Private clubs and high-end resorts are often associated with history. The longer they’ve been around, the stronger their appeal as tried-and-true establishments committed to moving things forward.
Some are driven by ambitious vision, such as the new gathering facilities and a redesigned golf course coming to Plymouth Township’s Saint John’s Resort. Others are motivated by preservation, like the renovated bowling facilities at the Detroit Athletic Club or the redesigned dining options at the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club.
In the case of Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Township, however, a completely rebuilt clubhouse wasn’t an option under consideration. It was a necessity after a devastating fire destroyed the century-old, 92,000-square-foot clubhouse in February 2022.
Saint John’s Resort, which is owned by the Pulte Family Foundation, isn’t a private club. It’s open to members of the general public who are willing to pay for its various offerings. But it’s also unique from other resorts that are open to the public in that all net revenue earned by Saint John’s is donated to support educational and humanitarian organizations.
Upgrades at Saint John’s Resort start with the Wine Grotto, a new facility that has the feel of an underground wine cave. The 1,800-square-foot Wine Grotto, an extension of the existing meeting space, utilizes an area that has been part of the property since the 1940s and, in the eyes of resort management, needed to be better utilized.
“It’s Old World charm with the modern energy of a sophisticated lounge,” says Fadi Sibani, a sales and marketing executive at Saint John’s Resort.
Built on the former seminary site on the Saint John’s property at Five Mile and Sheldon roads, the Wine Grotto opened in September. Some of its features include restored arches and art created by local artists, a central bar, and a “royal table” that can be closed off for private gatherings. Its offerings are curated by a team of sommeliers who have already won awards for their work at the existing Saint John’s restaurant, FIVE Steakhouse.
The Wine Grotto also makes it easy for guests to sample wines by making use of the Coravin wine preservation system. It’s a fairly new tool that uses an ultra-thin needle to pierce through the top of a cork and pull wine through, while leaving the rest of the spirits completely sealed in the bottle.
For those who prefer to avoid alcohol, the Wine Grotto offers several non-alcoholic drinks including matcha, ginger, and turmeric nootropics — the latter of which is an antioxidant-based herbal remedy. The Wine Grotto can seat 54 people in its normal configuration, but can be expanded to accommodate 110 guests.
“It has this speakeasy feel because you have to walk down this beautiful corridor, surrounded by nature,” Sibani says. “You’ve got the waterfall garden on one side and you’re walking through these beautiful brick arches and glass.”
Saint John’s Resort also features The Monarch, a 17,000-square-foot ballroom with a central water fountain surrounded by 200 feet of glass. The space accommodates events such as wedding receptions and charity galas.
When guests emerge from the underground and head outdoors, they’ll likely catch sight of the other major addition to Saint John’s Resort: a revamped golf course known as The Cardinal.
The first new golf course to open in southeast Michigan in more than 20 years, The Cardinal is comprised of an 18-hole championship course along with a short, seven-hole Par 3 course and an 18-hole putting course on natural greens. The whole development replaces a 27-hole course. During the 2023 season, golf was unavailable at Saint John’s Resort due to the facility’s update; it’s scheduled to open in April 2024.
“We’re trying to find ways to make it not just about the golf, but about the experiences around it,” Sibani says. “That’s the beauty of having our own resort. Not only can you stay overnight (at a 118-room inn), but you can also have a spa treatment in your room, or you can go to the steakhouse or the wine bar.”
Finally, Saint John’s Resort will open a new, Irish-style pub next summer.
The resort has undergone an identity update since 2021, when the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation acquired it. The property originally opened in the 1940s as a seminary operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit. It served in that role for more than 40 years before transitioning to an inn and resort. Prior to the acquisition, the complex was known as the Inn at St. John’s.
When the Archdiocese decided to sell the property, it kicked off an ongoing, multimillion-dollar renovation. All told, Sibani says the cost of the improvements is approximately $50 million.
If golf isn’t everyone’s passion, perhaps bowling is. While many associate bowling with a blue-collar clientele, with facilities to match, one might be surprised by the possibility that the oldest continuously operated bowling program in the United States — going strong since 1915 — is in the lower level of the Detroit Athletic Club.
Bowling is a major part of the DAC’s legacy, which makes sense since the club’s most significant renovation of the past year involved the Abbey, the centerpiece of which is the facility’s venerable bowling alley.
The remodeling project, which started in 2021, cost $9 million and focused on an expansion of the Clubhouse — specifically the club’s dining and bowling areas — to an area that now totals 11,000 square feet. A new full-service kitchen was added, and locker rooms were relocated and expanded as part of the overall project.
The Detroit-based architectural firm Rosetti oversaw the design, while Frank Rewold & Sons in Rochester handled the construction work. To make more room, the contractors dug out the area between the DAC and the adjacent sidewalk (the street-level landscaping was replaced and enhanced).
The project also involved repairing — and, in some spots, a full recasting of — the decorative plaster crown molding that adorned the original dining space, which is now contiguous with the bowling areas.
The work was completed late last year, and now the club offers a bowling area with larger locker rooms for men and women, a full-service pro shop, and even ball-drilling services. It helps keep up a bowling legacy that’s integral to the traditions and identity of the DAC.
“We’ve never been able to prove it, but we believe we have the longest continuously-running bowling company in the country, public or private,” says Charles Johnson, executive manager of the DAC. “Bowling has been a mainstay throughout our history, and we’ve had six generations of bowlers who have played in a particular league.”
And lest anyone think the only Detroit-Cleveland sports rivalry that matters is the one across the street at Comerica Park, the DAC offers something special. Since it opened in 1915, the DAC has maintained an interclub bowling competition against the Cleveland Athletic Club. Every year since then, including the years when COVID-19 threatened to get in the way, the two clubs have held their championship battle each February.
“We don’t miss years,” Johnson says. “Even during COVID-19, we were able to get it in.”
That was the good fortune of the calendar, as the February date in 2020 preceded the end-of-the-world measures that would have made the event impossible just a month later. And by the following February, things had mitigated enough that the event could take place.
“We have over 900 bowlers,” Johnson says. “Some of these people are in multiple leagues. Some are subs. But in any given year, we’ll have 900 people waiting to participate, and our leagues are fully subscribed.”
One might think an establishment as venerable as the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club in Grosse Pointe Shores would keep everything as it’s always been. But in the past year, the GPYC completed a significant reworking of its dining facilities, partly in response to a member survey.
The original Spinnaker room had what marketing director Jennifer Benoit describes as a casual pub-feel with offerings like burgers and pizza. “The (members) really wanted a face-lift,” Benoit says. “We’ve been around for over 100 years, and it was something we were looking forward to.”
In the new configuration, there are three different restaurants within the club. They include a fine-dining restaurant as well as a redesigned main dining area that Benoit describes as a casual, circular hangout spot with a round bar in the middle.
The dining areas’ renovations follow an update of the club’s front lobby and rotunda in 2021. Everything in the facility is now open and fully operational, Benoit says.
While some recreational venues expand and others revamp, Oakland Hills Country Club had no choice but to rebuild. The fire that tore through the century-old clubhouse resulted in a total loss. The timing couldn’t have been worse, as Oakland Hills had just completed a $12 million renovation of its golf course the previous summer.
The Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees recently gave unanimous approval for Oakland Hills to not only reconstruct its clubhouse, but also expand its first tee building into a lifestyle structure, while replacing various maintenance buildings with a new greens and grounds building.
Oakland Hills also received approval to redesign its interior traffic design and enhance its landscaping.
While the new clubhouse will be similar to the old one, it won’t be an exact copy. For starters, the new facility will span 110,236 square feet — more than 18,000 square feet larger than the original. Not surprisingly, it will be constructed with considerably more nonflammable materials than the old one. Amenities will include three kitchens, a cigar room, and several ballrooms and dining rooms. The total project cost is estimated at $80 million.
The 16,853-square-foot lifestyle building, meanwhile, will include a fitness center, as well as men’s and women’s locker rooms.
In an effort to be more aesthetically appealing and less forbidding, Oakland Hills also will replace the barbed-wire fencing along West Maple Road with 10- to 14-foot evergreens, and decorative fencing will be added along other roads that border the club.
Leo Savoie, a Birmingham-based assessor and former Bloomfield Township supervisor who is now serving as a representative of Oakland Hills, told the township board the club hopes to get the project started in November.
While the target is to have the new facilities open in late 2025, Savoie says April 2026 seems more likely. In the meantime, Oakland Hills has continued to host members on its two, 18-hole golf courses, along with holding select events in temporary pavilions on the grounds.
In other developments around the area, the Birmingham Country Club opened two short-game areas on its golf course. One is known as The Corner and is designed with increased size and versatility for more intense practice, including a number of different lies, shot lengths, and plenty of space to hold large clinics. The Corner has two greens and it’s available for use by the general membership.
The second short-game area is The River, which is designed to complement the club’s newly updated driving range and putting green so players can warm up in proximity to the first tee. The River also has a bunker and an undulating green that allows players to undertake a quick practice session before playing.
Farther north, M1 Concourse in Pontiac opened its Prefix Performance Center over the summer. Developed in partnership with Prefix Corp. and Sunoco Race Fuels, the 3,000-square-foot trackside facility offers vehicle maintenance and upgrade services to all vehicles. It includes capabilities such as restoration, fluid changes, tire installation, and track technical inspections. The Performance Center also features a retail race shop where users and visitors can buy merchandise.
Every year in metro Detroit, recreational activities like golf, boating, auto racing, and dining beckon those who have the means to partake. And the facilities that host them keep investing in upgrades to stay in step with — or ahead of — the competition, lest they fall further behind their earnest counterparts.
CLUB LIFE
A resource guide to the top private clubs in southeast Michigan.
Barton Hills Country Club
730 Country Club Rd.
Ann Arbor
734-663-8511
bartonhillscc.com
Members: 600 (estimate)
Initiation fee: NA
Monthly fee: NA
Offerings: Signature Donald Ross golf course; tennis courts; fitness center; renovated dining room, wine bar, and resort-style pool complex with an outdoor pavilion.
Bayview Yacht Club
100 Clairpointe St.
Detroit
313-822-1853
byc.com
Members: 1,000
Initiation fee: NA
Monthly fee: NA
Offerings: Indoor and outdoor dining, banquet space, marina, sailing lessons and races, regattas, and cruising activities.
Birmingham Athletic Club
4033 W. Maple Rd.
Bloomfield Township
248-646-5050
bacmi.net
Members: 300
Initiation fee: NA
Monthly fee: NA
Offerings: Indoor and outdoor dining, two pools, tennis, squash, paddle tennis, pickleball, fitness center.
Birmingham Country Club
1750 Saxon Dr.
Birmingham
248-644-4111
bhamcc.com
Members: 600+
Initiation fee: NA
Monthly fee: NA
Offerings: 18-hole golf course, pool, tennis, fitness facilities, indoor and outdoor dining, pickleball, banquet space.
Bloomfield Hills Country Club
350 W. Long Lake Rd.
Bloomfield Hills
248-644-6262
bloomfieldhillscc.org
Members: NA
Initiation fee: NA
Monthly fee: NA
Offerings: Golf course, dining facilities.
Bloomfield Open Hunt
405 E. Long Lake Rd.
Bloomfield Hills
248-644-9411
bohclub.com
Members: NA
Initiation fee: NA
Monthly fee: NA
Offerings: Dining room, swimming pool, fitness studio and yoga center, indoor and outdoor tennis, platform tennis, stables, indoor and outdoor equestrian facilities, kids’ activity center.
Country Club of Detroit
220 Country Club Dr.
Grosse Pointe Farms
313-881-8000
ccofd.com
Members: 800+
Initiation fee: NA
Monthly fee: NA
Offerings: 18-hole golf course, cross-country skiing, clubhouse, indoor and outdoor dining, tennis, paddle tennis, pool, bowling, fitness center, children’s day camp, guest rooms,
dog park.
Dearborn Country Club
800 N. Military
Dearborn
313-561-0800
dearborncountryclub.net
Members: NA
Initiation fee: NA
Monthly fee: NA
Offerings: 18-hole Donald Ross golf course, swimming, fitness area, dining, banquet facilities, junior golf, swim team.
Detroit Athletic Club
241 Madison St.
Detroit
313-963-9200
thedac.com
Members: 5,100
Initiation fee: Multiple offerings
Monthly fee: Based on age
Offerings: Fully restored Albert Kahn-designed clubhouse built in 1915, full-service athletic facilities, pool, restaurants, ballrooms, meeting rooms, guest rooms, newly renovated bowling alley, salon, pavilion, named No. 1 athletic club in the country from 2018-2022.
Detroit Golf Club
17911 Hamilton Rd.
Detroit
313-927-2457
detroitgolfclub.org
Members: 800
Initiation fee: Available upon membership inquiry
Monthly fee: Available upon membership inquiry
Offerings: Two 18-hole golf courses, clubhouse, three dining venues, swimming pool, swim team, tennis courts, fitness center, weddings, private events.
Detroit Yacht Club
One Riverbank Rd., Belle Isle
Detroit
313-824-1200
dyc.com
Members: More than 800; less than half are boating members
Initiation fee: $1,500 (active members), $3,000 (boating active members)
Monthly fee: $384 (active members), $424 (boating active members)
Offerings: Restaurant and bar, outdoor and indoor pools, swim team, adult and junior sailing, kayaking, tennis courts, social activities, weddings, events, more than 300 boat slips for boating members.
Edgewood Country Club
8399 Commerce Rd.
Commerce Township
48-363-7112
edgewoodcountryclub.org
Members: NA
Initiation fee: NA
Monthly fee: NA
Offerings: 18-hole golf course, casual and fine dining, outdoor pool, fitness center, massage therapist, event space.
Franklin Hills Country Club
31675 Inkster Rd.
Franklin
248-851-2200
franklinhills.com
Members: NA
Initiation fee: NA
Monthly fee: NA
Offerings: Albert Kahn-designed clubhouse, Donald Ross 18-hole golf course, tennis, swimming, banquet space, dining room.
Grosse Ile Golf and Country Club
9339 Bellevue
Grosse Ile
734-676-1166
gigcc.com
Members: 500+
Initiation fee: Starts as low as $1,000, depending on type of membership and age
Monthly fee: Starts as low as $73, depending on type of membership and age
Offerings: Donald Ross-designed 18-hole golf course; two full-service dining rooms; swimming pool; GIGCC swim team; clay and hard surface tennis courts featuring adult and youth leagues, individual instruction, and professional tennis staff; social events year-round for all ages.
Grosse Pointe Yacht Club
788 Lake Shore Rd.
Grosse Pointe Shores
313-884-2500
gpyc.org
Members: 770
Initiation fee: Active (boating) $12,500,
social $5,000
Monthly fee: Active (boating) $703, social $570
Offerings: Named a Platinum Club of the World; three dining rooms with views of Lake St. Clair; ballroom and main dining room with Italian architecture perfect for weddings, special occasions, or corporate events; fitness center; Olympic-size pool, bowling recreation center and family activity center; 2,440-square-foot Marine Activity Center with sailing, watersports, and boat rentals.
Indianwood Golf and Country Club
1081 Indianwood Rd.
Lake Orion
248-693-2598
iwgcc.com
Members: 500+
Initiation fee: Class A Membership NA, Class B Membership $3,500, Family Fitness Membership $1,500, Social/Pool Family Membership $899
Monthly fee: Class A Membership NA, Class B Membership $130, Family Fitness Membership $130, Social/Pool Family Membership $130
Offerings: 18-hole New and Old golf courses, driving range, Junior Golf Program for children, clubhouse, dining areas including Pipers Pub and Men’s Grill, health club, variety of club and social events.
Knollwood Country Club
5050 West Maple Rd.
West Bloomfield Township
248-855-1800
knollwoodcountryclub.net
Members: NA
Initiation fee: NA
Monthly fee: NA
Offerings: 18-hole golf course; four Har-Tru clay tennis courts; aquatics facility with locker rooms, snack bar, and outdoor dining; 55,000-square-foot clubhouse; fitness center; pickleball; golf simulator studio; banquet space for 400 people; Troon Privé – Private Clubs of Distinction; member golfing privileges at Troon-managed clubs, resorts, and courses worldwide.
Lochmoor Club
1018 Sunningdale Dr.
Grosse Pointe Woods
313-886-1010
lochmoorclub.com
Members: 691
Initiation fee: Interim Golf (40+) $5,000, golf intermediate (30-39) $3,000, golf junior (21-29) $1,500, social intermediate (21-34) $500, social (35+) $1,500
Monthly fee: Interim Golf (40+) $695, golf intermediate (30-39) $595, golf junior (21-29) $376, social intermediate (21-34) $272, social (35+) $392
Offerings: 18-hole golf course; men and women’s golf leagues; creative pop-up dining events and seasonal menus; summer patio bar and outdoor dining; wine club that features wine tastings/dinners; swim team for children; tennis programs; junior sports such as golf and tennis; Lochmoor Athletic Center with year-round golf training; four Trackman simulators; 1,000-square-foot indoor golf practice area with chipping, putting green, and sand bunker; fitness center; two tennis courts; bar; food service.
M1 Concourse
1 Concourse Dr.
Pontiac
248-326-9999
m1concourse.com
Members: 150
Initiation fee: $30,000
Monthly fee: $412.50
Offerings: Seven hours of track time per week; use of M1 Fleet Vehicles such as Dodge Hellcats and Lexus Performance Coupes; instruction provided by high-level driving instructors, including notable racers such as Johnny O’Connell; autocross competitions; guest events for friends/family of members to drive; exclusive social events.
Meadowbrook Country Club
40941 W. Eight Mile Rd.
Northville Township
248-349-3600
meadowbrookcountryclub.com
Members: NA
Initiation fee: NA
Monthly fee: NA
Offerings: 18-hole golf course; 25-meter pool, lap pool, and wading pool; fountain and wading pool for little ones; private tennis programs led by Wayne Jackson; tennis events, lessons, and tournaments; indoor and outdoor dining options.
Oakhurst Golf and Country Club
7000 Oakhurst Lane
Clarkston
248-391-3300
clubcorp.com
Members: NA
Initiation fee: NA
Monthly fee: NA
Offerings: 18-hole golf course, six tennis courts with USPTA pro available for clinics or private lessons, executive chef, cabana bar, junior Olympic-size resort-style pool, 1,600-square-foot fitness center, variety of social functions.
Oakland Hills Country Club (clubhouse being rebuilt)
3951 West Maple Rd.
Bloomfield Township
248-644-2500
oaklandhillscc.com
Members: 500
Initiation fee: NA
Monthly fee: NA
Offerings: South and North 18-hole golf courses, tennis, swimming.
Orchard Lake Country Club
5000 West Shore Dr.
Orchard Lake Village
248-682-0100
orchardlakecountryclub.com
Members: 600+
Initiation fee: NA
Monthly fee: NA
Offerings: 18-hole golf course and driving range; six tiered clay tennis courts and four platform tennis courts; seasonal menus prepared by award-winning chefs; lakefront dining; ballroom for wedding celebrations; racquet classes, competitions, and tournament training for all ages; personal training and group fitness programs; sailing clinics and swim lessons for children.
Paint Creek Country Club
2375 Stanton Rd.
Lake Orion
248-693-4695
paintcreekgolf.com
Members: NA
Annual fees: $300-$5,600
Offerings: Golf course, fitness center, pool, 20,000-square-foot clubhouse, 300-seat dining room.
Pine Lake Country Club
3300 Pine Lake Rd.
Orchard Lake
248-682-1300
pinelakecc.com
Members: NA
Initiation fee: NA
Monthly fee: NA
Offerings: Golf course, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, Olympic-size pool, fitness center, clubhouse, dining room, grill.
Plum Hollow Country Club
21631 Lahser Rd.
Southfield
248-357-5353
plumhollowcc.com
Members: 400
Initiation fee: $20,000 (stock), $1,500 (social)
Monthly fee: Varies based on membership category
Offerings: Golf course, caddie program, three Har-Tru clay tennis courts, Olympic-size pool, swim teams, casual and fine dining options.
Polo Fields Golf and Country Club
5200 Polo Fields Dr.
Ann Arbor
734-998-1555
polofieldsccmi.com
Members: NA
Initiation fee: NA
Monthly fee: NA
Offerings: Golf course, clubhouse, indoor and outdoor dining, pool, lounge area, fully equipped fitness center, snack bar, patio, golf simulator, year-round events.
Red Run Country Club
2036 Rochester Rd.
Royal Oak
248-548-7500
redrungolfclub.com
Members: 690 families
Initiation fee: $6,000 (social), $20,000 (golf)
Monthly fee: $331 (social), $755 (golf)
Offerings: Golf course, Olympic-size pool, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, fitness center, indoor golf practice area, bowling leagues, casual and formal dining.
Shenandoah Country Club
5600 Walnut Lake Rd.
West Bloomfield Township
248-683-6363
shenandoahcc.net
Members: NA
Initiation fee: NA
Monthly fee: NA
Offerings: Golf course (open to public), clubhouse, dining, partitionable 11,336-square-foot banquet room, two pre-function areas, 4,000-square-foot outdoor terrace, pool and splash pad, fitness center.
Tam-O-Shanter Country Club
5051 Orchard Lake Rd.
West Bloomfield Township
248-855-1900, ext. 408
tamoshantercc.org
Members: NA
Initiation fee: NA
Monthly fee: NA
Offerings: Golf course, clubhouse, dining, four hydro-clay and two hard-surface tennis courts, Olympic-size heated pool, fitness center, banquet facilities, youth programs, pickleball.
Wabeek Club
4000 Clubgate Dr.
Bloomfield Township
248-855-0700
wabeekcc.com
Members: NA
Initiation fee: NA
Monthly fee: NA
Offerings: Golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus and Pete Dye; clubhouse; formal and casual dining; pool; tennis; fitness center; spa; banquet and private event space; kids room; TrackMan golf simulators; sport court for basketball, volleyball, and youth tennis configurations.
Western Golf and Country Club
14600 Kinloch
Redford Township
313-531-1240
westerngcc.com
Members: 425
Initiation fee: $18,000
Monthly fee: $600
Offerings: 18-hole Donald Ross-designed golf course, year-round events, four dining rooms, swimming pool, tennis, pickleball, snack bars, Kid Kamp, golf simulators, junior programs, and a brand-new clubhouse that opened in 2021.
Wyndgate Country Club
1975 W. Gunn Rd.
Rochester Hills
248-652-4283
thewyndgate.com
Members: NA
Initiation fee: NA
Monthly fee: NA
Offerings: Two 18-hole golf courses, clubhouse, gardens, banquet and event facilities, junior golf program, golf lessons, club fitting, club repair, Olympic-size pool, splash pad, 3-foot-deep transitional pool, swim team.
