First Effort, Course Review Ashland (Ohio) Golf Club

Smiter

Dunce Cap For A Bit
Joined
May 25, 2017
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Location
Ontario, OH
Handicap
4.7
First attempt at this so I'll try to keep personal emotion out of it and just tell it like it is. Comments and/or suggestions for how to write future reviews are more than welcome!

Ashland Golf Club is the former Ashland Country Club. It went public about 4 years ago. I played it once about 20 years ago while it was private when the local Rotary Club had an outing there that I was invited to play in. Overall it is a solid test of golf. From the blue tees (championship) it plays to 6699 yards. It's a mature tree lined course that was designed by Willie Park Jr. I would describe it as neither "tight" nor "wide open" but with enough trouble to reward straight shots. It's generally not too punitive of wayward shots though you may have Tree trouble. Conditions of the course will more closely mirror most Country Clubs then they will most public courses. The tees and fairways are lush, the rough is trimmed appropriately, and the greens run plenty fast. If I had to hazard a guess on their speed I would say about ~10 on average.

Before arriving at the first tee you may want to check out their practice range and putting green. Until this season their range was included in your greens fees and had balls set up in 5 gallon bucket sized pails. The last time I played here a couple weeks ago the balls were not out, but we were also the first group to tee off on a rainy morning. I did not ask if they no longer gave free range access since I didn't encounter anyone from the course for the rest of the round. I'm sorry, I just don't know. The tee area of the range is grass and is in good shape. The putting green is maintained to about the same speed as the rest of the courses greens so it's a good chance to get the speed down. One word of caution about it though; it is more out in the open then most of the greens and will dry out faster then the others. If playing in heavy dew situations, a lot of the holes may play slower then the practice green.

Hole 1-Par 4 353 yards. I like this as a starting hole, it will give you a chance to gain some confidence in your ball striking before any of the teeth of this course come out. It's pretty straight with a wide landing area. The best angle in is from the left half of the fairway but any tee shot that finds the fairway will give you a decent angle. Bunkering on the hole is a fairway bunker left, about 225 from the tee box and a front left and right placement. Watch out for the the long left bunker. If you get in there you'll be very lucky to have a putt as your next shot. The green is raised up somewhat and severely sloping back to front. It's a very small green and it's much better to be short than long. Anything past the hole is equal to adding a half stroke.

Hole 2-Par 4 424 Yards. This is the 2 handicap hole and a fairly stout par 4. You'll start from an elavated tee box, down into a valley for the landing, and back up to the green. There is a fairly busy road running parallel on the right so slicers beware! At the end of the landing area running about 100 yards short of the green a creek bisects the fairway. It's not normally in play for most but big hitters need to beware. If conditions are hard and fast it can come into play from the tee but takes a mighty swipe to get there. Back uphill to the green which is protected by bunkering on the right side. A good miss to this green would be short and right. Anything left and long will be difficult to stop. Par is a very good score here.

Hole 3-Par 3 187. You'll start off on a raised tee box so play one club less than you normally would. Bunkers are short left and right, but not too bad of a place to be pin dependent. Another back to front sloping green that will be hard to get close from if you're long.

Hole 4-Par 4 369 Yards. If you're playing well to this point, this hole gives you a slight chance to catch your breathe. It plays quite a bit longer then it's listed yardage as its uphill, but a pretty wide landing area combined with a moderately easy green gives you a chance to score well here. Bunkers are again short left and right. Long isn't good, but most courses are set up this way so I'll try not to mention it anymore.

Hole 5-Par 5 514 Yards. Keep that easy breathing going! You've got this one. Straightaway par 5 that should be reached if you've got much length. It's slightly downhill even! Pretty wide open for this course even. Left side of the fairway will give you the best angle usually. The only word of caution, approximately 80-120 yards out the fairway is severely sloped. If you're in the wrong spot you can have an almost baseball like swing with the club. Don't ask how I know! Bunkers short left and right will keep you from running anything up that's not in the narrow opening, but they're generally a good place to be.

Hole 6 Par 3 180. This is a pretty straightforward par 3. Large green without much break. Bunkers short left and right and long right.

Hole 7 Par 4 403 Yards. Let me give you a hint. Don't hit driver here. This is a long iron or hybrid type hole for all but the longest or shortest hitter. There is a creek running about 120 out that comes back into play about 260 out. Think of it as an island fairway. Can the creek be carried? Sure. Has this dummy tried to many times? Sure. Going this route will leave you a longer than desired second shot but it beats hitting your 3rd into the green from 140 out. There is no good miss for this green. It goes back uphill to it. Left is dead. You'll be lucky to chip and have a putt for your next. Right will find you in Tree trouble 90% of the time. Good luck here. This is a tough hole.

Hole 8 Par 4 390 Yards. Relax. Other then hole 7 you're having a good round at a great course. This is uphill and a slight dogleg but otherwise pretty gettable. A good drive will leave you with a wide open shot at this one. Right side of the fairway is best. One of the easier green on the course and protected by short right and left and long left bunkers.

Hole 9 Par 5 531 Yards. You wouldn't think it from the distance alone but this is a three shotter. There is a creek that bisects the fairway about 310 out so maybe you could get home if you challenge the creek but stay short? Probably not since you'll start up high, then go down into a valley, then WAY up to the green. You could get there if your second is all carry to the uphill green, but forget about running it up there. Other than the green being way up there it's not protected from anything other than a few big trees and elevation. From short of the creek a short iron lay up will leave you a wedge of some flavor. Pretty easy hole to par, considerably more difficult to birdie than most would think.

Hole 10-Par 3 204. Even if playing some other tee, do yourself a favor and play this one from the blues. From there it's elevated on top of a hill you'd struggle to walk down. Back up slightly to a pretty benign green. Bunkers short left and right, it's easy enough that bogey is a bad score but hard enough that par is a good score.

Hole 11-Par 4 410 Yards. You've done it. You've reached the hardest hole on the course. Left to right dogleg is the least of your worries. There is a creek once again in the fairway maybe 120 out. Some can still hit driver but for those with any length it is a long iron for the smart play. From your approach going left isn't an option. You'll be above the hole with the green sloping away. Right is the better miss but you'll be going way uphill. The green itself is pretty flat and a good approach can leave you with an unexpected birdie.

Hole 12 Par 5 486 Yards. If you're still alive at this point, you've made it. There isn't much to worry about from this hole. It's a little uphill but any length at all will have you taking a swipe at getting home in two. It's deceptively tight though. There's a big Tree on the left side that can catch a fade and anything over cooked. Right side of the fairway will leave you the best angle in.

Hole 13 Par 4 363 Yards. Caution; this hole is tighter than it appears and a very hard hole to drive with a fade. There is a big tree that cuts off any fades on the left side. The best play is a draw that starts out just right of the fairway bunker, which is basically in the middle of the fairway. It shouldn't come into play as it only takes about 210 to clear it though.

Hole 14 Par 4 381 Yards. Slightly uphill, but otherwise another good chance to score. Pretty open and anything in the short grass will leave a decent angle in. Best side is the right side but this is another pretty easy green.

Hole 15-Par 5 540 Yards. Standing on the tee you'll have two options for shot shape. It looks like a classic draw hole, going slightly left. I've found the best play is a fade started at the tree line on the left and coming back. It's better to be in the right side of the fairway if you plan to go at this green in two. So there's my next advice. Don't go at this green in two. After hitting a good drive, you'll want to. Remember though that there is a lake short and left, and OB right. My last round I smacked the tee ball well. I usually have no trouble holding greens even with 3w. I hit 3w and caught it perfect. It was on the flag the entire time. I saw it hit and skip and that was the last I saw of it. When I got to the green there was a trench about 10ft in front of the middle flag where my ball had hit. I can only surmise that it bounded off OB long right. Ouch. The smart play is to lay up. You can pick what distance as the lake starts right around 80 yards out and ends about 5 yards short of the green. Going for this one isn't advised. I'll try to remember that.

Hole 16-Par 3 231 Yards. Yes it stinks as much as you can envision. There OB right (and houses, which is a little scary). A draw is preferable here but a little scary to start it there. The green is really flat and easy and if you can get it close to it should give a decent chance of getting up and down. Pretty hole though.

Hole 17-Par 4 392 Yards. You'll start off driving the ball uphill to a blind landing area. OB (and houses again) are right. Just find the fairway here as a miss left isn't much better. It's not overly tight but you better land it no more than 20-25 yards from center. Another easier green. This course at least will give you an easier green most of the time if the rest of the hole is difficult.

Hole 18-Par 4 340 yards. A very slight dogleg right finishing hole. As far as finishing holes goes, this one is fairly benign. It'll let you lick your wounds some from 15-17. Don't take it as being easy though. For one, you aren't driving it. It's surrounded by bunkers. There's about a 10 foot wide opening through the front to run one up. Being anywhere outside of those bunkers with less than a full shot is tough too. You'll have to carry your chip over the bunkers and get it to stop on the green. Not an easy task. Throw in a bunch of trees and it magnifies this. Just play long iron/hybrid from the tee and try to make 3 with your wedge and putter. You'll want to be a distance that you can hold the green from anyways.

Once your round is complete you can visit Shanks Bar and Grill. I've only had a couple meals there but I've walked away impressed each time. Good food and drink await. It's a little higher end then most stuff I chow down on but it's all been good.

I've found this course to be one of the best in this area. It made Golf Digests top 20 for under $50.00 list at #8. (I'm going off of memory so if this isn't exactly accurate, I apologize). The first couple times I played this course it murdered me. It's tough. It's also very fair. If you have the chance to play it, I would absolutely recommend it. It's a course that playing for a par is the right thing to do. It's also just the right amount of gettable that'll make you abandon that strategy to catastrophic results.
 
Thanks for taking the time to write up this very detailed review. Sounds like a solid course that would be a fun play.
 
Great review, I might have to check this course out.
 
Good review. You should add some pictures as well if you get a chance.
 
Good review. You should add some pictures as well if you get a chance.

Dang if I wouldn't like to do so. Every pic I try to post though comes back with "file size too large". At this point it's an insurmountable beast that I can't tame.

Thanks all for the encouraging words.
 
Nice review.

Uploading pics is easy through tapatalk.
 
Forgot to add that it's owned by the local kidney stone doctor. I get them chronically so I feel very qualified to proffer an opinion. He's an evil man (no offense doc, but just mentally picturing you brings back a ton of painful memories!). Seems like a decent enough guy but the next time a doc tells you "just relax, this will hurt a bit as it's going through the 'chestnut' " do yourself a favor and run before you get there! Also if you hear "wow! That's a lot of blood in your urine, that'll get your attention", it's probably something you'd rather not hear.

No fault of his own, but he's not my favorite guy. Good course though.

Last edited painful thought... I took my dad out the other day on this course. He loved it until he found out who owned the course. Once he did it was all I could do to keep him from demanding a full refund (and probably old guy fighting someone for it). Apparently he wasn't fond of a prostate biopsy. I can only surmise it isn't pleasant. His new health mantra is "just let me die, I've lived a full life". I hope he doesn't come down with anything serious, I fully believe him. He's done with conventional medicine. Blood lines for him live long. He'll probably out live me since I was adopted (that bloodline is in the bottom 10% for life expectancy, yeah buddy. My dad (biological) was dead by my age. Sobering. 100%. Every angle.
 
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