Our History
History
Today's 63 hole daily fee golf and banquet facility had its beginnings in 1927 as a private country club. Wilfried Reid, a well-known golf course architect was said to have designed the original 18 hole course then known as the Plymouth Country Club for $50 and a bottle of spirits; a pretty hefty fee during the Prohibition days. The original log cabin clubhouse is still preserved today and offers guests at the Fox Classic clubhouse a peek into its history. The Plymouth Country Club continued to operate as a private club and in 1958 changed its name to Fox Hills Country Club. By the late 1960's Fox Hills had fallen into a state of disrepair and lost members. In 1974, Alexander & Estelle Dul with their daughters Kathy & Sandy purchased the course and began to turn the property around. Course and clubhouse renovations were undertaken and growing demand for golf prompted the family to add another 9 holes in 1983 making Fox Hills into a 27-hole complex. In 1986, Alexander passed away, which only served to strengthen the family's resolve to continue the work he helped start.
Golden Fox is Born
Eager to expand further, sisters Kathy & Sandy successfully negotiated with neighboring farmers to purchase several parcels of adjoining land. After two years of planning, the 18-hole championship course, the Golden Fox opened in 1989 along with an outstanding driving range. Designed by Arthur Hills, the world-class golf-course architect, the Golden Fox immediately impressed golfers with its sporty design. Golf Digest described the Golden Fox as a" design with a Scottish flair, undulating greens and steep bunkers." The new clubhouse at 32,000 sq. ft. rivaled the amenities of most private clubs accommodating up to 500 people for golf outings, weddings or business meetings. To reflect a new business model, Fox Hills changed its name in the 1990's to Fox Hills Golf & Banquet Center.
Strategic Fox Par 3 Makes 63 Holes
In 2001, another course was built to add variety and interest to an already large golf complex. Ray Hearn designed championship par-three course, named the Strategic Fox. A great course for beginners because of its shorter length, the course also offers the more advanced player a true challenge. The Strategic Fox has become a popular course for families since it offers fun and challenge for people of all ages. The Strategic Fox also became Michigan's first ever FootGolf course. Fox Hills now sports 63 holes of golf making it the largest single golf facility in Southeastern Michigan.
Heritage Golf Group
Heritage Golf Group announces the purchase of Fox Hills Golf & Banquet Center as of July 12, 2022. Fox Hills is the 22nd property in the rapidly expanding Heritage Golf Group portfolio of private country clubs and high-end daily fee golf courses. Learn more about Heritage Golf Group.
Awards
Protecting the environment has always been a top priority of the family. In 1996, Fox Hills achieved the designation as a "Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary" by the International Audubon Program sanctioned by the United States Golf Association. At that time, Fox Hills was third in the State of Michigan and among the first 40 in the U.S. to achieve this award. In 2008, Washtenaw Country honored Fox Hills with its "Water Quality Award". Fox Hills was named "National Course of the Year" for its overall management, excellent facilities, programs and environmental practices in 2002 by the National Golf Course Owners Association. The Michigan Golf Course Owners Association named Fox Hills "Michigan Golf Course of the Year" two years in a row in 2001 and 2002.
The Environmental Improvement Gold Award recognized the Golden Fox gazebo's beautiful multi-level perennial garden enhanced by giant boulders and plants selected to attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Fox Hills has won a number of other awards including the "Blue Chip Enterprise Award." It has been recognized by WWJ Talk Radio and Crain's Magazine as one of the top 10 golf courses in Metro Detroit. Also Golf Digest's ratings honor the Golden Fox Course with 4 stars!
Fox Hills has received many accolades for our exceptional weddings. Based on 5-star reviews, local brides and grooms have earned us the "Best Of" award on The Knot for the past consecutive 12 years, which in turn grants us the high honor of the being in The Knot’s “Hall of Fame”. Wedding Wire, the other most revered wedding website, has collected reviews from brides and grooms that have secured us the "Couple's Choice" award for years.