Tannenhauf Golf Club (Alliance,OH)

Tannenhauf is so far off the beaten path, that unless a player is going specifically there, it's at a huge disadvantage attracting golfers. The CGA used to play here when I first joined, but eventually it was replaced as driving distance became a factor in our scheduling. 

Tannenhauf was designed by James Harrison and Fred Garbin. Both men are from the Donald Ross lineage, and their architecture follows suit with simple strategy such as long iron shots having bigger greens while short iron shots contending with smaller ones. At Tannenhauf, bunkers are kept at a minimum, and many times aren't used at all. A valley cuts thru the property, and 1,3,5,7,10, and 18 all play thru it, and use this feature to make some interesting shots. 

The third is my favorite hole, and the most memorable. It's a 605 yard par five that doglegs left. The valley that cuts thru the property comes into play on the second shot. There's a huge advantage for the player who can carry it, and land his ball on the same level as the green. 

The valley is used nicely again at seven. 

In this pic you can see how it fronts the green, and how the slope of the putting surface presents some obvious challenges. 

Harrison and Garbin's use of alternating green sizes continues throughout the round. I think the smaller greens tho are the most exciting. The larger greens aren't bunkered, so the player doesn't have to take on the shot. Chippewa was also designed by this duo, and if I recall, many of the best holes there were the smaller greens. 

The holes that don't cross the aforementioned valley are on flat, almost featureless land. These holes are average at best. The back nine occupies this side. I think twelve and seventeen have nice greens that provide a reasonable challenge. Fifteen is a short par three that plays downhill to a narrow green backdropped by a picturesque creek. Sixteen,the par five, has a really nice green ringed by several bunkers, the only one like that. It makes me wonder if there were more traps at one time. Finally eighteen is a long par four that plays thru the valley to a large green. It's a good ending hole. 

Tannenhauf is very similar to Chippewa in the sense that the front nine is where most of the scoring is at, while the back nine toughens up, and the course ends with a string of strong holes. I can't help but comment on the strength of the greens, or more about the presentation of them. They make what is essentially an average course, and makes it above average. I give it a 4. 

(The ninth green in it's pastoral setting)