North Park Golf Course (Allison Park, PA)

They don’t take tee times at North Park. It’s first come, first serve. The old system dictated dropping a ball in a slot to determine the days starting order. I wouldn’t be surprised if they still do this. This antiquated system is the bane of locals who call this home. Peering at the reviews, this was the number one gripe. (I can remember when Big Met was like this) The golf course however is loved by everyone. It’s in good shape, has beautiful views, and at $15 for eighteen holes, is as affordable as one will find anywhere in America. 

(Hanging on the clubhouse wall is this artistic rendition of the seventh hole from 1973…

…as one can see, not much has changed!)

North Park started off as a nine hole course. The front was designed in 1933 and the back was added in 1969 by Xenophon Hassenplug. The front is quite bold, attacking a large hill on the very first hole, and then tacking its way atop and around it before coming back at the seventh and playing downhill with eight and nine in the valley. Its routing is worthy of study as such a landform would probably be viewed nowadays as unfavorable to golf. Back then they took on such features and came up with some cool ideas. It’s the number one reason why I love seeking out these old school designs. 

(The 511 yard par five opening hole plays straightaway before climbing a roller coaster banking hill that will have you guessing where to hit your second shot. It takes two good pokes to get a view of the green for your third shot. A par would be a reasonable start every time in my opinion.) 

(The 363 yard par four third plays atop the hill to this infinity green. I’m sure the purists would love to take the two pines out and totally eliminate the depth perception they provide. The amount of slope in this green makes uphill and downhill putts immeasurably different.)

(Playing off the back side of the hill is this dual green par three. Today’s pin is on the front green and plays 130ish yards. The rear green is not only much longer, but typically plays from a completely different tee left of this view. At 181 yards, one is now trying his best to get a par. It reminds me of Akron Goodpark’s dual green par three fourth.) 

(The 445/371 yard par four fifth has a large disparity between the blue and white tees. The hole doglegs right around the curve of the hill. The green is pushed up above the fairway…

…this view shows how much elevation exists for the uphill approach. The proper miss is to the right side of the green where one has a chance to have a straightforward chip shot. Anything left can turn into a big number.) 

The back nine is the work of Bellevue Ohio native Xenophon Hassenplug. It plays atop the hill the first three holes with grand views of the other six below them. It’s a very hilly site with some severe elevation change. The starter was quite confident that I would find it as beautiful as he did. It’s a very lay of the land routing. 

(The 509/476 yard par five fourteenth plays literally on the sidehill of a ridge. The entire right side is ripe for a draw that rides to bottom. From there, it might be possible to reach the green in two.) 

(The 215/209 yard par three fifteenth is a long carry over a deep valley. There’s plenty of fairway short but the incline will make for a dicey pitch. Note the countryside to the right and above. The last hole plays atop that so sixteen and seventeen will climb up the hillside to that point.) 

(The 530/520 yard par five sixteenth plays uphill significantly. No bunkering needed to protect this long hole. Three solid shots will get one to the green and hopefully leave with a par.) 

Personally, I enjoy the front nine more than the back. Besides the routing, I think the greens have more movement in them. The back nine has some big elevation change to it, and it is a daunting walk, especially since the front is a solid walk in its own right. Some of the driving lines on the back nine require local knowledge, starting with aiming points and where to carry.

(The 402 yard par four eighteenth hole doglegs right before funneling downhill to the green. The right side is the safe line although the approach will be longer while the left is riskier and challenges the hillside slope. A par is a good ending score.)

 This is my first introduction to Hassenplug’s work. (Btw he is architect Fred Garbin’s father in law) He is not flamboyant, nor is his work eye popping. I felt his style was practical and efficient. It was challenging but the maintenance was relatively simple. A civil engineer by trade, Hassenplug seemed to be conscious of the viability of the course. In today’s world, many dismiss it as being boring, but the way he used the natural terrain makes it blend well with the front. 

(The view from eighteen fairway shows the severity of the elevation change at North Park. That is fifteen on the right and sixteen on the left.)

North Park is owned by Allegheny County. By not taking tee times, all one has to do is show up and put their name down for an opportunity to play. There are no blanked out days or time slots that are overrun by groups. I completely understand why such a system would drive you crazy, but the county’s obligation is to be available to all citizens. North Park is consistently busy, and players routinely wait thirty to sixty minutes to tee off. With the first tee in plain sight for all to watch, it’s not uncommon to have several dozen people staring at your first shot of the day. It’s an old school experience. North Park is a solid course too. I give it a 4 (above average)(worth driving 30-45 minutes to play). 

Lyons Den Golf Course (Canal Fulton, OH)

Lyons Den is a 5400 yard par 69 golf course ten minutes south of Chippewa on state route 93. Before scoffing at such numbers, it should be noted that most seniors play at this yardage week in and week out at their local club. Combine this with the yardages the women and juniors are playing, and it becomes clear that there’s a large demographic for courses like this. 

Lyons Den is named after owner William Lyons who was the superintendent at Firestone in the 1940/50s. He designing nine holes in 1962 and added another nine ten years later. The front nine is somewhat forgettable with some quirkiness defining a couple holes and others being straightforward. The three straight par threes features two solid holes that would be welcomed at most courses. The real prize is the back nine which the gentleman behind the counter described as a tamer version of Chippewa’s incoming nine. It is laid out on a ridge and is very well done with some fantastic views! 

(This is a glance of the 160 yard par three sixth. The split wooden fence and cornfield in the distance combine for a nice view.) 

(Only 303 yards, the opening hole plays over a ravine and straight up the hill. The senior player may find himself laying up if he can’t make the carry from the tee.) 

The back nine has a nice variety to it. Holes go up and down the ridge line with several playing along it. A few reservoirs or ponds guard some greens and influence driving lines. There are no bunkers. The greens are beautiful. It’s exactly what a mom n pop course should be. It’s perfect for leagues and playing casually. 

(The 216 yard par three eleventh plays downhill with marvelous views  of the countryside. The pond on the left gobbles up any pull or hook. Par is a good score.)

(The 154 yard par three thirteenth plays over the corner of the water. The green of the par five twelth is in the background…

…nice use of the natural features. I like the rugged look of the ground on the other side of the lake. A beautiful hole.) 

The best story I’ve heard is about the owner William Lyons. Apparently, the front nine is referred to as course #1 and the back is #3. Between the ten years they were designed, Lyons was in Taiwan, and was asked to design a nine hole course for the military. That course is still being used today. It’s name Ching Chuan Kang, also known as CCK. 

(The 391 yard par four eighteenth is an absolute beast! The drive can only go 240 yards off the tee. Of course this rock feature is in play…
…look at that green tucked on the hillside! For a 5500 yard course, it sure does end with a bang!.. 

…a four is a good score. I’m not sure how seniors or women play this hole. It’s a solid 145 yard carry to this green.) 

Lyons Den is a nice course. It was my first sub par 70 course and I was interested to see how it flowed. I feel a great set of par threes is key to such an idea. As for Lyons Den, I give it a 3 (average)(worth driving 15-30 minutes to play). 

Black Gold Golf Club (Sugarcreek, OH)

The Mid-Ohio region boasts long views of rolling hills and verdant valleys. Farmlands team with crops and livestock while horses gallop across fenced in fields. Life slows down, literally! Horse drawn buggies share the road with modern vehicles. Its simplicity lets one peer into yesteryear’s challenges. Such riches brings in four million visitors annually, yet surprisingly the region lacks a surplus of quality golf courses. One place has invested in the game, and over the past few years, I have heard it’s name mentioned as a course to check out. I finally got down to Amish Country to see it! 

Formerly known as Willandale, the original course had 27 holes. A gentleman out of Canada bought it, trimmed it to 18, and redid all the greens before renaming it Black Gold. (He made his fortune in the oil business thus the name) The course spreads out over rolling terrain with some beautiful views of the countryside. It does a good job of moving around the hill, offering several different looks. 

(The par four second plays next to the boundary line to this well protected green. Today’s pin is on a steep slope so being above it is an invitation to three putt.)

(The par three fourth hole is over wetlands to a peninsula green. This is the view from the ladies tee which in my opinion might be harder than the men’s tee…
…this pic shows how the water guards the front as well as the back. There is fairway short left if one wants to bailout. It’s a tough little hole especially if there’s any type of wind.) 

(The par four sixth plays uphill to the highest point on the course. The best way to describe the green is to call it whaleback. It has a severe slope in the rear that goes right. The panoramic view is pure Tuscarawas County.) 

Off the tee, Black Gold is wide open. There are a few ponds to watch out for, but overall, the course is pretty generous. The challenge comes from the greens. Several have some pronounced slopes in them, and being out of position will result in an additional stroke. My playing partners and I commented on how on emphatically you can feel the slope in your feet as you stood to make your putt. There’s also greens that slope from front to back, and keeping the ball from running through was a challenge. 

(The downhill par four eleventh plays back towards the clubhouse. It’s a well bunkered green with the central trap demanding an aerial attack. The fairway is offset, curving to this green as a opposed to playing straightaway…

…looking backwards, one can see just how much it plays downhill. This also gives a good indication how much movement there is on the course. Note the homes in the background. They’re not in play but realize that even in Amish country, residential progress fuels golf’s growth.) 

(The downhill thirteenth is a long par three that can be played short and scampered onto the green. Bunkers guard the sides but plenty of room in the front.) 

Back in the day, courses used to grow each year, and add features to one or two particular holes until the layout was finally complete. I wonder if that is what’s going on here. The eighteenth had some unique bunkering guarding its fairway. It makes me wonder if they started by toughening up the last hole, and then will go to others in the upcoming years. With how wide it is off the tee, such a program would definitely give it a “wow” factor. 

(The last hole has two interesting fairway bunkers guarding the left side. They are mounds with sand cut into the bottom and grass is left to grow on top. Note the fairway bunker further ahead in the picture…
…this is a better picture of eighteen. The fairway doglegs around the side slope with the aforementioned bunker protecting the inside angle. The green is fortified by a couple fronting bunkers with just a small opening for a run up shot. Par on this two shotter will be a good score.) 

Black Gold has a chance to establish itself as the go-to course in Amish country, especially on the eastern side. (Believe it or not, the Amish Byway is 76 miles!) We played it in October and the course was in excellent condition. After playing it, I understand why I’ve been hearing it’s name the past two years. Combined with the beautiful Mid-Ohio region, it’s a solid choice to play golf. I give Black Gold a 4 (above average)(worth driving 30-45 minutes to play). 

(The par five sixteenth plays downhill to a green guarded by water. It is reachable for the longer player but it’s a small target from such a long way back. This green has a good left to right slope so bailing out left leaves a very difficult up n down.) 

[I didn’t get a scorecard and all I was able to find was the back tee yardages. From the middle tees, it’s a more playable 6,091 yards.]

(The excellent clubhouse has a restaurant inside during the summer. I know it received high approval from the guys who love hanging around after the round. I love how the back tee on the first hole is in full view for those lounging in the open section. Talk about first tee jitters!) 

Arcadia Bluffs South Course (Arcadia, MI)

      #52 TOP 100 PUBLIC USA GOLF DIGEST 

  #56 TOP 100 PUBLIC USA GOLF MAGAZINE 

 #81 TOP USA RESORT COURSES GOLFWEEK

Being relevant in the golf resort world means having multiple courses, and hopefully, different architects to give each one their own personality. In the ultra competitive state of Michigan, it is no surprise that Arcadia Bluffs added a new course two years after Forest Dunes unveiled its reversible track The Loop. In stepped Dana Frye, and his imagination conceived a concept that was just as revolutionary. Using the Chicago Golf Club as his inspiration, the South uses only squares, rectangles, and diamond shapes. There are no circle or oval features. The geometric design is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. 

(The 361/295/260 yard par four second is just on the edge of being driveable but the pin position dictates everything. Today’s pin is quite accessible, but when it gets pushed to the far left, or even the far right corner,  the player must weigh how much to pitch it and run it up those slopes.) 

The South plays firm and fast, and the first bit of advice the starter will tell you is don’t fly the ball to the pin. Frye designed the course to be about angles and working the ball along the ground to access the slopes. It’s the type of golf that is not common in America, but seems to be gaining traction as developers find better pieces of land. At Arcadia Bluffs, Frye breaks up the line of charm with long narrow fairway bunkers that play perpendicular to the tee box. They come across the fairways at different yardages, creating confusion on the proper line, hiding the ground behind for those looking for a safe haven. The traps are flat bottom so the ball runs right into them, but the mound behind will prevent one from advancing too far. 

(The 490/420/393 yard par four fourth plays downhill to green that slopes back to front and left to right. The massive movement in the green coupled with the steep fall to the right means balls that catch the putting surface will work their way to the back right corner. )

The greens are epic! Averaging 9500 square feet, the scale and size are a sight to behold! As large as they are, they play small. They have false fronts and crowned sides. Many are sectioned or quartered by distinct tiers. The middle is usually the safest place to land the approach, but two putting from there may be difficult. There’s so much to know, and it takes a long time to figure out the nuances. It’s really designed like a private course. 

(The 540/474/437 yard sixth is the shortest par five on the course but the diamond shaped green is a vexing target. This pic of back right corner shows how it sheds balls at the four points. The middle is the only real safe spot to be. Today’s pin wasn’t bad in the front, but anything to the sides is nasty.) 

(This is a side view of the 167/128/108 par three eighth. From this angle, one can see the green slopes away, but a false front misleads people into carrying their shot too far. I played the front twice and both times I went long. My playing partner hit his on the upslope where it took a hop and stopped for a kick in birdie.) 

(The 461/398/366 par four ninth is a beauty with the spectacle bunkers staring you in the face. It’s a doubled plateau green with raised terraces on each corner separated by swales and troughs. When you see this putting surface from the clubhouse, you cannot believe it. There’s plenty of room past the sand to run it on. Par is a great score.) 

There is plenty written about Arcadia Bluffs South, with most of it being positive. The Fried Egg guys lauded the front but were taken aback with the back nine. They felt that certain holes could have emulated the Macdonald /Raynor templates. Ron Whitten however raved about it, and he especially loved the green complexes that weren’t the template style. Many also commented on the the complexities of the greens, and how the player who calls this home has a decided advantage over the visitor. While I do agree with this, I also recognize the difficulty some of the shots require. When I played the last two holes on the front with the caddy (I caught up with him on seven green), I commented that some of the pin positions I would never take on. I d hit it to the middle, and take my chances on two putting. He wholeheartedly agreed with me.  

(The horseshoe shaped green on 189/150/131 yard twelfth is where many disagree. Ron Whitten loved it, saying it reminded him of a giant magnet. The key is using the back of the green to funnel the ball to the proper section. The front third of both halves is a false front, so an extra club is prudent.) 

(One of my favorite holes is the 447/385/356 yard par four thirteenth. It doglegs right off the tee before sliding uphill. Another pair of spectacle bunkers stares you in the face, but the punch bowl green is what separates it. When the pin is front, like it is in this pic, the play is to flirt with the sand and land it just past so it scuttles onto the front section. The middle is where it should always go, while the rear has sideboards to corral to the flag.) 

There are no trees on the South, and while it does have elevation change in the northeast corner, most of it is on flattish land. The clubhouse is two stories, and I’d guess 90% of the course is in view from the upstairs.  This makes the design more impressive because it is entirely the imagination of Frye that gives the course it’s features. One review I read stated that when he was driving in, he thought about turning around and heading to the Bluffs course. It is true, the South lacks the raw beauty and sense of place that the Bluffs possesses, but once one starts hitting the shots, the pureness of the game comes to life. 

(This view from the 376/314/279 par four fifteenth shows the panoramic vistas seen at Arcadia Bluffs South.) 

(The 246/215/175 yard par three sixteenth possesses a green shaped like a wedge. The right and rear edges are straight, meeting in the right corner, while a long arc defines the left side. A valley of short grass catches the ball should one err on that side. It’s a cool hole with a multitude of interesting pin positions.) 

Arcadia Bluffs South is a unique course, especially since most of us will never set foot at the Chicago Golf Club, or here in Ohio at Camargo.  This places it in a rare category, and one that I think puts it on par with The Loop at Forest Dunes. Geometric architecture is a lost style, and this is a chance to see the modern interpretation of it. For an architectural buff like me, I found it to be very fascinating. I give Arcadia Bluffs South Course an 8 (excellent)(worth a weekend visit).

(This is the view of the church pew bunkers that guard the seventeenth fairway. It’s an interesting rendition as they staircase up the hill.) 

[Sidebar:

The push for fast and firm courses that play like links is the big design tenet in today’s golf world. Michigan has three such places, and if one wanted to experience this type of golf, then I recommend taking a long weekend and seeing for oneself Stoatin Brae, Arcadia Bluffs South, and The Loop (spend the night and do both Black n Red). It may not be a trip across the pond, but it’s a good copy. ]

  

(The 492/428/392 yard par four eighteenth hole finishes on a classic note. Look how the front is plenty open with the bunkering on the sides.  One can use the fairway short of green to his advantage and run the ball onto the putting surface. Today’s pin in the front is one of the more accessible locations, but anything located in the rear must crest the rise and stop before falling off the back.)

[Arcadia Bluffs original course, now called the Bluffs, is ranked as a top 20 public course in America, and is #1 in Michigan. It is a magical place with views that are simply breathtaking. Midwest golfers are very fortunate to have such a destination only hours away.]