Strategic Play at Pheasant Run Golf Club: Paul Simpson Shares Course Design and Layout Strategy

In a recent episode of Lesson on Golf host Jeff Lesson sat down with Paul Simpson, General Manager and PGA Professional at Pheasant Run Golf Club. Owned and operated by the Township of Canton, this 27-hole facility has become a local staple for players across Metro Detroit. Simpson shared insights on the course's strategic design, tournament history, and how to manage your club selection out on the fairways.

The conversation highlighted how the course manages to attract a diverse crowd of players every week by offering an upscale public experience that balances a challenging layout with top-tier golf hospitality.

A 27-Hole Destination Getting Ready for the Season

The footprint of the course is intentionally versatile, featuring three distinct 9-hole layouts that combine to create a comprehensive 27-hole property. Built in 1998, the course delivers a classic northern Michigan feel with mature trees, pristine wetlands, and wide fairways that open up plenty of options off the tee box.

Because the facility handles high seasonal traffic from surrounding local communities, the grounds crew focuses heavily on maintaining excellent turf health. The layout came through the seasonal transition in spectacular shape, with the bentgrass practice grounds and main courses fully prepped to support heavy everyday play alongside organized local leagues.

Early Season Operational Plans

Rather than setting up the course to be overly penal, the management strategy relies on maintaining a fair yet competitive environment. While the facility regularly hosts high-profile local events—including the Publics Medal Play and various amateur, senior, and ladies' qualifiers—it remains optimized for the regular public golfer.

"A lot of golf courses, a lot of modern golf courses, they've almost made them too hard and your average to below-average golfer just, you know, they don't like going out there and losing a dozen golf balls. So, um, but this course is still challenging for a, for a great player, but very playable for your beginning player, for ladies, for seniors."

By offering five distinct sets of tee boxes, players can customize their total distance to match their skill level. This operational flexibility keeps the course accessible to newcomers while ensuring the putting surfaces and fairways retain the strategic depth required for tournament play.

Strategic Club Selection on the Fairways

While a majority of the holes permit golfers to pull the driver without a second thought, the course features a handful of tighter stretches that demand precise positioning.

Simpson broke down the layout's signature challenges and explained why course management is the ultimate key to putting together a good score.

"There's probably four or five par 4s and par 5s where you have to, have to position your shot and you're just, you're looking for where the hazards start and where the widest part of the fairway is. And, uh, you know, you're just being, you got to be very strategic on some of those holes and play to that, that yardage, say it's 220 when you might be hitting a three-wood or a hybrid into that, on that hole."

Using the par-5 16th hole as an example, Simpson noted that a pond sits roughly 250 to 260 yards off the tee. Smart players will look at the hole backwards, identify the widest landing zones short of the hazard, and lay up with a hybrid or a three-wood. This strategic approach gives average players more room for error and sets up an optimal, controlled approach shot to the well-guarded green.

Planning Your Trip

With peak season underway and prime weekend slots filling up quickly, advanced planning is highly recommended for traveling groups and local foursomes looking to secure the best dates.

• Booking Window: Tee times can be booked up to two weeks in advance.

• Online Reservations: Golfers can explore availability and reserve times directly through the official site at golfprgc.org.

About Lesson on Golf

Lesson on Golf is hosted by Jeff Lesson and produced by Make The Turn, the team behind Metro Detroit Golfers—one of the largest golf communities in Michigan.

The show highlights courses, destinations, and golf experiences across the state.

👉 Explore more episodes on the Metro Detroit Golfers YouTube channel.