Sharon Woods Golf Course

There are many regional architects who have put a lasting imprint on the state of golf, but you would be hard pressed to find one who has touched it as much as William Diddel. An Indiana Hoosier, Diddel not only was an incredible player, but he was an accomplished architect who designed courses in five decades. He was also mentor to arguably the greatest modern architect to date..... Pete Dye.

When it came to the golf course, Diddel let the natural contours dictate the strategy. He was very good at routing it over the landforms and challenging the golfer to hit good shots. Many times he didn't put sand traps in. He felt the holes didn't need them.

Recently, I went to the football game in Cincy, and I was able to play nine holes at Sharon Woods. I was so impressed that I had to put in my blog. I have played several courses in the queen city, and this one quickly jumped to the top of the list as one of my favorites.

Holes 13-16 are a great sequence of holes. Thirteen is solid par three that plays across a shallow valley. It was dead into the wind the day I played it, requiring a fairway metal to reach the green. Fourteen is a wonderful looking par four with a rolling fairway. It's a great advantage if you're able to carry the crest. Otherwise, it's an awkward approach shot with the ball below your feet. Fifteen is a solid long par four. Sixteen is a great par five that plays out towards a valley before dipping down and back up to the other side where the green is located. Players who can carry the valley with their second shot are left with a much easier task of getting the ball closer to the hole. The majority of golfers will be trying to gauge a blind third shot. It was my favorite on the back nine.

The last hole was a good par four. The landing zone was a rolling sloping hill. Most good drives are going to funnel to the far right side. From there, its a straight forward shot to a green devoid of sand traps, just the way Diddel liked it!

Before I go on, I have to mention the par three 11th. 235 yards that plays uphill by at least fifty feet!! I never seen anything like it before!! It was both cool and somewhat stupid. I hit driver to it, and was able to up n down for a par from just short of the green. I hate to think how tough it played in the '30s!

Sharon Woods is owned by Hamilton county. If they put more money into this muni, I guarantee it would be one of the top public courses in the state. It justs needs cleaned up a bit, that's all. I must play the front nine next time I'm in town. I think it's a real gem of a course! (5) good rating.

                                          235 yard uphill 11th (50+ feet uphill!!)

                                          Tenth hole. Note the grass ditch short of the green.
                                           Diddel demands an exacting short iron shot.

                                          The picturesque par three 13th.

                                         If you can carry the slope to where the bunker is then
                                         its a short pitch into green. Otherwise the player will have
                                         an awkward lie with the ball below his feet.

                                         The second shot of the par 5 sixteenth hole
                                          (arguably the best hole on the course)

Eighteenth hole. Notice the hillside in the distance. It influences the approach in many ways.