Mohawk Golf and Country Club (Tiffin, OH)

“The genius of Donald Ross is found, not just on those that have held golf’s major championships, but at the rural nine hole courses he designed throughout America.” 
(The 321/315 twelfth is one of the most exciting holes on the course. It entices long hitters to take the gamble and carry the water and valley. For those lacking length, the fairway to the right offers a safe layup or a hard draw that crests the hill and rolls just short of the green.)  

I love the above statement because Mohawk is one of those nine holers. Ross designed the present day back nine in 1919 and Fred Garbin added another nine in 1970. The Garbin nine is forgettable. There’s really nothing to say about it. But the Ross nine is fantastic! He used all the valleys and plateaus perfectly. Every shot is engaging and needs a well thought out strategy. 

I’m such a big fan of the Ross nine that I’m going to go hole by hole with my observations. 

(The tenth is 190/183 yards over a valley with the green set on a right to left slope. The higher right side is well bunkered, but a shot that avoids the sand will kick left onto the green. A high cut will also work. The front right trap sees a lot of action.) 

(The eleventh is 514/507 par five that plays into a valley, up over a plateau, across a couple rumpled depressions, to an elevated green. It maybe the best hole on the course.. 

... the side view of eleven green shows just how exact the third shot must be. The long hitters can reach it two, but there’s many places where a miss will lead to a big number. I would take par and move on.) 

(This view of twelve from the top of the crest shows just how much room is available for those trying to carry the valley to the green. The short hitter has plenty of options depending on the kind shot he wants to play for his second. Note how the running approach shot is encouraged. I’d love to play this hole multiple times and figure it out.) 

Thirteen is a 391/383 yard par four that was the original first hole back in 1919. I didn’t take any pictures of it, but it’s a strong hole with a slightly sloped fairway and small green. Missing right is a definite no-no. 

(The 372/366 yard fourteenth is classic Donald Ross. The play is to layup down the right side and have a good yardage for the approach. Look at that green just draped across the plateau...

...being long leaves a very difficult recovery. It’s very possible the ball could end up against the wooden planks. It’s another hole where par is a good score.) 

(I love the fifteenth hole! It’s only 144/136 yards, but the green is sited perfectly on the hillside across the valley. The tee is just off the back of fourteen and has an intimate setting...

...the fifteenth is also known for having the most hole in ones by one player (13). This was set in 1984, and if I was a betting man, I’d say it probably still stands...

...the steps from the valley up to the green.) 

(They call this the dip hole because there’s a valley only twenty yards wide just past the bend in the dogleg. The golfer must decide to keep it up top and hit a longer club for the approach or challenge the dogleg and get it in the valley for a shorter but blind shot. It’s 445/381 yards so it takes courage to play for the dip, especially with OB on that side.) 

(The seventeenth is a well designed 382/372 yard par four. The players eyes are drawn down the right as the valley makes it look shorter but the best play is left where one has a superior angle to the green. Anything right will leave a sidehill lie, and an awkward approach.  It’s another beautiful green nicely situated on a raised shelf.) 

(The key to the 515/506 yard eighteenth is being on the same level as the green in two shots. With the irrigation pond on the left, that becomes a challenging layup. The conservative option is laying up like the player in the picture. This leaves a semi blind shot, but it takes most of the trouble out of play.) 

Mohawk is a private club but I highly recommend it if you ever get invited. While it may be a hidden gem to the casual player, Donald Ross aficionados are well aware of the quality It possesses. I give it a 6 (very good)(worth driving two hours).  

Sidebar

[Mohawk’s most famous player is a woman named Carol Diringer who was a leading golfer in the 1940s. During that time, many of the ladies professionals frequented Mohawk including Babe Zaharias, Patty Berg, Louise Suggs, and Peggy Bell.]

(The 407/400 yard par four ninth strongly finishes the front nine. Note the modest 

Clubhouse in the background. It’s an intelligent choice that keeps costs down and allows the membership to thrive in this rural location.) 

Valley of the Eagles (Elyria, OH)

This is my 250th golf blog and I couldn’t be more pleased to be writing about a new local course that just opened up this year after watching so many in the area become NLE. It’s Jack Nicklaus’ first public golf course in northeast Ohio and is a welcomed addition to our golfing landscape. 
(The opening shot of the day can ruin your round right from the beginning. It’s best to play safe on this 360/335 yard par four and take your chances on the other holes.)

Valley of the Eagles occupies the land that was once Spring Valley Country Club. Nicklaus’ team redesigned the course, and opened up views in several spots exposing the natural beauty of the Black River and it’s shale cliff walls. The valley is full of life and yes there are eagles that fly through the air here. There’s no denying the property is a very special place. 

(This view of the first green takes your breathe away as the river completes the scene. With the fifth green visible across the water, the player instantly knows he’s in for a good day of golf.)

From what I’ve read and based on the comments of golfers who remembered Spring Valley, many of the holes are remakes of the old design. Some of them are reversed where tees now are where greens used to be, and others are the same hole except with new green complexes.  By attaching themselves to much of the former routing, the Nicklaus team saddled VotE with the deficiencies of the old course. #2 and #11 are essentially the same hole, 12-15 feature three big dogleg rights, on eight of the holes the green isn’t visible from the tee, and on the cliff hole #7 there is no way  there’s enough room for a shot from the back teeing area. I’m not panning the course, but just pointing out that they did not do a total makeover. 

(The par three fifth can be extended to 276 yards for the back tee while most golfers will be playing it between 196/179. The slope to the right can be utilized to bounce the ball back towards the putting surface. Beautiful views of the river partially compensate for bogey or doubles.) 

The advice I was given before playing here was to hit it to the 150 marker. There’s opportunities to cut off yardage but local knowledge is needed to take advantage of it. This creates many layup holes where driver isn’t needed nor is it the proper play per se. Whether or not one likes that kind of golf is a personal preference. On the plus side, this is the first Nicklaus course I’ve played that’s playable for everyone. There’s enough room for players to avoid the trouble, the short grass around the greens give multiple options for recovery, and there’s a lot of flexibility in the tee boxes to accommodate everyone. 

(The tenth shares the tee box with the first hole, and plays to an angled green 120 yards away. A strong wind will bring this hole to life, and players will be forced to hit a quality shot. Otherwise it’s pretty much a stock wedge.) 

Opening up the views of river was the Nicklaus group biggest achievement. Every person told me when it was SVCC, you knew there was a river here, but you never saw it. With the natural beauty now showcased on several holes, that will be enough to grow a strong following and make this a healthy golf course. I assume they will trim back more trees and vegetation, and expose more views on other holes. 
(The view of the island tee of the 376/344 yard fourteenth. Note the shale cliff walls...
...from the tips, it’s a tight driving lane to the fairway...
...the island green finishes off the hole. It’s normally a wedge to short iron, but can be a tricky shot if the wind is up or one gets an awkward yardage. From the up tees, this turns into a super cool driveable par four!)

This is Valley of the Eagles first year open.  As it matures and management puts in more money, the course will become more playable and the strategies will be better defined. Whether the doglegs are strategic or gimmicky is the real question. On some I think it’s cool and on others I shake my head. Either way I think there’s too many of them. I give it a 5 (good)(worth driving an hour to play).

(Eighteen green is fronted by the river and deters most from attempting to reach this 569/512 yard par five in two.  However, from the 441 yard white tee, it becomes a fun risk/reward ending hole. The drop level front right section is a really cool feature and makes a pin location in that area exacting.) 

(A great clubhouse, a convenient location, and beautiful views like this equals a strong future for Valley of the Eagles.) 

St. Denis Golf Club (Chardon, OH)

Here’s a course that has slipped under my radar for a long time. It’s located in Chardon and gets very little attention from those who live outside that community. That’s unfortunate because this place has a lot to offer. 
(The 200/170 yard par three eleventh is a lovely hole that requires a well struck iron shot.) 

Harry Burkhardt designed St Denis in 1967. He was the Cleveland Metroparks first superintendent and was responsible for the design of Mastick Woods (1965) in the Rocky River Reservation. While Mastick is geared specifically for beginners and youngsters, St Denis revels in its challenges for the more accomplished player. Besides length, the player must be able to work the ball off the tee, hit shots from sidehill lies, and be able to read greens with significant break. The low handicap will have his work cut out for him but the high stroke player will be fine too since the lack of sand will allow him to find his ball and keep moving. 

(This little beauty of a hole is only 150/140 yards. The elevated green is nicely perched above the tee box and is a charming to play.)

Without question the highlight of the course are the par threes. They are visually appealing and capture the eye with grace. They all demand strong solid shots, with par being a fine score. 

(The seventeenth is a 200/185 yard par three over a valley. It’s the type of hole one expects near the end of the round where par can gain a stroke against your opponent.) 

There is plenty of variety in the two shotters but the two that really standout are 5 and 15. The fifth is a downhill reverse cambered par four that puts pressure on the drive and then forces a sidehill shot to an uphill green. Not a single trap protects it yet bogey and double bogey is a common score. The other hole, fifteen, plays atop the natural roundness of the terrain.  It seems so simple yet anything left or right will take skill to salvage a par. 

(The 395/380 yard par four fifteenth shows the nuance of a green that slides away on the sides yet is accessible from the front.) 

(The 410/400 yard tenth hole plays slightly downhill with water short left of the green. In this picture, the pond spilled over into the fairway after getting 4” of rain the night before.) 

St Denis ebbs and flows with good chances for birdies and enough tough pars to sustain a round. Burkhardt did a really nice job, especially on the back where the valley is used several times to create interest on drives and approaches. All this is done with only a few holes having bunkers. In my opinion, Burkhardt took notice of all the success Big Met was experiencing which resulted in his design at Mastick Woods, and figured if he could provide a good challenge in a beautiful setting then St Denis would become just as popular. And I believe this course achieves that objective. 

(The 505/490 yard par five opening hole starts the round off briskly. The front third of the green has a severe slope so play a few yards longer.) 

I’ve been making a list of courses that would be a good fit for the Cuyahoga Golf Association, and St Denis is one I’d place near the top. It would be a good substitute for Chardon Lakes which became too difficult for our members, so we understandably dropped it from the schedule. I give St Denis a 5 (good)(worth driving an hour to play). 

Maumee Bay State Park GC (Oregon, OH)

Maumee Bay is located on the western shores of Lake Erie. It was the last course built for the state park system and Toledo native Art Hills was selected to design it. 
(High grass faced bunkers guard each hole, dishing out punishment for misguided drives.)

Many people mistakenly think that Maumee is a links styled golf course. It has all the tell tale signs ranging from the lack of trees, to the high wispy grasses, to the constant blowing of the wind. However, if you take state route 2,  you’ll pass all the marshes and wildlife sanctuaries that inhabit this part of the state, and realize the golf course sits on marshland that filters water before it drains to the lake. This explains why water is in play on 14 holes including every hole on the back nine. 

(The 422/402 yard par four ninth curves around one of the many water hazards that protects the course.) 

My biggest pet peeve concerning Maumee are the elevated greens. You cannot run the ball onto them. Many of them also have bunkers guarding the front. This is a windy site, and I believe the ground game should’ve been more available. If you’ve ever been to the Catawba Island Club, another Hills course on the lake, it’s designed the same way. While CIC is private, here at Maumee, the clientele are average golfers staying at the lodge or players from the area. 

(The double dogleg par five fourteenth is 525/511 yards. Water is in play on the right from the tee and then on the left for the second and third shots. Don be fooled by the lack of length. More double bogeys and “others” are written down than birdies.) 

Maumee Bay is used as a qualifying site for many of the national and regional tournaments. It’s a very difficult golf course, and they actually had to soften it up and trim back the high grass to make it more playable. The high grass though gives Maumee a distinct look that most midwestern players are unfamiliar to seeing. 

Maumee Bay opened in 1991, and I can recall we used to come out here at least once a year. Fast forward to 2019, and last week was the first time I’ve seen the course in nearly twenty years. I’m a better player now than I was back then, and I still think it’s too difficult. Regardless, it’s a busy golf course and is the state park system’s crown jewel. I give Maumee Bay a 5 (good)(worth driving an hour to play). 

(The eighteenth is 520/499 yard par five. It’s reachable in two shots but it’s all carry to the green. Two bunkers prevent any ball from bouncing past their reach. It’s a good chance for a closing birdie.) 

Angels Crossing Golf Club (Vicksburg, MI)

For anyone who has ever daydreamed about playing the famous template holes found around the world, Angels Crossing will be an absolute delight. Biarritz, Redan, Cardinal, Bahto all are present with Bruce Matthews III interpretation of these classical architectural features. 
(The 453/412 yard eighteenth has a 210 foot green known as the “plank”. While very long, it is not very wide, and requires a very precise long iron. A par will be an excellent score. The view of the tidal marshes as you wait to putt out is breathtaking. You’ll definitely want to take your time.) 

Angels Crossing enjoys a setting that very few courses can match. Behind the clubhouse and next to the putting green are expansive views of the tidal marshes. It’s so relaxed and 

peaceful that one can’t help but gaze out at the openness and forget about life for a while. The course is not visible from either vantage points, and one must take a wooden bridge to get to the first and/or tenth tees. 

Angels Crossing was designed by Bruce Matthews III in 2004. It was built for Jim Thompson who wanted a big bold course that was unlike any in Michigan. They settled on building several template holes, and to say they got them right would be an understatement. Quite simply, they are excellent! 

(The 204/195 yard par three sixth is a great Bairritz green. The center is over four feet lower than the front and back tiers. The strategy of playing this hole is as varied as they come. Theoretically the back tier can be accessed by a low shot that hits the middle and climbs. Either way, being in the center is no good if the pin is not located in it. This particular version has enough room to fly it to the hole.) 

(The 556/535 yard eighth features the Bahto green that was shown in his book “Evangelist of Golf”. There’s a two and half foot depression or thumbprint on the right side of the green. The player really has to decide how precise he wants to play the hole. A pin in the print, or worse above on the upper level both short or long, can make for maddening putt or chip.) 

(The 255/224 yard twelfth is a Redan that slopes more than four feet from front right to back left. The bunker is eight foot deep and guards 4/5 of the green. The play is suppose to be a low draw that catches the front right and slingshots down to the lower pins. I feel this one doesn’t have enough of a kickplate to gather the ball in. Matthews did a huge service by making it deeper than the template would call for, so there’s room to carry the bunker and hold the putting surface.) 

Before one thinks this is a gimmicky course, the non template holes hold their own on any discussion of the layout’s best. Matthews bold greens will have you playing and comparing notes on how to approach various pin locations, and the slopes will keep you engaged throughout the round. 

(One of the coolest holes I seen was the par three third. This is the view from the shorter tees at 143 yards...
...but the 170-205 tees rotate a full ninety degrees and approaches the green with a carry over wetlands. I’ve seen other architects do this (Strantz did it at Tobacco Road) but this is one of the best. It’s two completely different holes based on tee location.) 

(The par five thirteenth is 564/530 yards. The Cardinal bunker in center of pic forces a decision on how to attack the days hole location. If the pin was in the front, a shot directly over the sand would have a chance to reach, but today’s location (note players) is in the rear. Being where the carts are will allow a low shot that can negotiate the slope as the green runs away in that section.) 

I found myself dropping balls and hitting shots all day long here. This may have been the most fun I had on the golf trip. Truth is, not many courses offer this much variety where a highly skilled player can really shine with his ability to hit a plethora of short shots. I’m sure the average golfer will appreciates all the subtleties and nuances too. 
(The 533/510 yard par five seventeenth features a Cape style approach where players can cut off yardage and reach the green in two shots...
...this view shows how short the actual carry needs to be. It’s a great risk/reward hole and coming near the end of the round, it can provide an exciting finish. Note how the weaker player never has to challenge the hazard.)

(The rich texture of of the native grasses add to the ambiance of Angels Crossing. This is a view of the 360/328 yard par four second hole. The tee is to the right of this picture.)

The recession hurt Angels Crossing and it was sold to the city of Vicksburg. The course was great shape, and it seems like the city has really embraced the jewel it now possesses. It’s a wonderful course and one that I would not hesitate to drive the four hours to play. I’m not sure who deserves the most credit between Jim Thompson and Bruce Matthews III. I’m just glad Bruce enthusiastically welcomed Jim’s vision and designed a course any golden age architect would call their own. Angels Crossing is a very high 7 (great)(worth driving 3-4 hours to play).

(Another View of the Redan twelfth. Look how deep that bunker is and also note, how even from this distance, the putting surface cannot be seen.) 

(Enjoy this final picture of the tee shot on eighteen. Angels Crossing is truly a beautiful place.) 

Stonehedge South Course - Gull Lake View Golf Resort (Augusta, MI)

Stonehedge South was designed by Gull Lake View owner Charles Scott in 1988. It was the third course added to the resort. 
(Gull Lake View keeps every one of their courses in pristine condition. This pic shows the lush and green look that represents the resort.)

Charles Scott had a nice piece of property to work with at Stonehedge. It’s rolling and wooded with some nice elevation change. He kept the design simple, and moved the fairways between the trees with usually one bunker protecting the green. It’s a great formula for an owner who wants to present a beautiful course yet get players around quickly. 

(The 192/169 yard par three third is a great example of Charles Scott’s architectural philosophy. Today’s pin requires a high cut, but plenty of room to bounce it on and take your chances two putting.) 

The course is very playable, and judging by the many cars in the parking lot, is probably one of the most popular courses at the resort. It’s treelined on every hole, and rewards accuracy off the tee. The greens have an opening, and the superintendent can dictate the challenge accordingly. Players can feel good about their games if they manage it wisely. 

 (The uphill 186/170 yard par three seventh is semi blind with moguls short and a stone wall left of the green.)

My concern with the South Course was the holes with the elevation change had too much slope in the fairways to hold the tee shots. In fact, other holes had the same issue at different junctures. I chalk this up to inexperience. Granted, my one play possibly put me in bad positions that would be fixed with multiple plays, and I would avoided these spots or play different shots. 

(The 396/372 yard par four eleventh is a solid hole that drops off the tee and tumbled up to an elevated green. The back nine occupies rollicking terrain.) 

Gull Lake View has a strong group of golf courses, and being within a decent driving distance of Chicago, Detroit, and even Cleveland, can pull day or short getaways. The resort does a great job with their golf packages, and is thriving in today’s market. The South is really a reflection of those sound Midwest values. I give it a 5 (good)(worth driving an hour to play).

(The 435/404 yard par four eighteenth was my favorite hole on the course. I love how the shallow valley guards the front of the green yet allows a low ball to still onto the putting surface. The rear pin positions are the most difficult to access. It’s a really good ending hole.)

[we purchased a golf package during the week that gave us three rounds and two nights for $350. Any replay was $20 except for Stoatin Brae which was $55. It was a great bargain! Maybe next time we’ll check out the East and West courses. With Bedford Valley and Stoatin Brae in their resume, Gull Lake View has positioned themselves to be successful for a long time.]