Toledo Country Club (Toledo, OH)

Founded in 1897, Toledo is one of the oldest clubs in the Midwest. 
(The 206/182 yard par three seventeenth showcases the grand setting of the final three holes. The green has a severe back to front slope, and any pin in the rear will demand exact precision to get close.)

Toledo began when nine holes were designed on thirty acres the club purchased alongside the river. By 1911, the club had expanded inland, and had eighteen holes. For those interested in golf course architecture, the history of Toledo is an example of how things get falsely rewritten. The course is credited as a Willie Park Jr design, but he didn’t arrive in the US until 1916. He did the holes on the property by the water in the 1920’s when he was designing Sylvania CC. 
(This is the side view of the sixteenth green. The large homes high up on the hillside overlook the last three holes.)

Fifteen holes are laid out in what I can only describe as a park. It’s as flat as a pancake, with the only significant feature being a water filled canal at the south end of the property. The first seven holes, with the exception of the second, are rather forgettable. It’s at the eighth where the course starts showing it’s muscle, and it’s a decent set of holes to the fifteenth. 

(The tee shot on 421/387 yard par four eighth has water all down the right side...
...the hazard extends all the way to the green. It’s a very strong hole and one that has most potential to wreck your round.)

The last three holes are the showstopper at Toledo. Playing on the Maumee River, the setting may be the finest in Ohio. The fast flowing water, the cool crisp air, and a panoramic view that reaches to the skyline will momentarily take your breathe away as you stop to take it all in. 
(The view from sixteen tee down to eighteen green. Is there a better view in Ohio?!  I have not seen it.) 

To get to sixteen tee, one walks past the pro shop, through the parking lot, across the street, around the tennis courts... It’s like you are on another course. It’s a surreal moment. I commented we should’ve played these three holes six times. I was being funny while somewhat being serious. 
(The 381/370 yard par four sixteenth doglegs left around the hill...
...the large oak on the right demands a draw off the tee to have an unobstructed shot to the green. This is room to run it on with a low shot.) 

The 494/488 yard eighteenth is an exciting finish. While reachable in two shots, the river guards the entire left side and the green is fronted by bunkers. An engaging putting surface also challenges the player as it slopes to the front and towards the water. An ending birdie or eagle is excellent!) 

I reckon these three holes make any invite to Toledo C.C. worth accepting. The firm greens will keep the score in check most of the day along wth the large trees. The bye hole at the end of the round is something not seen too often. It’s a great way to square up a bet or play for a drink. Overall it’s a solid course, but not close to being as good as Inverness or Sylvania. I give Toledo a 5 (good)(worth driving an hour to play).
(The bye hole plays anywhere from 60-100 yards, depending where you decide to play it. The minuscule green is atop the ridge where sixteen tee is. The view from the tee is the best on the course...

...the clubhouse at Toledo is first rate. Notice the circular room where the windows allow the members to peer up and down the entire river.  No doubt it’s one of the main attractions at the club.)