~ Grand opening planned April 30 as former Alwyn Downs becomes Emerald Hills ~
MARSHALL, Michigan — A metamorphosis is under way at the former Alwyn Downs golf course, where changes already are visible and more are to come in the months and years ahead.
Rebranding and an array of improvements are under way at the 6,207-yard course and restaurant at 1225 S. Kalamazoo Ave., which lay closed and neglected for much of the past few years.
To mark those changes, the new Emerald Hills Golf Club will celebrate a grand opening beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 30, for the renamed 18-hole regulation-length course. The restaurant will be open and live music will be performed on the newly remodeled outdoor patio.
Information about the course and restaurant may be found online at the new website for the business, EmeraldHillsMarshall.com.
Ann Arbor-based Norfolk Homes purchased the site in early 2020 to transform the property into housing. Its co-owners, real-estate developers Patricia Williams and Jim Franke, moved to Marshall in 1979 and are the daughter and son of the late Marshall resident and benefactor Tom Franke. Norfolk Homes produces custom-designed homes and condominiums throughout southeast Michigan.
“We’re looking forward to having people stop by to see the improvements we’ve made so far, and let them know about the work that’s coming,” Jim Franke said. “We believe people will be glad to know we’re doing everything possible to transform this destination into a beautiful jewel for Marshall.”
Exterior renovations already have been completed to the restaurant, which is being renamed the Tavern at Emerald Hills. A new roof, windows, doors and siding have been installed, updated lighting and fans placed on the patio and a pro shop restored to the clubhouse, according to Joel Tompkins, manager of the club and tavern.
“We will focus on carry-out with dine-in options at first,” Tompkins said. “We have seating for about 150 people — 60 inside on the first floor and about 80 to 90 on the patios outside. Our initial menu will include pastas, salads and wraps with fries. We have a full bar and soft drinks and eventually we’ll have a structured cocktail list with seasonal drink offerings.”
In time, the tavern is expected to operate year-round. That effort will call for extensive future interior renovations, to be achieved in stages.
The past year also has seen extensive work on the course’s fairways and greens, which opened to golfers in 2021, Tompkins said, adding that a short-range practice area of 50 to 75 yards also is under construction.
“Due to the 2020 lockdown, we were unable to care for the course for several months and it had become overgrown, so we mowed everything down and turned a hayfield back into a golf course,” Tompkins said. “We took out 200 round bales of hay just in that first summer.”
That work was followed by a broad-based improvement effort to make the course more playable, he said. Dozens of trees were removed, the greens and fairways reseeded and an intensive fertilization program launched.
“We’ll continue to improve the course conditions for all golfers in the years ahead,” Tompkins said, adding that the course is expected to remain in its current 18-hole state at least through the rest of calendar year 2022.
Development of additional housing is expected in the years ahead, although when that will take place remains uncertain. When that happens, two holes are expected to be removed from the current golf course.
“Once we’re at 16 holes, we still will operate as a 18-hole course, with two holes played twice,” Tompkins said. “We won’t be changing the game, just adjusting a couple of hole numbers.”
The current development plan calls for a variety of home styles and keeping a nine-hole course.
Meanwhile, the golf club’s staff is working to recruit regional leagues for the upcoming season, proclaiming its new status on Facebook and online resources. People with questions about the club’s and tavern’s operations may call (269) 367-2121.
“We still are looking for more leagues to sign up by the end of April,” Tompkins said. League representatives are urged to contact him to discuss special rates and structured pricing, as part of an overall strategy to restore the course’s long reputation as a destination for diners and golfers.
Membership benefits include a 10 percent reduction on various offerings, including all items in the pro shop and food purchased through the tavern. One-hour lessons are being offered for $100 with staff member Matt Coulson, a PGA-certified golfing professional, with a 25 percent discount for club members.
As a part of the overall development, the company has built three homes on Oak Drive, in the new Emerald Hills development bordering the golf course’s northeast edge.
Occupancy of the two-story, single-family homes is expected to be available during the spring season. More information about Norfolk Homes and its offerings is available online at norfolk-homes.com.
During April, Norfolk Homes expects to break ground on four new units as part of an eventual 32-unit development to be known as The Townhomes at Emerald Hills.
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