Maple Brook Golf Club

In 1926 the board of directors hired Tom Bendelow for a fee of $250 and $27.50 in travel expenses to design what would then be called the Charlotte Country Club. Tom was a well known Chicago architect working as AG Spaldings Director of Golf Course Development who used to ride the railway system across America designing courses. He actually caddied for Harry Vardon in the 1900 US Open and also served as a golf rules official in the 1904 Olympic Games-the last time golf was an Olympic sport.

Here are some of Tom Bendelow’s more famous designs:

Medinah Country Club-US Open in 1949, 1975, 1990 PGA championship in 1999, 2006 Ryder Cup in 2012.
Atlanta Athletic Club- East Lake Golf Club where Bobby Jones (creator of the Masters) learned to play the game.

In Michigan, Bendelow designed,
Birmingham Golf Club 1916 (site has of 1953 PGA championship)
Bloomfield Hill’s Country Club 1909
Detroit Country Club 1900
Mackinac Island Grand Hotel Golf Club 1918, to name just a few. Records show he designed over 50 courses in Michigan alone.

In late 2013 the Charlotte CC was purchased and renamed the Maple Brook Golf Club. This historic course features 9 holes and in the spring of 2019 will have two distinct sets of tee’s that offer a much different look the second time around. The orange, or Oriole tee’s, can turn par 4’s into par 5’s, par 5’s into par 4’s, doglegs into straight holes and straight holes into doglegs. Maple Brook GC is a well manicured course with the assistance of Staff from the MSU turf management program. The greens roll true and quick and are some of the best you’ll play. Come enjoy this nearly 100 year old gem!