"It's a par 3,168, 18-mile, single hole course."

Thanks to all the readers who passed along Dennis Kraniak's story on Pulitzer winner Charlie LeDuff playing golf through Detroit and living to tell about what an opportunity the dilapidated city provides for cross country play.

He chops through the rough near Woodward, past the old Dutch Girl Doughnut Shop, then east through the neighborhoods of Robinwood, then 6 Mile and Nevada. He swings through Dequindre and Minnesota.

He gets a lesson in city golf course etiquette from Deadline Detroit columnist Bill McGraw, who tells Charlie about the 289.6 acre I-94 Industrial Project. This is an area of land that used to be comprised of neighborhoods until the city bought the land to re-purpose it into a place for new industries to build. Instead the area has returned to nature. 

I have to say, this is one of the stranger things I've ever watched not only because it's so obvioulsy staged, but how the local news in Detroit has so much fun at the expense of a city in ruins. That's not to say the piece isn't eye-opening or poignant. It's just strange.

Fox 2 News Headlines

Comments

[Kevin part deux]

Hokey, and then sappy at the end.

[Chuck]

It will look much better after Rees Jones finishes the renovation.

[Golfin Dolphin]

Well played Chuck.

[johnnnycz]

but the green fee can't be beat!

Personally, I would invent a ball/disc golf hybrid game if I had an unused part of a city to play around in....that or BMX jumps.

[Chris from DE]

Here's a good use for Detroit: Running Man.

[FWIW]

Even in depressed urban Detroit he gets a "Get in the hole!"

[digsouth]

+1, Chuck

[Smitty]

Ah, my old stomping grounds! Here's what 40 years of Democratic-run government and high city income taxes (3%), buys it's citizens . . .

[Willie Loman]

We did this many times in college with glow balls and lots of Milwaukee's Best. First tee was right outside the dorm. Hole was a trash can on the other side of campus. Fewest shots to the trash can got to pick the route back.

The biggest hazards were the skunks and the campus police. When either one was spotted it was customary to loudly whisper "POLECAT!!!".

I still have my old Ping Eye2 7 iron with all of the old concrete scuff marks that was the club of choice for course.

[Ardmoreari]

Smitty what does that kind of thinking have to do with it? Any politician can equally run a city in to the ground if given the chance and enough greed is dangled in front of his or her face. Government is supposed to look after its citizens but people do its spoiling no matter their political affiliation. Enough complaining please.

[Ky Laffoon's Ghost]

Contra Smitty, the recent history of Detroit in a nutshell:
en(dot)wikipedia(dot)org/wiki/File:Abandoned_Packard_Automobile_Factory_Detroit_200.jpg

Also my father's old stomping grounds. He worked (UAW) at at Dodge DeSoto assembly plant that would look like the Packard Plant, if it were still standing. This is where he went to high school (Class of 1949):
en(dot)wikipedia(dot)org/wiki/File:Cooley_High_School_in_2008.JPG

Exactly what a high school in a First World country should look like. Closed for lack of students ("The school is now under constant threat of arson and scrapping. It is expected that it won't last much longer than 2013").

Democrats, Republicans...eh, whatever. No one party or group has ownership of the deindustrialization of the US, which has been a project of the 1% for Smitty's "40 years," at a minimum.

[The O]

My dad grew up in Flint I have spent much time in and around Detroit. Yes, this is staged, but it's trying to show a fresh look at Detroit's demise. I swear every time I go back I am shocked at how, despite the strides they made, how the fall back. I was near Pontiac, where they built a series of plants and support buildings around Centerpointe. Complete with hotels, restaurants, etc. The plants closed, the support buildings are empty and have knee high weeds in the parking lots, the restaurants are boarded up. The hotels are still there, but for how long. So depressing.

[A3]

A complex problem blamed on high taxes and incompetent Democrats, thats a great soundbite Smitty. Do you work at Fox?

[Ardmoreari]

KLG and I strike again! Please let me know if you ever visit Philly to play golf...

[Tony Torelli]

My looper would be packing.