“Favorite Ohio Course Talk” has got me sad for two reasons. Staring down the barrel of winter (“snow” coming to Cleveland Thursday). And two of my favorite courses are closed, Hawk’s Nest and Mohican Hills. Big shames, especially considering Hawk’s Nest’s previous affiliation with Ohio State Ag school, but that ended and so did the course (as far as I know).
1 Like
Inverness is driver heavy if you’re willing to hit into death bunkers. A good mid to long iron player (which I am not) could hit fairway woods or driving iron all day to stay short of the trouble. To me that’s the beauty of the design. I’ve never played another course (non-links division) where the chief defense is so obviously the fairway bunkering. And the most recent reno had made this even more the case.
1 Like
No course in Cincy does a better job of combining holes I love and holes I hate than Aston Oaks.
Also, no course in Cincy does a better job of combining westsiders comfortable with 5.5 hour rounds and tight, woods lined fairways. But thats a whole different issue.
3 Likes
Played it once. Got out solo (twosome I was going to be randomly paired with no-showed) at 7:45am on a Friday morning in June. Played like ass, lost about 10 balls, but the quiet solo morning round combined with all the scenery, views, wildlife, and following it up with lunch on the balcony patio overlooking the 9th hole made for a lovely experience.
2 Likes
There’s a reason that when we play together we both struggle with the same thing!
1 Like
Thanks for reminding me of all the fairway bunkers I was in and got totally boned by.
5 Likes
We play White Pines almost every time I get up there to visit. Such a great walk, fun course, and the best example of a course and “club” that fits its constituents. Cheap beer, somebody is always working the grill at the turn, and super nice people. Its tucked just behind Stone Ridge as my favorite NWO place to play.
I didn’t know Hawk’s Nest closed…
The only time I ever played out there they sent me out as a single (no worries) and i wondered why the guy in the cart in front of me kept driving to every golf ball and watching people hit. This went on for four or five holes and it was really confusing. They were playing fast enough and I had no where to be so I didn’t complain much. At one point the guy waved me up and I realized that they were having a competition for blind golfers that day and he had to line up everyone before they hit. Needless to say I got a kick out of watching them all drive their carts slow once I realized what was happening and they let me play through.
3 Likes
We’re talking about varying degrees of good here, right? The highs are Moraine are sky high with off the charts shot value. #7 is (probably) the best par 4 in the state.
But 10, 11, 12 (and really 13, too) are weak relative to the other 14 holes and you can’t get around that. 10-12 all feel like a totally different golf course – which is fine for the 6-10 range of best in state but it definitely counts against it if we’re trying to crack into the Top 5.
“Best” and “Favorites” are two different conversations on my end.
2 Likes
hell yes lets rank
1. Camargo
1. Moraine
3. Inverness
4. Columbus CC
5. Stonelick Hills
6 Likes
God bless you for putting CCC on here. That’s the club that I would probably join first if I had to find a family friendly club. Good god do i love CCC. I need to get back down there soon.
7 Likes
My No One Cares Top 5
- Scioto
- Canterbury
- MV
- Columbus CC
- Sleepy Hollow
None of these places have anything on the vibes that happen during the alt-shot afternoon madness at Findlay. I’ve never had more fun on a golf course. Period.
Sleepy’s there because it was the first place I went that wasn’t home or the hospital when my wife got sick and it ended up being that safe place to get away for a bit. She even talks about it a similar way and she’s literally never stepped foot on the property.
I’m much more interested in everyone’s “Favorites” list and their reasons why. Those are the conversations worth having
8 Likes
Brother, you missed a hell of an alt shot afternoon in Cincy. I am firmly convinced that everyone needs more alt shot in their life.
13 Likes
But also not too loud please, plenty fine flying under the radar here.
7 Likes
Re: Moraine 10-12
The more you play them the better they get imo. They are easy to overlook compared to everything else but they are really above average at worst.
10 - Lots of places to get in trouble starting with the tee ball. You miss the fairway you are immediately negotiating the creek on your second shot. The short grass/trench around the green is diabolical as well. It’s a fairly straight-forward hole if you hit the fairway and green, but if you miss either you can make a double or worse pretty quickly.
11 - Legit one of my favorite (and most underappreciated) green complexes on the property. Just so subtly good and treacherous if you miss behind the hole.
12 - Used to be pretty meh, but the new green gives it some needed character, also love that you can run one up onto the green.
Can’t tell you how many decent front 9s I’ve just had go up in flames on 10-12, that’s always the make or break part of the round for me and I think the questions asked on those holes are fitting.
5 Likes
Of what I’ve played/can think of (or remember) as I try to kill the last hour of the work day:
- Moraine - Easily the golf course that has shaped my life the most (not being hyperbolic at all)
- Columbus - Every time I’ve set foot on the property it’s delivered a sense of joy for me.
- The Golf Club - 1 of 1 experience
- Kirtland - Maybe the best back 9 in the state, and I’m not sure it’s even close.
- Springfield - A true IYKYK
- Inverness - Big boy golf course, but some of the holes in the middle of the property run together for me.
- Brookside (Canton) - Rollercoaster ride throughout with some fun elevation and green complexes.
- Scioto (pre-reno) - Thought it was fairly overrated pre-reno, looking forward to changing my mind post-reno.
- Clovernook - Sneaky good Langford & Moreau, sleeping giant in Cincy
- Maketewah - Been a while but remember it being loads of fun.
- NCR - Fun once in a while, but not sure I’d want to play it all the time.
- York - Gets lost in the shuffle, but from hole 8 on it’s one of the most interesting/fun courses I’ve played.
5 Likes
These both go in my 5-10. Would join either in a heartbeat if location and price were in my budget.
3 Likes
Have you not seen Canterbury?
Also, Springfield being above Inverness is provocative. I like it.
1 Like
There are too many great courses in Ohio I haven’t played yet. I’ve heard so many great things about Columbus CC and need to get there next season.
Here’s my favorites of those I’ve played:
- Mak
- Springfield
- Coldstream
- Manakiki
- Stonelick 10 years ago (conditioning and pace of play have slowly gotten worse year over year as it gets more expensive). If that doesn’t count, it’s probably HPCC or Los.
For the state as a whole:
- Camargo
- Scioto
- Inverness
- Moraine
- TGC
6 Likes
Nope, unfortunately haven’t seen Canterbury yet, but would very much like to.
Comparing courses like Springfield and Inverness is nearly impossible based on what they are/try to be, but I’ve easily had more fun at Springfield. Inverness is a brute and great for what it is but for me give me the fun hidden gem any day.
1 Like