W
hat started as an afternoon musing
during a tennis tournament turned
into an obsession for Bill Massie.
"In 2008, while watching my
13-year-old son play in a tennis tour-
nament at the beautiful Longwood Cricket Club outside
of Boston, I thought to myself, 'I'm going to go back and
build something like this in Pontiac'," recalls Massie, an
architect by trade.
The first thing Massie did upon his return was build a
perennial rye test court. Other than mowing fairways on a
golf course for one summer during his youth, Massie had
no experience or training in growing grass.
"I leaned heavily on Joe Vargas, professor of turfgrass sci-
ence at Michigan State University," said Massie. "We threw the
traditional golf-centric, sand-based agronomics out the window
because this is literally a whole different ball game. A sand-based
grass surface would never hold up to the rigors of tennis."
After mastering his ryegrass skills, Massie decided to take
it to the next level. He purchased an abandoned recreation
center and 50 acres of surrounding property in Pontiac, MI
just outside of Detroit.
28 SportsTurf | September 2014 www.sportsturfonline.com
Facility & Operations
ArchiTecT buildS natural
grass TenniS cOmplex
Editor's note: This article was written by Jacobsen's public relations staff
Wessen Lawn & Tennis Club Owner
& Founder Bill Massie with his convertible
Mercedes that serves as the marquee for
his new tennis complex in Pontiac, MI.
One of Wessen Lawn & Tennis Club's 24 natural grass courts
with the clubhouse in the background. The original building was con-
structed in 1919 and served as the Pontiac waterworks.
Just like at Wessen's inspiration,
Wimbledon, players must wear all white.
Wessen Lawn & Tennis Club uses a Jacobsen SLF-1880 large-area
reel mower to maintain its 24 natural grass courts.
The clubhouse of Wessen Lawn &
Tennis Club features an open and airy
layout with abundant seating.
