Knollwood Country Club

Knollwood Country Club sits in West Bloomfield, a suburban community northwest of Detroit in Oakland County. The course originated with Donald Ross, the prolific Scottish architect whose American portfolio spans hundreds of designs from the 1900s through the 1940s. Ross's original routing took advantage of the gently rolling terrain characteristic of southeastern Michigan, establishing the club's traditional layout and strategic framework during an era when the Detroit area experienced significant growth in private club development. The course has undergone modifications over the decades to accommodate modern play and maintenance standards. Arthur Ham, a Michigan-based architect active in the mid-twentieth century, contributed revisions that updated certain features while respecting the Ross foundation. More recently, Bob Lohmann worked on the property, continuing the evolution of the design to balance historical character with contemporary expectations for conditioning and playability. The layout moves through mature hardwood corridors typical of Michigan parkland settings, with elevation changes that create varied stances and approach angles. The greens retain strategic contouring that rewards precise iron play, a hallmark of Ross's design philosophy. Knollwood serves a membership drawn from the western Detroit suburbs, maintaining its place among the established private clubs in Oakland County's competitive golf landscape. The club operates as a traditional country club with golf as its centerpiece, complemented by the usual amenities expected in this market.