The Pine Trace Golf Course in Rochester Hill is about to expand its facilities.
The city council unanimously approved a request from the golf course operator to enlarge the existing clubhouse building, add a banquet hall and expand the service building. Plans also show a new boulevard-style driveway, more parking, and other site improvements. Pine Trace is in an area zoned for single-family homes.
The city owns the 200-acre property but has several agreements with the company that operates the Pine Trace Golf Course. As part of a lease agreement, Pine Trace paid the city 10% of its annual gross proceeds. The city should receive an estimated $165,000 in 2027 with a new minimum rental rate of $350,000 starting in January 2028.
In 2024, the planning commission approved Pine Trace’s request to relocate the driving range. The course owner has been in talks with the city about building renovations since then.
Pine Trace closed in September 2024 so tees, greens and bunkers could be renovated and the old irrigation system could be replaced.
The existing 4,400-square-foot clubhouse is more than 400 feet from the nearest residential properties. The proposed expansion includes adding more than 3,100 square feet to the clubhouse, with a banquet wing of more than 12,400 square feet. The service building will be renovated and expanded by 9,800 square feet. Nearly 90 parking spaces will be added, for a 289 total.
Councilman David Walker called the plan “absolutely stunning.”
The work on the course, the building expansion and parking updates will cost an estimated $10 million, said Pine Trace owner Mike Bylen.
“It’s a pretty nice project,” he said. “It’s definitely going to add to our offerings.”
He said all businesses must find new ways to make money and that banquet facilities pair well with golf courses. He owns Shepherd’s Hollow in Clarkston and Cherry Creek in Shelby Township, which have banquet spaces.
Golf continues to be a popular sport, he said, spurred in part by COVID-19 and the emphasis on outdoor activities. He said golf is more affordable in southeast Michigan than many other major metropolitan areas in the U.S.
The proposed banquet hall will be 30 feet tall with a flat roof and have floor-to-ceiling windows in some areas. Two gazebos will flank the building, which will have a large patio at the back. Formal landscaping will be added outside.
The planning commission supported the proposed changes in July and encouraged the council to approve.
Course renovations required removing 32 trees; the city will require 48 replacements.
Bylen said Pine Trace’s golf course will reopen in late May or early June 2026, depending on how weather affects the construction schedule. The new buildings will be done by mid 2027, he said.
Originally Published: August 18, 2025 at 12:17 PM EDT
