Art and Science: Northern Michigan golf course designers on the nature of their work

By Ross Boissoneau

April 2026

Landscape architecture is all about making nature and man-made materials work together. Perhaps nowhere is that as obvious – and at the same time hopefully as unobtrusive – as in golf course design. It is an art and a science, marrying pleasing vistas and challenging layouts incorporating elements such as hills, bunkers, woods and water – ensuring it’s enjoyable enough to bring people back.

Tom Doak: Master of minimalism

Using the natural contours of the land – or not – and creating holes that complement one another while winding around and through meadows, forests, streams and ponds is a challenge. Designers study sciences including horticulture, plant science, soil science and meteorology, learning how wind, water and weather interact with the site. At the same time, they must have a vision beyond what is already there and how they can make their changes seem natural.

Perhaps no current golf course designer utilizes those traits and ideas more than Tom Doak. Known as a minimalist for the way he incorporates the land into his designs with as little change as needed, the Traverse City resident is one of the most celebrated golf course designers in the world.

His successes include Pacific Dunes in Oregon, frequently ranked in the top 10 in the world and widely considered his masterpiece; Tara Iti in New Zealand, ranked sixth on Golf Digest’s World’s 100 Greatest Courses; Barnbougle Dunes in Australia, consistently ranked in the top 30 in the world; and the Loop at Forest Dunes in Roscommon, a unique reversible course ranked 30th by Golf Magazine and 58th (Black) and 69th (Red) by Golf Digest.

High Pointe Golf Club’s renaissance

The head of Renaissance Golf Design studied landscape architecture at Cornell before heading overseas to work and study at St. Andrews and, as Doak says in his biography, “playing and studying every golf course of note.” He gained valuable experience by working with celebrated designer Pete Dye before striking out on his own.

Among the lessons he’s learned over his career is that northern Michigan and sites like it are typically excellent sites on which to build golf courses.

“It’s common wisdom now that building on sand is easier and less expensive,” he said, noting how sandy soils lend themselves to good drainage. He’s put that lesson to use in places as far-flung as Ireland, New Zealand and various coastal locales.

Doak’s most recent triumph is the reconstruction of High Pointe Golf Club in Williamsburg. Named one of America’s Top 100 courses by Golf Magazine, it was Doak’s first design. Despite its reputation, the course closed after the 2008 season, one of many that were shuttered in the wake of the Great Recession. The property was sold and the front nine became a hops farm.

Florida-based businessman and golf enthusiast Rod Trump heard Doak talking about the course on a podcast, and enamored of the idea of restoring the course as a national private golf club, he approached Doak. The two worked together and last year the new High Pointe was named best transformation winner by Golf Digest.

“I was introduced to northern Michigan in 2021,” Trump said. “I was blown away. It was an idyllic summer getaway for me – the long days, climate, proximity to water, the people.”

When he heard Doak discussing the dormant course he’d designed and built, Trump was immediately interested in the potential for reviving the course.

“I was all over it,” he said, “and I wouldn’t do it with anyone else.”

Doak and his team revived six surviving holes and part of a seventh, then built two new ones to complete what had been the original back nine. They then built a new front nine based on drawings he’d originally made for a proposed third nine holes for the course’s original iteration.

“It was routed as a third nine he had routed but never built,” Trump said.

A heritage design team: Matthews Design Group

It’s true that anyone with some property and a bulldozer can create a golf course. But making one that is sustainable, that people enjoy playing, that challenges them and looks good is no easy task. Throw in the fact that acquiring land and creating a course can run in the many millions of dollars and it’s easy to realize what a challenge it is.

That didn’t stop Bruce Matthews. It didn’t hurt that he was born into a century-old family business. His grandfather and namesake graduated from Michigan State University in 1925 with a degree in landscape architecture and a career plan to design golf courses. The elder Bruce eventually formed Matthews & Associates with his son Jerry. After graduating from MSU with a degree in landscape architecture and a lifelong love of the game, young Bruce joined the firm, renamed Matthews Design Group.

The Manistee-based golf course design firm has designed 36 new courses; Matthews has renovated more than 80 to date. He still loves to play and says playing golf keeps his design eye sharp.

“You play, look at [the course], think I want to do that. Put your own twist on it,” he said.

Today he designs new public courses and works on renovation and restoration for private clubs.

“What makes it good is [that it’s] fun to play and challenges all abilities, looks good and fits the landscape,” he said.

Matthews says playing golf is a lifelong activity. His grandfather played until he was 96.

“The challenge makes it fun. It’s a great sport,” he said.

DeVries Designs

Does this area have more than its share of golf course designers? Doak thinks it might.

“You’ve probably discovered Traverse City has more designers per capita” than anywhere else, he said dryly. Many were influenced by him, and several worked for him.

One of the latter is Mike DeVries. Now the head of DeVries Designs in Traverse City, he worked with Doak on High Pointe, part of a 2.5-year tenure with Renaissance. He started playing golf as a youngster alongside an uncle and grandfather and worked at Crystal Downs, all of which he credits as influencing him.

After working with Doak, DeVries went back to college and got a master’s degree in landscape architecture, complementing his B.A. in business administration. Work with Tom Fazio followed before he started his own company.

“It’s like Tonka trucks. I’m still playing in the dirt,” DeVries said with a laugh. 

He’s since designed courses around the globe, as well as working on numerous renovations. From Cape Wickham Links in Australia to the Kingsley Club, DeVries says he continues to develop courses, including an upcoming course in Michigan he’s not yet at liberty to discuss.

The future of course building

High Pointe was only one of the many casualties of the Great Recession. While interest in the game and subsequently in golf course design and renovation perked up during and since COVID-19, Doak says times have changed.

“There was a huge boom in the 90s and early 2000s,” he said. “There were 200 to 300 courses built a year.”

While the post-pandemic boom restored some luster to the game, the pace of construction today is nothing like it was then. Despite that, Doak says he now gets letters all the time from people who want to become golf course architects. Some are young, while others are 60-plus and looking to a second career.

While he doesn’t actively discourage interest in design as a career, he says it’s important to acknowledge the situation.

“The reality is there’s a ton of people and not many new courses,” he said.