Ohio Golfers, Favorite Courses?

Smiter

Dunce Cap For A Bit
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I live in North Central Ohio. I'd like to see what everyone around here (or anywhere in state) likes to play. Obviously OH has some great courses that host PGA events and one that's so exclusive that I don't know how you'd ever get on it (name is escaping me at the moment but it's in UA in C-Bus, maybe The Golf Club?). Oh yeah, insert my normal "I'm wordy" warning as well as the standard "short attention spans" please feel free to not read.

The best course I've played is Muirfield Village. How I got on was a fun story. When I lived and worked in Columbus quite a long time ago, the President of my company and I were hired in at about the same time. As such I had a pretty good relationship with him as we went through and to a lot of things together initially. Anyways, we were playing in the company scramble and I was playing in the group right behind him. I was really on that day and almost holed out on the million dollar hole in one hole (which he saw) and won the long drive prize (which he saw). At the banquet afterwards he approached me and asked if I'd like to play in a member guest event with him the following week (or month, I forget which as this was about 15 years ago). Heck yes! One of the best paths to promotion (IMO) is building good relationships so it was an enthusiastic "yes, sir!" I didn't know what course he was even talking about and just about dropped dead from excitement when he told me when and WHERE to meet him. I'd been to the pro tour event there the year before and was excited as all get out. Actually playing the course was pretty humbling though. If ever there was a course that doesn't set up for my (lack of?) game, this is it. You have to work shots there (I'm a bomber, not a shot maker in style) and those greens were rediculous. After playing there I can't even imagine putting at Augusta. Wowzer.

A year or two before I played Muirfield I was set up to play at Firestone South. My uncle is in sales and he (and a guest) was invited to play a round up there. He asked if I wanted to be his guest and that wasn't a hard decision for me to make. Anyways, the day of the round we were driving up on I 71. About halfway between Cleveland and Columbus traffic came to an absolute halt. We had left plenty early to account for the unforeseen. Not this unforeseen. Apparently a police officer from Columbus had shot and killed his girlfriend, went on a high speed chase, ditched his car just north of us, and ran into the woods. I don't remember if he ended up shooting himself or if he died in a shootout with the Highway Patrol but that's how that ended. After missing our tee time we (cried like babies) went and played Shelby Country Club. If you've ever played there it's a decent course. But it dang sure isn't Firestone. Might have been my one and only chance there. Dangit.

I'm pretty lucky in that there are two of the best public courses in Ohio within 20 minutes of me. Deer Ridge and Ashland Golf Club (formerly Country Club of Ashland). Ashland GC is favorite of the two. It's not flashy but it's about as close to a CC as any public course. It was also listed by Golf Digest as a top 50 under $50.00 public course in the US. I played there all the time on a hot deal for $10.00. That's 18 with a cart and free range balls. Great deal and beyond. It must have severed ties with most of the golf app places as I can't find it on any of them this year. Rats, I guess I'll have to pay the full weekday fees of appx $30.00 for 18, cart, and range. For those that haven't played it, you wouldn't be disappointed if you'd have to pay $50.00. Its nice. Willie Parks course (IIRC) and in as good of shape as any including my home course.

Deer Ridge is another great course. It feels like you're playing a mountain course in NC Ohio. Tons of elavtion. Great conditions. Greens are crazy on this course, bordering on unfair. You can have a 10 footer that if you don't hole it will be 30 feet on your second. The only thing I don't like about this course is that it's kind of gimmicky on a few holes. Some holes are so short that they have to do something to make them a par 4. One is only 218 yards (again IIRC) but it's protected by trees, has a ten yard wide green, and no run up area. They have a100% blind par 3 too. The only good thing about this hole is that they have a flag pole behind the green (to align it) and a chart on the tee showing where the pin is for that day. Don't get me wrong, I doubt you'll be upset playing it but be prepared to feel like you're playing a WV mountain course and about 10 holes are normal holes, 5 holes are spectacular, but 3 will make you feel like your playing a putt putt course and the clowns mouth closed right when your ball got there.

Brookside in Ashland (not Barberton Brookside, never played there) is another local "play all the time" course. Two totally different nines. The front is wide open and more of my type of course. The back is hacked out of a forest and isn't my type of course. I'd like this course more if I could play the front twice. 17 in particular shoots through an almost unfairly small chute to get to the green. You can hit a fade or a draw. You have to be dead straight off the tee or bomb it past the trouble. Big greens that are relatively slow, but putt true. I'm actually planning to play in a PAT here in a couple weeks just for shins and griggles.

Oak tree is another that I play a bunch, probably more than any other. It's solid but there are some issues. The greens are generally slow and most have almost no break. Its probably an average local public course. It's mostly wide open and short, I rarely have more than an 8i into the par 5 first and all of the par 5's are easily reachable, most rounds. Where it gets weird is Hole 8. It's a par 4 that almost always plays into the wind. It's 488 yards (GPS) while only listed as 440 or so. Most holes on local courses overstate the distance. Not here. The last time I played it I hit driver/3w because it played into a stiff wind. I hit a high fade usually and it kills me into the wind. All 4 par 5's play shorter than this hole, well maybe 12 plays about the same given that it goes into the same wind, but I hate that hole. I've played there 4 times this year and it's the only hole I haven't par'd.
 
Love Sleepy Hollow in Brecksville. I also know a lot of people who hate this course though. Personally I don't mind courses that if you are above the hole you have a decent chance of putting off the green. Shale Creek in Medina is super solid and same guy who did deer ridge. Really would like to get out on some of the private clubs in the area, the top 3 of wanting to play is Lakewood CC, Cantebury and The CC at Pepper Pike.

There really are a ton of solid options for a good price. Need to get out to the Virtues as that is listed as best public in Ohio.

A few off the top of my head that I haven't played that I wouldn't mind playing
Avalon Lakes, Fowlers Mill, The Quarry, Deer Ridge, Links at Firestone Farms, Hawks Nest, Eagle Creek

Probably a bunch of others I can't think of at the moment
 
I've got both Deer Ridge and Ashland GC on my list to play this year. Have you ever heard of Blackmoor, just outside of Wintersville? My brother and I love playing it when we're down visiting mom.
 
Golf Club of Dublin is a favorite (and where I have range membership), Indian Springs in Mechanicsburg, Chapel Hill in Mount Vernon, Cooks Creek in Ashville, and Players Club in Columbus and the Scarlet course are some of my favorite.

The aforementioned Virtues is on my short list to play this year as well as trying to get on at Hickory Hills with a member out there.
 
In regard to the OP, The Golf Club is in New Albany. My boss played there last year and loved it. I used to work a quarter mile from it too...I'm hoping to someday find a way to weasel my way out there.

I'll get a more detailed write up of my best public and private course experiences later today when I have some more time.


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The UA courses the OP is probably talking about are Scioto or the OSU scarlet course

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Golf Club of Dublin is a favorite (and where I have range membership), Indian Springs in Mechanicsburg, Chapel Hill in Mount Vernon, Cooks Creek in Ashville, and Players Club in Columbus and the Scarlet course are some of my favorite.

The aforementioned Virtues is on my short list to play this year as well as trying to get on at Hickory Hills with a member out there.

I've played Golf Club of Dublin a few times. Great course! A buddy from college lives beside the 8th green. (I think.)
 
And I maintain a moment of silence for the late, great Thunder Hill.
 
Shale Creek, Fowlers Mill, Pine Hills, Sweetbriar Legacy and Sawmill Creek are some of my favorites up this way
 
Shale Creek, Fowlers Mill, Pine Hills, Sweetbriar Legacy and Sawmill Creek are some of my favorites up this way

First two I have not played, but can heartily endorse the last three.
 
Anyone played Manakiki? Planning on making a trip up to Cleveland in July to play a round there with some friends. Any courses you would recommend up that way instead?

Friends live in Rocky River.


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As someone who lives in Rocky River I can say not big met.

All joking I havent played Manakiki mostly because there are a lot of good courses closer but Manakiki is supposed to be top notch. Sleepy Hollow, Shale Creek, Grey Hawk, Pine Hills are all closer but you can't go wrong unless you play Big Met, which is a 3 minute drive from half of Rocky River
 
Anyone played Manakiki? Planning on making a trip up to Cleveland in July to play a round there with some friends. Any courses you would recommend up that way instead?

Friends live in Rocky River.


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I really enjoy Manakiki. Great Donald Ross design. I usually play from the gold. If you play from the tips there is one gimmicky hole, number 8, where the tee box is offset so you have to hit a draw or are forced to lay up way back. The front is fairly tight with the back opening up a bit more after 10. A couple gettable par 5s on the back. Good mix of par 3 lengths. Driver not always the best play off the tee. They have a small practice range but it is shag your own balls.

I would also suggest Fowlers Mill if you're coming all that way from Rocky River.
 
As someone who lives in Rocky River I can say not big met.

All joking I havent played Manakiki mostly because there are a lot of good courses closer but Manakiki is supposed to be top notch. Sleepy Hollow, Shale Creek, Grey Hawk, Pine Hills are all closer but you can't go wrong unless you play Big Met, which is a 3 minute drive from half of Rocky River


Played a US Am PubLinks qualifier at Sleepy when I was 17, great course. Think I played Pine Hills in high school as well but can't remember for sure. Will make sure we avoid Big Met lol

I really enjoy Manakiki. Great Donald Ross design. I usually play from the gold. If you play from the tips there is one gimmicky hole, number 8, where the tee box is offset so you have to hit a draw or are forced to lay up way back. The front is fairly tight with the back opening up a bit more after 10. A couple gettable par 5s on the back. Good mix of par 3 lengths. Driver not always the best play off the tee. They have a small practice range but it is shag your own balls.

I would also suggest Fowlers Mill if you're coming all that way from Rocky River.

Awesome, thanks - Fowlers Mill was the other course I had thrown out to them. Have always wanted to play there.
 
We LOVE Deer Ridge!!! Have made fall trips up there the last couple years. Originally had to go north to avoid rain and figured it was accessible and going to be dry. Had so much fun that it's on the calendar every year.

Would really like to get to the Virtues this summer. Hear so many great things. Brother in-law of my regular golf buddy played there last summer and said its a must.

Same guy is a member at Inverness... so I pretty much treat him like a King, hoping we get the invite up there some day. Its been mentioned, but not quite made it on to the calendar...
 
We LOVE Deer Ridge!!! Have made fall trips up there the last couple years. Originally had to go north to avoid rain and figured it was accessible and going to be dry. Had so much fun that it's on the calendar every year.

Would really like to get to the Virtues this summer. Hear so many great things. Brother in-law of my regular golf buddy played there last summer and said its a must.

Same guy is a member at Inverness... so I pretty much treat him like a King, hoping we get the invite up there some day. Its been mentioned, but not quite made it on to the calendar...


Couple quick points (with me it's never quick, lol!!).

Eagle Creek is one helluva a course. Many moons ago, that was my bday present from my dad. He'd take me there for a round. Great course back then (haven't played it in 17 years or so) but was certainly one of the best on the area. The first time we played it it was almost mythical. We had the first tee time of the day and driving up to it there was an ethereal fog rising from the course. It was straight King novel material. Played it many times back then and was never even once disappointed. Would highly recommend it and will play a round there this season.

Virtues (formerly Longaberger) is the top public course in the state and a top 100 in the world. Played it a couple times and with the rates set where they currently are, it's a must play if it's within a couple hours. I haven't played it in a few years but it used to host an event (think it was LPGA, but may have been Web.com?). I've read a couple reviews that state it's not what it once was, but 50% of what it was is still a must play.

Failed to mention my home club. It's a Donald Ross design and still 100% private, although they do host some outside events/outings now so getting on it if you really want is attainable (read: it's not Augusta). Westbrook CC. Great course and facility all around. Spent one (very long summer here) year as the Asst Pro (which basically means "you can golf pretty good and are young and stupid enough to work a 110 hour work week on a salary"). I was drinking buddies and golf friends with the head pro at the time and he convinced me to take my PAT (super easy at that time and course) and viola! I was certified to give lessons, etc. if I ever hit it rich I'm going to refund all those poor saps that took "lessons" from me. The only nice thing about that was that I got 25% from the lessons that I gave. Usually bumped up my princely salary of $500 a week up into the the 575 range. Did I mention that I worked 110 hours a week? There were some serious problems that came out of this arrangement, mainly that I've never been a servant/slave and as an asst pro, that's your job. In English my contract expired at the end of the season and I ran. Not walked. Ran. I played the least golf of any year of my adult life. I'll probably post a thread stating my problems at some point, and not coincidentally there were a bunch of them. But I learned a lot! Mainly that "Assistant Pro" jobs suck. Hugely. One of the big perks of the job back then was that you could live in site. They have you what amounted to a studio apartment above the golf shop. I thought it was a perk until I realized that it was due to easy access for those days when your cart boy called off (which was everyday). Don't go the asst pro route. Just don't do it.
 
I think Columbus has a lot of decent courses. The better ones are all private and I have no connections to get on any of them ever. As far as Public goes, I played bent Tree a couple of weeks ago. I thought it was pretty nice and well kept. I tend to play relatively well at Westchester and now that the nearby BrewDog brewery is open it is my 19th hole.

I'm hoping to be able to play Springfield Country Club (location of a US Open Qualifier) I have a co-worker who's daughter's wedding reception is being held there so he is trying to squeeze a round out of them considering the money he is giving them.
 
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