Frontier Club: A New Gil Hanse Destination Course in Ann Arbor's Backyard

When I was still writing sports documentaries, I learned that the greatest stories often begin not under the stadium lights but with a small detail most people overlook. For the Frontier Club project, that detail lies in the words of Gil Hanse himself: "Seventeen of the 18 holes were there, waiting to be discovered." A world-class architect does not speak that way about flat land. When someone like Hanse—who designed the 2026 Olympic Course in Rio, Ohoopee Match Club, and The Fall Line—says that nearly the entire routing was dictated by nature rather than earthmoving, that is not just a promotional line. That is a statement of design philosophy, a declaration that the course will be 'found' rather than 'manufactured.' Context: The 350-acre parcel just outside Ann Arbor, Michigan, formerly farmland, offers Hanse a rare topographical asset: two prominent ridges with a valley between. 'It rolls and heaves. It is one of the best pieces of land I have seen in the Midwest,' Hanse said. The two developers, James Housler and Scott Kovanda, Michigan natives and longtime friends, spotted a void in the market: no true destination club existed in southern Michigan. They acquired the land late last year and construction is slated to begin later this year. Core: Let's talk about the architect first. Gil Hanse is not just a good architect; he is among the top three to five working golf course architects in the world, alongside Bill Coore and Tom Doak. His resume embodies the minimalist movement: respect for natural terrain, minimal earthmoving, and creating courses that demand tactical thinking rather than just powerful shots. Ohoopee Match Club in Georgia, a highly regarded destination club among golf connoisseurs, is the clearest example of the model Housler and Kovanda want to follow. The Fall Line, also designed by Hanse, just won Golf Digest's Best New Course award for 2026. The comparison to Crystal Downs is a double-edged sword. Crystal Downs, designed by Alister MacKenzie and Perry Maxwell, is ranked in the top 15 in America—one of the most revered courses in the Midwest. When Housler and Kovanda call Frontier Club a 'smaller-scale Crystal Downs,' they send a message of ambition, but they also set themselves up for a fall. If the course fails to reach that stature in the eyes of architecture critics, the project will be judged harshly. I have witnessed this too many times in my career. But I also know that when Hanse says 'this will be one of the most special places Jim Wagner and I have built,' he is not exaggerating. He is a man who rarely overpromises. What really caught my attention—a detail most other articles will skip—is the involvement of Fred Perpall, former USGA President, whose firm Beck Group is designing the cottages and clubhouse. When a governance heavyweight like Perpall is involved from the ground floor, it signals that this club aspires to be more than just a beautiful golf course. They want USGA Green Section standards, institutional legitimacy, and a course that earns recognition. With a former USGA President involved, it would be no surprise if the project eventually aims to host a USGA championship. Contrarian: But here I want to offer a different angle, one I believe is being overlooked in the general excitement. As someone who has followed tournaments across the globe, I know that the success of a destination club lies not just in the architecture. It lies in the ability to operate and sustain the narrative. Housler and Kovanda, though passionate golfers with local knowledge, are first-time golf developers. They will face construction costs, project management, membership sales, and the operations of a high-end club. Michigan's golf season runs from April to October, about five to six months, compared to twelve months in Georgia or Florida. This creates a structural risk: fixed costs must be spread over fewer months, and the value proposition for out-of-state members becomes harder to justify. Meanwhile, converted farmland often presents problems of soil compaction and drainage that only emerge during construction. However, there is one factor no southern course can replicate: the project is located ten minutes from the Big House. The University of Michigan's vast alumni and wealthy donor network is a massive strategic asset. Imagine a football weekend for the Wolverines: alumni, donors, and celebrities could attend the game and stay to play golf on a world-class Gil Hanse course. Takeaway: The market is witnessing a wave of private investment in destination clubs—a clear signal of the model's appeal. Frontier Club, with its Michigan location, fills a geographic gap in the American golf map. If this project succeeds despite the short golf season, it could open the door for similar projects in Wisconsin, Minnesota, or New England. I will be following the key milestones closely: building permits from Lodi Township, the reveal of the founding member list, and the first reviews from architecture critics. But I will also remember that golf history has seen many projects fail not for lack of ambition but for lack of execution. With Hanse designing, Perpall backing, and the land speaking for itself, Frontier Club has all the ingredients for a great story. The only question that remains is whether they can tell it completely.