Big Met Golf Course (Fairview Park, OH)

Big Met is reputed to be Ohio's most played golf course with over six million rounds since 1926. It's located on the west side of Cleveland down in the Rocky River Reservation, a very popular park that runs thru most of the western suburbs. Regardless of where you live on the west side, Big Met seems to only be fifteen minutes away. (This is ground zero for me. I learned how to play golf here, just like many many others.)

(The opening hole is a tough par four but more importantly it shuttles players off quickly and tries to set a good pace.)

Cleveland Press director of sports Rodney Sutton convinced the metropolitan park to build the course citing the growing popularity of golf, and so noted architect Stanley Thompson was chosen to design it. As a course that was going to grow the game, Thompson touched all the natural features to provide for a relaxing and beautiful day. It's not difficult, tho it does have some challenging holes, and it accomplishes what it was designed to do. 

(The reachable par five fifth plays just short of the dyke. After holing out, a stroll atop of it affords a nice view of the Rocky River.)

The dyke that holds the river back is in view on many holes, however, the river is only in play once, the par five seventh, where players must acknowledge it on the second and third shots. 

(The river is to the right in the pic. It's a shame it's not more in play, or even in view!)

(The ninth is possibly the best hole on the course. The green is elevated almost in a pseudo bowl. However, the big pine on the right needs to go.)

(The downhill drive on eleven is always fun to hit!)

Ten and fifteen have severe back to front tilt. 

Can you see how high the rear of the green is compared to the front?! Miss short because anything on the sides or long is an easy bogey. 

There are plenty of birdie opportunities at Big Met. A round here is fun, a chance to shoot a good score, and a place to mingle with friends. The new clubhouse is excellent. If you live in cleveland and you play golf, then you've played Big Met! I give it a 3 (average).

Down the river is Little Met, a nine hole course that was built two years prior (1924) to Big Met to see if there was an interest in golf. Not only was there, but the demand was so great that Little Met remained. Today it's still just a rudimentary nine holes, but it's a great place for beginners to learn the game. I learned here (made my first birdie ever on the par four eighth). 

Then a mile in the opposite direction is a nine hole executive course called Mastik Woods. This is a wonderful place to take small children and hit the ball around. All three courses together are a fine commitment to golf. The Rocky River Reservation in particular is a great anmenity to the people of Cleveland.