Sanctuary Lake Golf Course

I want to say this golf course is just awesome. I took my father here (for the first time) for his birthday and he cannot golf at the moment due to his back so he just comes to watch me play. Most of the courses I play charge us a $6 to $15! rider fee and question us. Sanctuary Lake's staff did not say one word they treated me and my dad like members and I really really appreciated that. He loved the round and so did I!!! Amazing people and course. Worth the money, worth the time, and worth the trip 1000% over again!

This course has a great layout for the area and has elevation differences. I really used to like this course. But over the last year the course conditions have been heading in the wrong direction. Areas of the fairway have no grass where there have been some construction done. The greens are full of pitch marks that are not repaired making it impossible to putt accurately. It used to be a better kept course that was a great value, but now it is just a hackers course with low quality maintenance. Even the bunkers are not well maintained. There is no sand in them, just dirt.

I've played this course several times and pace of play has been an issue no matter when I come out to play. I knew playing in the AM on the 4th of July would be slow, but after spending 3 hours to play just 8 holes, my partner and I called it quits for the day. The course layout creates some of the delay with several blind shots, but overbooking is the biggest culprit. This course needs 9 or 10 minute tee times and I believe they are scheduling every 6-7 minutes. The rangers have always tried to keep things moving, but it just doesn't seem to be working at all. The course was in decent shape considering the lack of rain for more than a month and the staff was helpful. They did offer me a rain check for the remaining 9 holes I didn't choose to play. They were very understanding.

the course was in good shape, only complaint is they were overbooked, we waited on every hole.

Overall course was fine minus the constant zig zag between holes and blind shots off the tees if your playing from the tips. This especially sucked if it's your first time. Cattails/marsh was too high to even see where the hole went.

very hilly, undulating greens, plays longer. Course is in great shape. Staff are exceptionally pleasant and courteous. This is one of those courses you need to play more than once to understand where you need to be. Lots of fun, plays a lot longer than indicated. Lots of heather, not a lot of water, but lots of places you don't want to be either. Will definitely give it another go, or many more if I can. Very, very hot day but not a lot of shade.

Sanctuary Lake does everything wrong when it comes to course setup, management and design. Be prepared to play a 5+ hr round if you play during the weekend. Most people blame slow play on the people, but this one is ALL management, and it always amazes me how oblivious they can be:

Let's start from the top. You know it's going to be a long day when you get to the first tee, and they're running 20-25 minutes late, and you had a morning tee time. The ONLY way this happens is by having tee times which are too close together. 6 minutes intervals here, I believe, which is absolutely nuts. If you can't keep your players teeing off on time, then it's YOUR fault, because you're jamming too many people in together. It only gets worse from here.

Two, the layout is awful. 4 or 5 completely blind tee shots, some of which the tee box aims you toward the opposing fairway. How someone who has ever played this course is supposed to know where to aim is beyond me. But what it ends up doing is having people look for balls all over the place, because there are few landmarks, and once you get into other fairways, you slow down yourself and the other groups.

Three, blind tee shots in which there are unseen hazards and long grass. So it's bad enough when you can't see your shot land, but then having long grass which you can't see from the tee and it only slows things down even more.

Four, 3 tee boxes which all converge in the same very small area. #1, 7 and 12, if I remember correctly. You'll have half a dozen carts which make it look like a traffic jam, it's loud, and obnoxious.

ALL four of these is the fault of management and design, and they are the sole cause of 5+ hour rounds.

On top of all of that, they use ILLEGAL, yes, ILLEGAL cup "rings" which go all the way up to the surface. Look it up Supers, the cup liner has to be 1" below the surface of the green according to the USGA. These things are terrible. They're for the lazy superintendents, so they don't have to move the pins every day. What ends up happening is that the holes develop an "anthill" effect, where everything breaks away from the hole. You will almost NEVER lip "in", everything lips out.

Finally, the stench on this property around the 1, 7, and 12 is disgusting. It literally smells like someone took a dump on the first tee box depending on the wind direction. Definitely gotten worse since I played here 3-4 years ago. I couldn't wait to leave this place.

I'll never play another Troy course outside of some special event.

In general, we liked the course, but the condition was not good. Even for the better rate through GolfNow, it was overpriced. The greens were very slow and a bit bumpy. The tee boxes were chewed up. I would play again if I hear that the conditions improve, but I will have a hard time convincing my friends to return.

Great course, drains great, only thing needed was a better pace

A good course but you need to play it a few times due to a few blind tee shots. You'll also have to watch out for the holes that run parallel with each other. There aren't trees to knock down errant shots. Only problem I had was the starter putting me - a single with a foursome. The ranger finally fixed things up on the 4th hole and teamed me up with a twosome that had played through on the five of us

Course in good shape for early spring. Greens as expected sanded and varied.

Great course, elevated tees, overpriced.

Golf in March is a bonus, course was a bit wet so cart paths only. Some greens were not open, temporary greens cut in on a few holes. Course is built on landfill so you do get a bit of Methane smell in low areas. Overall a nice design and I'd like to play it again during the summer months. For $20.00 green fee it was a good time.

Course was ok. It was way too busy. And I heard from other friends , that , the staff here overload the course. It was a slow pace , which doesn't allow you to get in a rythim.

Beautiful day so it was busy everyone trying to get in another 18 holes.. little slow but not too bad once got past first few holes. Natural habitat very relaxing & makes you feel you out on the country. Really like this course.

great staff and course. Greens were fast. challenging elevations.

Great course, but tends to get backed up at the 4th hole. Having just really started getting into golf this summer, this course was a great confidence builder. Challenging, but pretty straightforward. No trees, but still easy to lose your ball off the fairway in the high grass.

We teed off at 7am on a Saturday morning.... The starter forced us to pair up with another 2-some that played ungodly slow. We had 4 rangers come and try to speed us up and asked several times to allow them to let us play as a twosome. At the end of the round we had 3 holes open in front of us because they forced us to group up. Poor course management and really poor attitudes by the employees.

Played a wonderful 18 at the Sanctuary on a Monday afternoon; cruised through in about 3.5 hours (not sure what pace-of-play complaints are about!). Course was well kept, holes are nicely designed, not too easy and not too hard; the front nine is nice but you can see a bit of surrounding traffic etc--the back nine disappears into the woods and is absolutely lovely. Staff was friendly, and they stock Michigan craft beer! Beware the sneaky 17th hole: a 260-yard par 4...total man-eater.

Had a great outing. Course was in great shape. Challenging, but fair. Fun and attractive layout, especially the back 9. No problems at all with pace of play on a weekday. Very fair price. Friendly staff. I'd say this is one of the more underrated courses in the area. Will definitely be back.