Big changes planned this year for iconic Plymouth Twp. golf course
Plymouth Township’s Hilltop Golf Course is turning vast improvements into profits for the course’s management company and the township.
Who wants to be a millionaire — and enjoy a pleasant 18 holes of golf at the same time?
It’s possible at Plymouth Township’s iconic Hilltop Golf Course, which is bringing back a revised version of its once-popular Par 3 Million Dollar Challenge and continuing to upgrade the course with subtle and not-so-subtle improvements.
Beginning in May, for a $20 fee, Hilltop golfers can earn cash if they register a hole-in-one, hit their drive close to the hole, or simply hit their drive onto the green on the 155-yard par 3 ninth hole.
“The company we formerly worked with on the Par 3 Challenge went out of business, so beginning in May we’re working with a new business that actually will have staff onsite near the ninth hole tee box from Thursday through Sunday to collect the $20 fee if golfers want to participate,” said Jim Gorney, who is part owner of Hilltop’s management firm.
Cha-ching!
If a golfer registers a hole-in-one after paying the $20 fee, they automatically win $10,000 and qualify later in the year for a $1 million national challenge.
Golfers will be required to ace the hole from a minimum distance of 155 yards (125 yards for women), Gorney added.
Among the other significant changes at Hilltop is an expanded menu that will include homemade pizza, hoagies and Kolaches, all of which will be made by onsite by chefs John Gorney (Jim’s dad) and Phil Cataldo (Jim’s uncle).
“We will have QR codes on all the carts that connect golfers to our menu, so they can order while they’re on the course,” Gorney said. “Once the food is ready, they can either pick it up at the turn or have it delivered to them on whatever hole they’re playing.
Appetite-pleasing menu
“We will be partnering with four of the most-popular food delivery businesses — like DoorDash and Uber Eats — that allows us to expand our menu.
“My dad and uncle Phil worked during the winter to come up with delicious recipes for the pizza dough and kolache dough, all of which will be homemade.”
On-course renovation projects include improving and flattening out tee boxes, especially on hole No. 11, which will see its tee box quadrupled in size.
Massive practice putting green coming
Hilltop’s practice putting green will also be 500% bigger and the course’s maintenance staff is working tirelessly to clear overgrown plants and brush that are just off the fairway to improve players’ experience.
Last, but not least, is the installation of two high-tech golf simulators in the Hilltop clubhouse sometime in the fall that will allow the course to be open 12 months a year.
“We want to make the golfers’ experience the best it can be,” Gorney said of the course’s variety of enhancements.
The 18-hole greens fees for Hilltop are currently $49.50, but will increase to $60 once the weather warms.
Money-making venture
To learn more about Hilltop — or to book a tee time — click here.
Hilltop lost money for the township before township leadership hired ADM in 2019. The course is now regularly in the black on an annual basis, Gorney said.
“We just wrote a check to the township for $100,000 from 2025’s profits,” Gorney revealed. “We’ve come a long way to turn this course around in the past seven years.”
Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.
