A Phoenix Rises In Williamsburg

Unlike the mythical phoenix, High Pointe Golf Club is not rising from the ashes. Instead, the fabled golf course has been resurrected from a hops field.

When the golf course closed in 2008, the property was purchased by MI Local Hops. The 200-plus acre site turned out to be a great place to grow the crop essential for brewing beer. But golfers mourned the loss of the acclaimed course. Now entrepreneur and golf enthusiast Rod Trump is readying the course to reopen as a private membership golf club. “It’s a unique opportunity,” he says, and comes with the responsibility to make sure “it never fails again.”

Trump first visited the area while looking to purchase another private club. Though that didn’t happen, he was hooked on the appeal of the region. While golfing at Pine Hill in Florida, his playing partner asked Trump if he had checked into High Pointe, and the seed was planted. He eventually contacted Tom Doak, who had designed High Pointe as his first project before going on to an illustrious career as a course architect.

The High Pointe Golf Club story mirrors that of the industry in the state. It was the first course designed by Doak and had been ranked as high as #79 in the nation by Golf Magazine. Doak has since developed and/or redeveloped some 50 courses across the globe, six of which were ranked among the top 100 golf courses in the world by Golf Magazine.

Despite its initial popularity and acclaim, due to waning interest in the game and the Great Recession, High Pointe closed in 2008. It was one of 50 courses shuttered in Michigan over the past two decades. A dozen years later, in the wake of the pandemic, interest in all outdoor activities burgeoned, including golf.

Now Trump, Doak and their crew, including course superintendent Dan Lucas, are readying High Pointe 2.0. Six of the original holes, numbers 10 though 15, are being revived, though the new layout finds 10 and 11 becoming 8 and 9; holes 12 through 15 will maintain their original placement. Twelve additional holes will complement them, following Doak’s new layout and design.

It's not an inexpensive endeavor. The total cost, plus clubhouse and a lodge for visiting members: $24 million.

As with other private clubs in the region, such as Kingsley Club and Crystal Downs, the members will be a mix of local golfers and those from elsewhere. Trump says he will likely cap the number of memberships at 225.

“We’re taking a very patient and deliberate approach to memberships,” Trump says, noting the number currently sits at 151. He says prospective members must share three characteristics: a love for the greatest game, a respect for its traditions, and a uniquely high golf IQ. They must also be sponsored by current members or by Trump. While he wouldn’t divulge the membership cost, Golf Weekly reported a price of $250,000 initiation fee for founding memberships, with annual dues capped at $5,000 for life. 

Will it be worth it? Based on the press it’s generated from the likes of Forbes, Golfweek, Golf, the Robb Report and others, it might be.

Two of the early members are part of Trump’s team. Trey Wren is the creative director, responsible for media about and around the course, while Nick Joy is the club pro. Wren says after a career all around golf, from caddying to marketing, media relations, even modeling, he was excited to learn about High Pointe. “I met Rod at Pine Tree Golf Club in South Florida,” he says. He was making a movie about a golf course being built, and conversations with Trump led to him joining the team.

Joy also hails from Florida, though he was born in Minnesota to a British family and spent much of his life in the UK. He always envisioned a career in golf, playing in college and professionally. He is excited to be relocating to an area he says reminds him of home. “It looks like the British countryside,” says Joy.

All three say the reception they’ve received from the area has been very welcoming. “So many of our members have reached out and offered help,” notes Joy. “I met people in line at Moomers – I’ve known these people 12 seconds, and they asked, ‘If you need anything’ (to let them know).”

Trump says the past year’s mild winter, early spring and unseasonably warm weather have been a boon for the course. “It’s in the growing stages now. We’ll start with preview play in mid-July with nine to 12 holes. I expect all 18 will be open by Labor Day.”

Despite the potential loss of a full summer of play, he is adamant the entire course won’t open until it’s in the best possible condition. “You only get one chance to make a first impression,” Trump says.

He has high expectations. “I have the desire for High Pointe 100 years from now to be in the conversation of the best places,” he says. Not that he expects it to outstrip the likes of Shinnecock Hills, Pebble Beach and other iconic courses, but he wants it to be regarded in their class. “Pine Hill, Augusta National – it will never be the best, but I want to be in the conversation.”