All Things Ohio Golf

[SilverBullets]

Anyone know the status of Delaware Golf Club outside of Columbus? I've heard a developer bought the land and is planning on turning the course back to 9 holes to develop homes on the land. I know the course disputes that claim. I haven't heard anything over hte past 6 months though. Anyone know anything?

[golfortennis]

Is anyone familiar with Belmont Country Club in Perrysburg?

[SadTrombone]

Any recommendations on the west side of Cleveland? Maybe out towards Elyria? Work calls for relocation. I like a nice practice facility and not ridiculous fees. Also, I prefer to walk. Suggestions would be welcome.

[rrkman]

[quote name='minitour' timestamp='1366702238' post='6898505']
Any recommendations on the west side of Cleveland? Maybe out towards Elyria? Work calls for relocation. I like a nice practice facility and not ridiculous fees. Also, I prefer to walk. Suggestions would be welcome.
[/quote]

I'd try Forest Hills...,decent place but not sure of condition these days. Grey hawk in Lagrange might be an option...not sure on cart rule though but has a range, large practice green, and small trap for practice. Legacy course at sweetbriar in Avon lake is decent but might be carts too...and range has mats.

Sorry but not many great practice facilities that I've found in that area. There is a range on center ridge heading into north ridgeville but for the life of me, I can't ever seem to figure out when it is open. Supposed to have a short game area but have never used it.

[SadTrombone]

Yeah I've played Grey hawk and the Legacy at Sweetbriar. Mats were the drawback there. I think they also have limited flight balls. Either that, or I'm weak on the range and a monster on the course

That's a bummer that the west side doesn't have much. If I could stomach the drive out to Elyria every day, I'd love to get on at Kirtland, but something tells me work won't afford that option. But wow, what a place!

How's Elyria Country Club? Looks nice on google earth....

[rrkman]

Elyria CC is usually ranked top 20 private courses in Ohio. If you're looking private, that is certainly an option. So is Red Tail, Avon Oaks, Westwood, Lakewood cc...

Another nice public course that's about 30 more minutes west is eagle creek in Norwalk. Sawmill creek is up on the lake out past Huron.....probably 30 minutes too.

[SadTrombone]

I'm looking into living arrangements within 20-30 minutes (max) and preferably east of the Lorain County Airport so I'd be looking for something in that general area. I'm not opposed to public courses, but private may be more flexible for my time. Often I like to go play 3-4 holes and call it a night or just camp out on the practice range for a few hours. Practice areas are very important to me. Guess I'll have to make the trip up and start looking around.

[golfzob]

Oberon GC is nice and has a good practice facility(they also just waived the initiation fee this year). I like GreyHawks practice facility but the course condition is horrendous as they are recovering from destroying the fairways last year, it's also not conducive to walking. Forrest hills is nice but no practice there. I love eagle creek in Norwalk but it might be a bit of a hike for you. Sawmill is also a great track but it is even further. I haven't played Elyria cc but have never heard a bad thing about it!

[golfzob]

Sorry meant Oberlin GC

[SadTrombone]

Thanks, I'll add it to the list!

[rrkman]

Meant to put Oberlin down too. Only played there a couple times about 15 years ago. Can't really give you a current opinion but certainly another one to check out. Was a nice place.

I haven't played forest hills in years but when I worked in Oberlin, I'd swing by there after work and be the last guy out. It was really more just practice......I tend to practice more productively on the course. I also believe they put in a practice area and google maps does show a range with a bunker area as well.

If you're working near the airport, I'd certainly start with Elyria cc and Oberlin cc for private facilities....and swing by forest hills as well.

[ilikegolf26]

So I live in the Cincinnati area (Hyde Park) and would like to join a club. Basically my ideal club is just a golf club with a decent to good practice facility. I am not married and 26 years old so don't really want the overhead that a full country club would cost me (higher food minimums, pool fees, whatever else goes along with these sort of clubs). I would just like a place to play golf/practice. Any suggestions of possible places? I played TPC River's Bend last season and it was awesome but not sure what kind of membership fees and dues are required there and it is a little far for me I feel like.

[Tarantula18t]

You don't have a whole lot of options close to you. The closest ones would be Cincinnati CC, Hyde Park CC, Kenwood CC, Maketewah CC and Losantiville CC that I can think of off the top of my head. Unfortunately, none of those are going to be inexpensive. Most of these are very old CC's, and their practice areas are non-existent, or pretty crummy.

There is another private club not too far from Hyde Park called Ivy Hills, that would probably be the cheapest. Once again, not too good of practice facilities, and honestly, you need hooves to fully enjoy the course. It's very hilly.

Stonelick Hills is an all golf club, although it's public. They do sell memberships, and they have a very good practice facility. Only issue there is that it is about 15 - 20 miles from Hyde Park.

It's too bad you aren't further north.....there you would have a LOT more options that I am sure would be to your liking.

[mikpga]

Stonelick has a very nice practice facility...

Four Bridges has a great practice facility...

Ivy Hills practice area is not that good, but great course...

Stonelick offers a social membership which includes full access to range maybe one round a month.,,

[mikpga]

Actually I forgot Maketewah just put in a serious upgrade to their practice facility, would definitely look into that...

[bunkeru2k]

If you do intend to join one of those clubs, I highly recommend you try to play there or walk the course. I would not join Losantiville if they paid ME the yearly dues and provided me a sherpa and 3 billy goats to climb around that mountain range they laid a golf course around.

[CincyCreech]

Anybody know what has happened to Shaker Run? Played there today and it was in pretty cruddy shape. The greens were probably some of the worst I've played. Generally around this time of the year it's in amazing shape.

[Frohlich]

I have had real hit and miss with shaker the last few years. I would agree that Spring it should be at its best so that is sad to hear. I think they have changed mgmt at least once. So sad because the layout is great and 10 years ago it was premier. I just don't think they get the traffic needed to generate enough revenue to keep the course tip top.

[Tarantula18t]

We played there two weeks ago, and decided that we have given up on Shaker. Over the last few years it has been pretty good conditions up until about mid June, and then it starts to go downhill when the heat comes. So we usually get out there a few times in the spring. Well, we have been twice this year, and I think that will be it. We played the Woodlands side on the 2nd day it was open up this year. Why did they even bother to open it up? We were told that they were hanging back on opening it up early to let it heal up nicely. Uh.......it isn't healed.....or even close to being.

The funny part is the plans are to go fully private if they ever get the necessary membership numbers to do so. Good luck on that one. They were actually doing renovations in the clubhouse when we were there. Well.......spend the money on the course, not the pro shop......last time I checked I didn't have to putt in the clubhouse. Although putting on shag carpet may be smoother then their greens at the moment.

It used to be a treat to play the course.

[Frohlich]

On a more positive note, I did play Elks Run this last weekend. Scored a deal on golfnow.com for $25 and it was in pretty good shape. It also suffered condition wise the last few years and has changed mgmt. I know it is Spring and everything this time of year tends to be in good shape but I was happy with the conditioning. Only real complaint was the par 3 (maybe hole 8?), where the tee box was pretty beat up but that is nit picking. The rest of the tee boxes and the course overall was in fine shape. Not what it was 8 years ago when it was kept in great shape (and charged like $85) but overall played great. Will likely return later in the year.

[SilverBullets]

[quote name='CincyCreech' timestamp='1367371155' post='6947741']
Anybody know what has happened to Shaker Run? Played there today and it was in pretty cruddy shape. The greens were probably some of the worst I've played. Generally around this time of the year it's in amazing shape.
[/quote]

I think due to the weather most courses in Ohio at struggling to have great conditions right now. I got out to my club last week, a course which is normally in excellent shape year round, and you could tell they were struggling. There has been a lot of rain over the past 2 weeks which makes it very tough to maintain. I noticed a ton of wet areas and the greens looked like they cut them while they were wet which made them kinda shotty. I would expect in the next few days, assuming it stays as nice out as it is, the courses will start to take shape.

[CincyCreech]

Yea I heard that Shaker was going to go private next year also. The pro shop was completely redone by Nike. I mean there was nike s*** everywhere. I played there probably about 10-12 times during April-may maybe early June. Just because it was in great shape.

I also enjoy playing Elks Run an generally is in pretty good shape. Unfortunately for me it's a hike out there about 50 minutes. Hole 8 is the down hil par 3.. I think the boxes are in horrible shape bc people hit 2-3 balls a piece when they play that hole.

I think around here it gets to the point where you just need to find a course that's in good shape an just stick too it.

[Tarantula18t]

"I think around here it gets to the point where you just need to find a course that's in good shape an just stick too it."

I agree with that. We play Heatherwoode a LOT throughout the year because it's always in such great shape. Yankee Trace never seems to let us down either.

I played Four Bridges last week and the conditions there were great. I am going to give Oasis a try this week, and see how it is there. I would imagine most of the private clubs to be in good shape at this point in the year.

The list of public courses that we play gets smaller and smaller every year it seems like. All of this is mainly due to conditions deteriorating. That isn't good

[Frohlich]

I can attest that Heatherwoode and Stonelick usually being in great shape when others start to fall apart from the heat. I remember playing Stonelick a couple of summers ago when other courses where really starting to get brown and it looked like May...green everywhere. Heatherwoode is the same way...always in good shape.

[CincyCreech]

Yea I agree with Heatherwoode an Yankee Trace. I played both courses last year for the first time. All during the middle of summer throughout. I bet I played heatherwoode Atleast 10 times due to the conditions of the course. I really liked Yankee Trace. Just don't make it up to the Dayton courses that often

[somaplr]

Matt at Heatherwoode has done a great job at course maintenence since taking over. The rough around the greens is awesome now (and I mean that in a challenging way). Steve is also awesome at Yankee - especially since they get like 50,000 rounds a year with a ton of outings.

A VERY underated course in south Dayton that is always in pretty great shape is Pipestone in Miamisburg. Their greens are always $$$$. It's a bargain to play there as well for the shape it's in. You do, however, get some of the hack crowd.

I'm teeing off at 4pm there today if anyone wants to lose some money

[mikpga]

The Lambert family has taken ownership of Shaker. I believe their long term goal is to restore the original 18 track to what it once was. I also believe its going to require some necessary work on the greens.

[CincyCreech]

I played pipestone last week an was playing terrible it tore me up. I think it's definitely an underrated course! I felt like on the greens I could make everything. If I lived close to Yankee I would play there all the time

[Cwing]

[quote name='SilverBullets' timestamp='1367418436' post='6950519']
[quote name='CincyCreech' timestamp='1367371155' post='6947741']
Anybody know what has happened to Shaker Run? Played there today and it was in pretty cruddy shape. The greens were probably some of the worst I've played. Generally around this time of the year it's in amazing shape.
[/quote]

I think due to the weather most courses in Ohio at struggling to have great conditions right now. I got out to my club last week, a course which is normally in excellent shape year round, and you could tell they were struggling. There has been a lot of rain over the past 2 weeks which makes it very tough to maintain. I noticed a ton of wet areas and the greens looked like they cut them while they were wet which made them kinda shotty. I would expect in the next few days, assuming it stays as nice out as it is, the courses will start to take shape.
[/quote]

Mix in a few 70* days followed up by freezing and frost. It has been a tough growing season so far. I have been on 5 courses thus far and each and every one of them still has holes in the green from aeration.

[SilverBullets]

Ok well while we are on Cincy golf... I am heading to Cincy in June for a guy's trip. We have 6 guys, all of whom golf (wide range of skill). We are planning on playing Shaker on the Sunday as we head back to Cbus, but, I need a recommendation for Saturday. We are staying right downtown friday and saturday night so I don't want to head north like 45 minutes to hit a course. What's good that will take like 30 minutes or so to get to from downtown?