Vineyard Golf Course ( Cincinnati, OH)

Continuing with the Muni Monday theme, the Vineyard is owned by the Great Parks of Hamilton County. No discussion of best public courses in Cincinnati can be complete without including it. Opened in 1986, Jack Kidwell and his protege Michael Hurdzan were leaned on to design a strong championship layout. 

The Vineyard occupies a terrific piece of land. Deep ravines and rolling terrain flow in between thick stands of hardwoods with several ponds found throughout. It’s a classic parkland course that focuses on robust driving. Tee shots are hit over valleys, out of chutes, and often times favor one side of the fairway over the other to take advantage of the slope. Anyone familiar with Jack Kidwell’s work knows he emphasizes that facet of the game to be top notch. 

(The 365/340 yard par four opening hole introduces the demands one will be expected to meet. Ravines on the left and right can spell disaster from the beginning. It’s a birdie opportunity should you pipe it down the middle.) 

(The 398/370 yard par four fifth tumbles downhill to a two tiered green. This pin is in the deepest portion, making it quite challenging to attack. Two putting from below the shelf will also be a chore.) 

The Vineyard has more tiered greens than I recall seeing at other Kidwell courses. I’m of the opinion that this is Hurdzan’s influence. Holes 4,5,13,&17 all have this feature and the fourth has an extra level making its three tiered green an exacting target. A few greens bleed off the sloping terrain where you can run the ball in from the fairway. Most slope back to front with the high spot on a the side. 

(The 166/149 yard par three fourth has a three tiered green. There’s probably six feet of elevation change between the lower and upper levels. As the picture shows, the green as a whole is not a big target. Picking the correct club is vital.)

(The 215/148 yard par three thirteenth is arguably the best hole on the course. The upper rear left portion is a crazy difficult pin position but the front and even rear right pins are challenging too. The green is severely pitched, making a high draw the shape to best hold the putting surface. Any shot long or right will run away into trouble. Par is a good score.) 

My main criticism of Vineyard, and I find this to be at most Kidwell courses, is the lack of features around the greens. The approach shots are not as engaging as the tee shots. This includes the bunkering which is unremarkable. Also, the three par fives all play in the same direction. They’re about the same yardage and tend to play similar. Not surprisingly, they’re long brutes which seems to be another trait in Kidwell courses. 

(The 536/504 yard par five tenth is one of the best driving holes on the course. Look how the fairway sweeps up to the left. Left obviously must be avoided, but players must also be vigilant to not hit through the fairway into the valley beyond.) 

(The 409/376 yard par four fourteenth is a demanding drive across the valley to a narrow fairway. Anything left will race into the ravine...

...a good drive leaves this view into the green. Note the false front. Players must hit deep into the putting surface to avoid spinning it off. The bunker is well positioned.)

The Vineyard is 35 years old and is the crown jewel of the Great Parks of Hamilton County. Golfstyles Magazine listed it on their top 100 public courses in Ohio. I remember when we were trying to play all the courses on that list and I last played here twenty seven years ago. Seeing it again, I was impressed. It’s solid. I give Vineyard a 5 (good)(worth driving an hour to play).

(The 422/396 yard par four eighteenth is a tough finisher. The player must fade his ball down the fairway before hitting from a sidehill lie to an uphill green. A par will win plenty of matches.)