrades throughout the resort.