Meridian Sun Golf CourseGrade: C+Teachers’ Comments: A pleasant enough course with often classic vibes. Extra points for friendliness.
Meridian Sun is a parklands style course with some classic golf design vibes. Although on the short side with (mostly) wide fairways, it has enough variety to hold a golfer’s interest. The course is routed across open fields, up and down hills, past and through light woods and over marsh. I counted six doglegs, but the rest generally proceed in a back and forth parallel fashion.
For the most part, the course has a classic vibe, with open front greens and minimal bunkering. Indeed, I initially had the notion that I had found a golden age gem; the back nine, though, with several carries over marsh and a somewhat confusing routing, felt tacked on.
As it turns out, the original design dates to 1962, when it was known as the Pine Lake Country Club. It was designed by Bob Wilkens, who, to the best of my knowledge has no other credits. An additional nine — and presumably some reworking of the original — was done by Jerry Matthews.
Pine Lake Country Club became Meridian Sun in 2000. It is named for the township in which it resides, just east of Lansing.
As a play, Meridian Sun was fun, and I can see why it is popular among the locals. Swing as fast as you like; you’ll find your ball, and then fire away again.
The price is right, and management is encouraging with lots of youth programs, golf clinics and activities. There were several sets of young people on the range and putting green as I transited from the ninth to the tenth; they were hanging around when I was packing up in the lot (or it may have been a different group)
Kudos to the pro.
I got a very friendly welcome in the very charming little pro shop, which was stocked with golf equipment, book! and knick-knacks. I’m kicking myself at this point for not taking a closer look at the books.
And then there’s this from the course’s website:
So that everyone who plays Meridian Sun will feel at home and have a great time, the course may be played from a variety of lengths and a varying numbers of holes. The course routing allows players to enjoy playing 18 holes, 9 holes, 6 holes or 3 holes. Just pay for what you want to play.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before.
The fourth at Meridian Sun is a 325 yard par 4.
My favorite hole at Meridian Sun was the 325-yard par 4 fourth. It begins innocuously, with a straight tee shot out of a light canopy of trees.
The second shot is surprising for those who have not played before. The fairway falls off on a steep downslope, zigs to the left and then rises again sharply to a green perched on a hilltop.
A view of the fourth from the fairway.
There’s some thinking to do on this hole (assuming you know what’s coming). How far do hit your drive to avoid being on a downslope? Do you risk rolling into the line of trees on the left or try to keep it right and risk the trees on that side.
The fourth is a hole I’d like another crack at.
The thirteenth is a 195 yard par 3. A blind shot. Over a marsh.
I don’t normally point out lowlights, but the par 3 thirteenth is the best example of the discordant nature of some of the holes at Meridian Sun. As you can see from the photo above, all you can see is a sliver of green above severe overgrowth. There’s a marsh between tee and green, but you can’t see it. Fortunately, I could see it on my Garmin S70.
I just pulled out my driver and hit it as far as I dared. The ball rolled up the green, and up the hill to the rear.
A view of the thirteenth green from the bridge that passes from tee to green.
The hole wouldn’t be so out of place on a great many courses. It, and a couple others just didn’t fit this one.
Meridian is a par 70/71 that comes in at just over six thousand yards. That’s a good length for most bogey golfers.
TeeYardageSlopeRatingBlue (70)6, 09012269.5White (71)5, 82013173.1Red (71)4, 67010965.7
Conditions on the day I played varied from good to bad. On some holes, the grass was lush and smooth. On others, it was sparse and occasionally, unplayable. I had to move a ball from hardpan to grass on a few occasions. (yes, I know that’s cheating).
The slider image below shows the contrast between two fairways. On the left, more than acceptable conditions. On the right, on another hole, not so much.
Variable conditions was a trend I actually saw a lot of in the summer of 2024. Conditions within a course varied as much as from course-to-course. I’m not sure why that would be.
The Meridian Sun Golf Course review was first published January 7, 2025 from notes and photos taken on a round played during the 2024 season. For a list of all of GolfBlogger’s Michigan golf course reviews, follow the link.
A photo tour follows:
The first at Meridian Sun is a 400-yard par 4
A view of the first hole at Meridian Sun from the fairway.
The second at Meridian Sun is a 180 yard par 3.
The third at Meridian Sun is a 535 yard par 45
The fourth at Meridian Sun is a 325 yard par 4.
Five at Meridian Sun is a 360-yard par 4.
The sixth at Meridian Sun is a 160 yard par 3.
Seven At Meridian Sun is a 365 yard par 4.
The eighth at Meridian Sun is a 450 yard par 5.
The ninth at Meridian Sun is a 455 yard par 4.
Ten At Meridian Sun is a 325 yard par 4
The eleventh at Meridian Sun is a 170 yard par 3.
The twelfth at Meridian Sun is a 300 yard par 4.
The thirteenth at Meridian Sun is a 195 yard par 3. A blind shot. Over a marsh.
A view of the thirteenth green from the bridge that passes from tee to green.
Fourteen at Meridian Sun is a 390 yard par 4
The fifteenth at Meridian Sun is a 350 yard par 4.
The sixteenth at Meridian Sun is a 545-yard par 5.
Meridian Sun’s sixteenth is a 155 yard par 3
Eighteen at Meridian Sun is a 415 yard par 4.
The pro shop is cute and stocked with some interesting books and curios.
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