Raintree Country Club

Located in Uniontown just off 77, Brian Huntley designed Raintree as a championship golf course. With next door neighbors Prestwick and Mayfair Country Club, It makes a trifecta for area golfers.

Raintree has an interesting mix of holes. The property out by the interstate is modest in terrain so Huntley dug out a couple lakes to create interest. They're fine holes but nothing exciting. The wooded holes are much better and the ones that use the creek are the most memorable.

Ninth hole, 422/393 yards; Probably the best hole on the front, ten is a beautiful downhill par four whose green is set in the hill below the clubhouse. The green is two tiered and tilted towards the fairway. With traps guarding the right side and narrowing the approach, the golfer is faced with a tough second shot. A par is a well earned score.

Eleventh hole, 174/143 yards; With a creek fronting the lima shaped green, players are faced with precise shot. Any type of cut or fade that is not hit properly will end up in the water. Easily the best par three on the course.

Thirteenth hole, 471/425 yards; In my opinion the best hole on the golf course. It's downhill with the creek meandering across the fairway fifty yards short of the green. While a big drive can make this mid or long iron approach, the majority of players will be trying to just carry the creek and possibly run the ball onto the green. It's one of those half pars where a four picks up a stroke or wins the hole.

Fourteenth hole, 441/351 yards; The creek crosses the fairway and defines the left side as the hole doglegs with the curve of the hazard. From the back tees, it is as intimidating a shot as you'll encounter. It takes a big poke to reach the fairway. The green is then slotted along side the water in a diagonal shape. The player is torn tween challenging the water, or drawing the ball into the pin. Balls that don't draw will likely go over the green onto thin hard pan ground. It's a difficult up n down from there. Four is a great score.

Eighteenth hole, 554/526 yards; This is a creatively designed hole. While the conservative player can tack his way around the hazards for a good chance at par, the aggressive player is enticed to attack using the right fairway, thus cutting off a lot of yardage where the green is reachable with a well hit shot. I kinda wish the green was more classic, and maybe tilted towards the water so it was more receptive. Instead it's three tiered and two putting is quite a challenge when you re not on the correct level. It's not your typical ending par five, and birdie four is a great score!!

Golfstyles has rated this as one of Ohio's top 100 public courses. I can see it in the second half of that list. While I think the course is better than average, it would never come up on my list of places to play. I give it 4 (above average) rating.  Too many mediocre holes.

Chardon Lakes Golf Club (Chardon OH)

If you like old fashion golf courses with severely pitched greens, then Chardon Lakes is the place to play. Bert Wey designed it in 1931. If there is ever a question bout it's difficulty, just remember Jack Nicklaus holds the course record 67 despite Chardon Lakes hosting a few Nike Tour qualifying events. 

Like most older courses, there are only three markers to play from, and Chardon may very well have the most difference between the blue and white tees I've seen on a course. Besides the 600 yards, usually the blue tees are confined in very tight corridors of play. It's not uncommon to see players pointing to the back tee as they play the whites. The blue tees are very intimidating.

Third hole, 398/351 yards; After a couple relatively easy holes, the player comes to a classic Chardon Lakes hole. With the tee set back between a long chute of trees, the player will undoubtedly feel claustrophobic as he attempts to hit a blind drive over the crest of the hill into the fairway. The approach is then hit to steeply sloped green where a couple fronting traps may entice the player to carry it further into the putting surface where a curling delicate putt is needed to secure a par. Needless to say, any shot not precisely hit will quickly lead to bogey.

Fourth hole, 215/180 yards; An even more severely pitched green greets us at the fourth. Any ball hit pin high is simply the wrong shot. Hit it low. Let it crawl on the front. And two putt from thirty feet. Three is a great score.

Fifth hole, 417/410 yards; The fifth is a beautiful downhill par four. The expansive view really encourages a long drive. The green is then precisely placed next to a ravine with traps guarding the front and sides.

Sixth hole, 413/384 yards; The sixth is one hole you won't forget. It's the switchback hole and it plays straight towards the creek. Layup to the water or draw it into the fairway. The conservative shot will leave a 200+ shot into the green but there's plenty of room to run it on. An aggressive shot typically leaves a green light special to the flag. It's a great hole.

Tenth hole, 383/322 yards; The tenth epitomizes the difficulty between the blue tees and white tees. The creek crosses the driving zone and the carry to fairway is 230 yards from the back. It's such an opposing drive. The green is way cool too! A large slope on the right spins everything left or front. A smart shot takes advantage to get close. However, a putt that has to be judged off this slope can be very difficult.

Sixteenth hole, 439/382 yards; A good drive is needed to reach the corner while taking care not to go too long into the creek. The second shot is one of my favorites at Chardon. The elevated green sits in a grove of trees, water guarding left and sand short. Four is a well earned.

Seventeen hole, 547/541 yards; If you need a birdie coming in, then this is your best chance. A couple creeks cross the fairway and a pond guards the layup area. Most players must strike quality shots to leave themselves a short iron third. The green sits uphill with a couple traps protecting it. The long hitter may possibly reach it in two but usually bails out left away from all the trouble.

Eighteenth hole, 461/411 yards; Chardon Lakes ends with a large par four that dog legs right and goes slightly uphill. It's possible to cut the corner and reach the top with an aggressive swing. Those just hitting it short of the trap will leave a long blind second. A very cool green that slopes left to right. Not often do you get a straight putt. Par par par... Strong finisher.

Chardon Lakes does need to work on trimming the branches that poke out from the rear tees. This would make a couple back tees legitimate for medal tournaments. But overall, it's a tough test of golf and needs patience to score well. Always a good time, I give Chardon a 5 (good rating).