Detroit, MI
This is the best public golf course in each metro Detroit county
University of Michigan Golf Course 18th hole shows views of Ann Arbor
From the tee box on the par-4 18th hole at University of Michigan Golf Course, which gives views of Ann Arbor and requires an approach over a pond.
Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press
What are the best public golf courses in the metro Detroit area? We looked at the six foremost counties surrounding the city and took stock of the plethora of golf course options to come to a conclusion.
There are many wonderful and beautiful public courses in metro Detroit, so it was hard to just pick one from each county. But that’s what Free Press columnist Carlos Monarrez set out to do in 2025, pulling from decades of experience playing the game in these parts.
Our list was based purely on the golf, taking into account many variables including playability, fun, strategy, conditions and views.
Here now is the best public golf course, as of 2025, to play in Livingston County, Macomb County, Monroe County, Oakland County, Washtenaw County and Wayne County.
Click the link on the course name to learn more about each selection.
For the best public golf courses in the entire state of Michigan, we have a list for that, too, thanks to Golfweek.
Best golf course in Livingston County: Moose Ridge Golf Course
Where: South Lyon.
Carlos says: Moose Ridge provides a rare Up North feel in southeast Michigan with plenty of natural beauty and teeth to test every aspect of your game.
Best golf course in Macomb County: The Orchards Golf Club
Where: Washington Township.
Carlos says: The Orchards has beauty, variety, challenge and many upscale touches, making it a mainstay in our rankings.
Best golf course in Monroe County: The Legacy Golf Club
Where: Ottawa Lake.
Carlos says: The Legacy by Arthur Hills is unadorned, windswept beauty combined with variety and challenge.
Best golf course in Oakland County: Shepherd’s Hollow Golf Club
Where: Clarkston.
Carlos says: Shepherd’s Hollow blends a luxe experience with secluded beauty and an Up North feel among 27 of the prettiest holes in Michigan.
Best golf course in Washtenaw County: U-M Golf Course
Where: Ann Arbor.
Carlos says: The University of Michigan Golf Course incorporates beautiful design, variety and beguiling boomerang greens from perhaps the greatest golf architect of all-time, Alister MacKenzie. His only other design in Michigan is the private Crystal Downs, a top-50 course in the world.
Best golf course in Wayne County: The Cardinal at St. John’s
Where: Plymouth Township.
Carlos says: The Cardinal, the first new high-end public golf course addition in southeast Michigan in about two decades, is playable with a classic design from Ray Hearn (who also built Moose Ridge) with immaculate conditions. Someone we know even shot their best score ever in their first round at The Cardinal.
Marlowe Alter is an assistant sports editor at the Detroit Free Press and spraying golf aficionado. You can reach him by email: malter@freepress.com.
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Detroit, MI
Downtown Development Authority approves $75M for Renaissance Center
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Detroit, MI
Detroit Historical Museum hosting new exhibition in honor of Red Wings’ centennial
DETROIT (WXYZ) — The Detroit Historical Museum is hosting a new exhibition in honor of the Detroit Red Wings’ centennial season.
It’s called “Detroit Red Wings at 100: Becoming Hockeytown” and will be in three galleries at the Detroit Historical Museum.
Inside the City of Champions Gallery, the new Motor City Showcase and the Detroit Artists Showcase, fans will find rare artifacts from the Historical Society, the team’s archives and the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Some of the artifacts include:
- Uniforms from Detroit Red Wings greats, including the Grind Line and Russian Five
- Rarely-seen artifacts on loan from the Hockey Hall of Fame and Windsor Community Museum
- Vintage audio and video clips of some of the greatest Red Wings moments in history
- A spotlight on the players who have had their numbers retired
There are also lockers like the ones in Olympia Stadium, a chance to flash the original goal lights from Joe Louis Arena and hear the organ from Olympia.
“It’s an honor to see a century of Red Wings history brought to life at the Detroit Historical Museum,” Ilitch Sports + Entertainment Senior Vice President of Brand Marketing Asia Gholston said in a statement “Every decade has its own defining moments, and this exhibit gives our fans a special opportunity to celebrate the passion, pride, and legacy that have defined 100 years of Red Wings hockey.”
The exhibition will be on display all season long, and fans can also shop vintage Red Wings merchandise at the museum store.
Detroit, MI
Detroit Lions players pack food to help those in need have a Thanksgiving meal
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Coming off their recent Sunday win, the Detroit Lions players and staff joined others in the community to put in a win for Thanksgiving meals for those in need.
On Tuesday, Nov. 11, players and staff joined volunteers from Meijer and the Lineage Foundation for Good in packing Thanksgiving meal kits at Gleaners Community Bank in Taylor.
Volunteers packed canned and dry goods into 3,000 Thanksgiving meal kits.
Those meal kits are part of the Lions’ plans for 10,000 kits – double from last year. Part of what made the meal kits possible is donations from Detroit Lions partners.
For years, the Lions have done Thanksgiving meal initiatives to help those in need. This is the second annual partnership with Grand Rapids-based grocer, Meijer, and the third with Gleaners. As they did last year, Meijer, the exclusive grocery partner for the Lions, is donating all proceeds from this year’s “Raise the Roar” Lions flag sales to the Detroit Lions Foundation, with proceeds tackling food insecurity.
The meal kit packing initiative began a month ago and included Detroit Lions partners AAA – The Auto Club Group (ACG), Delta Airlines, Jiffy Mix, Lineage Foundation for Good and Modern Woodmen of America.
Angela Halverson, director of community giving for Gleaners Community Food Bank, said packing these meal kits on Tuesday represents a “community coming together to help neighbors,” who might be food insecure this time of year.
“The timing is important because Thanksgiving is in a couple of short weeks from now, and we want to make sure that many in southeastern Michigan are going to sit down to a warm meal that they can count on for that Thanksgiving dinner.”
Halverson said many metro Detroiters will choose between heating their house and purchasing food.
“The Lions are coming together in a partnership with Gleaners to help take one of those worries, ideally off the table,” Halverson told the Free Press.
The 10,000 Thanksgiving meal kits equate to providing more than 330,000 meals. This year the distribution includes metro Detroit food banks as well as those Grand Rapids, Lansing, Saginaw and Traverse City.
Each meal kit includes canned and dry goods. There are green beans, corn, fruit, stuffing, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, cranberry sauce and Jiffy Mix.
Once the kits make it to distribution sites, there’s an addition of a 3-pound bag of fresh apples from North Bay Produce and a whole turkey.
In the boxes are everything you would want for Thanksgiving from potatoes to produce.
“It’s nutritious and warm comforting food and exactly what we need this time of year,” said Halverson.
For Gleaners Community Food Bank information visit gcfb.org.
Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Become a subscriber. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter. Subscribe to the Eat Drink Freep newsletter for insider scoops on food and dining in metro Detroit.
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