Founded in 1909, this Club is a family-oriented country club nestled in the heart of Michigan. As the Club began its transition to private ownership, Leadership hired Chambers to develop a Master Plan for the best long-term solution for Club success. To best incorporate all the Club’s desired, state-of-the-art amenities, Chambers developed plan to move the entire campus to another location on the property adjacent to the Lake on the Club’s property with breathtaking views of the lake and golf course.
A brand-new Clubhouse will feature multiple indoor dining experiences (Casual Dining, Bar/Lounge, Private Dining, Chef’s Table, and Quick Service Restaurant), as well as various outdoor terraces, green spaces, and covered patio experiences. New banquet facilities will be accompanied by a dedicated Pre-Function area and separate entrance to the building. A centralized Main Kitchen will support all dining experiences, and members will also have access to a dedicated Member Library, BoardRoom, and Conference Room facilities. A state-of-the-art fitness center will also have a separate entrance, and nearby Men’s and Women’s Locker Rooms will be supported by separate Lounge and Spa services. The new Clubhouse also includes a Golf Pro Shop Center, a 6-Lane Bowling and Gaming Center, a Media/Theater Screening Room, a dedicated Youth and Teen Center, and Employee Office and Support Areas.
In addition to the brand-new Clubhouse, the Master Plan includes a new Indoor Tennis & Pickleball Facility with dedicated Pro Shop, Exterior Racquet & Paddle Courts with accompanying Paddle Hut, a new Aquatics Center (with separate Family, Adult, Spa & Slide pools with interactive water features), and a Golf Performance Center (GPC). The GPC will feature dedicated Private Training Hitting Bays, a Golf Club Fitting Studio Hitting Bay, four Open Hitting Bays, a Putting Laboratory with multiple surfaces, a Member Lounge Area, Electric Golf Cart Storage, Member Golf Bag Storage, Support Facilities, and a Rooftop Viewing area overlooking the Putting Green and redesigned 18th Hole. The Master Plan also includes a Parking Plaza with Underground Parking, Underground Receiving Areas, and a Central Utility Plant. Once the new campus is complete, the existing Clubhouse site will be reconfigured to become part of the modified golf course design.
Sustainable Design Features
The design of each facility includes thoughtful attention to sustainable design practices and construction methods, including but not limited to the following:
- Energy Conservation: Natural ventilation in the underground parking garage, LED lighting and controls, Electric Vehicle Charging Stations, and energy efficient building envelope strategies including minimal air infiltration & thermal buffering.
- Site Harvested Wood: Locally milled materials (to support local businesses and reduce supply chain issues) include 38,000 board feet of lumber salvaged for re-use (will appear throughout as wood ceilings, wood tables in dining spaces, etc.), 14,000 board feet of site-recovered wood flooring, thermally modified wood decking for exterior use.
- Mass Timber Construction: Regionally sourced wood within 250 miles of the Club site to support mass timber construction, which weighs less (leading to reduction in foundations and concrete), has inherent fire-resistant properties, offers health benefits associated with wood environments, has 30% less carbon dioxide emissions, and offers construction efficiency (off-site production, increased accuracy, speed of erection).
- Water Conservation: The new design offers a 26% reduction in pervious area compared to the previous construction, including a green roof, underground parking, and runoff reduction of 14%. Pools are strategically placed to dissipate building heat discharge, course irrigation will use a closed-loop system from the on-site Lake, and natural areas that need little-to-no irrigation help reduce water consumption.
- Stormwater Management: On-site infiltration infrastructure directs to the on-site Lake, which serves as an irrigation and detention source for the course. All wetlands are protected, run-off is directed to an on-site retention basin, perforated pipes allow for infiltration, and vegetation performs energy dissipation and filtration.
- Health & Wellness: Features natural daylight in 75% of health & wellness spaces. Architecture and design connect to the natural environment, including locally sourced materials, exposed wood features, and thermal comfort control systems.
- Golf Course Stewardship: Modifications designed to minimize the needs to alter/remove existing native landscapes and retain as much vegetation as possible. Course design includes erosion and sediment control, maintains wetlands, and aeration for better air and moisture penetration.
- Wetland & Habitat Protection: Conducted a wetland survey to determine protected areas and preserve old growth wetlands. Obtained a protected plant and animal species database from Michigan Natural Features Inventory, including various species of turtles, snakes and bats. Construction could not begin until bats migrated for the year so as not to disturb their habitat. Limited uplighting is used throughout to minimize impact on natural habitats and bid migration patterns.