Frontier Club: Gil Hanse's New Destination Course in Michigan's Backyard — Where 17 of 18 Holes Await Discovery

When a world-class architect says 17 of 18 holes were already 'waiting to be discovered' on a piece of land, one should not rush to believe. But with Gil Hanse — designer of the 2026 Olympic Course and architect of the modern destination club movement — that statement is not advertising. It is a declaration of design philosophy. Located on a 350-acre former farmland parcel just outside Ann Arbor, Frontier Club is being positioned as the first true destination club in southern Michigan. The developers — James Housler and Scott Kovanda, longtime friends and Michigan natives — saw a clear gap: the region has prestigious private clubs like Crystal Downs and Oakland Hills, but none operating on the 'destination' model — where members are willing to travel for a premium golf experience. The key lies in the terrain. Hanse describes the property as having 'two prominent ridges with a valley between, plus ripples and folds' — what he likens to a smaller-scale Crystal Downs, the masterpiece of Alister MacKenzie and Perry Maxwell. This is the core design asset. When a top-tier architect states that nearly the entire routing was dictated by the land rather than earthmoving, it implies three things: a naturally expressive site, lower construction costs relative to sculpted courses, and a minimalist philosophy — the very thing reshaping modern golf architecture. But the Crystal Downs comparison is a double-edged sword. That is a top-15 course in America, a legend. Positioning Frontier Club as its 'smaller sibling' is an ambitious message, but it also sets a bar that golf architecture connoisseurs will scrutinize mercilessly. Hanse has pushed expectations even higher by declaring this will be one of the 'most special' places he and partner Jim Wagner have ever built. Another notable technical detail: the water feature used for routing. On rolling farmland, water typically requires engineered drainage or pond systems. Hanse's use of water as a routing element creates differentiation from purely inland courses — and also a potential regulatory flashpoint regarding wetlands, among Michigan's strictest regulations. The involvement of Fred Perpall — former USGA President — designing the clubhouse and cottages through his firm Beck Group is a significant institutional signal. It brings governance credibility and implies the project will follow USGA Green Section construction standards — an advantage when the course is eventually rated. However, there is a variable that surface data cannot reveal: execution risk. Housler and Kovanda are first-time golf developers. The destination club model requires long-term capital commitment, construction management expertise, membership sales, and operational capability — with no evidence they possess experience in any of these areas. Converting 350 acres of farmland to a private golf course may also face opposition from agricultural preservation groups, a common scenario in Michigan. Then there is the seasonality problem. A destination club in Michigan faces a 5-6 month golf season, versus 12 months in Georgia — home to Ohoopee Match Club and The Fall Line, the two models Frontier Club is emulating. Fixed operating costs must be spread over fewer months, and the value proposition for out-of-state members becomes harder to justify. The original article does not address how the club will handle winter. But there is one strategic asset no southern destination club can replicate: a location 10 minutes from the Big House — the University of Michigan stadium. On football weekends, the area becomes a destination for alumni, donors, and the elite. This is a membership channel no Georgia course possesses. Data is never in a hurry; it only waits for those who know how to read it. For Frontier Club, the data tells a story of enormous ambition, significant execution risk, and a bet that terrain — not machinery — will create a masterpiece. I write the report, close the file, and the market opens again. The next reopening will be at the groundbreaking ceremony — and then we will know whether the '17 waiting holes' are a genuine discovery, or merely a promise. The real question is not whether Hanse can design an excellent golf course. He has done so many times. The question is whether two first-time developers, a farmland parcel, and a harsh winter can together create a sustainable model — or whether Frontier Club becomes a lesson that great terrain is never enough.