Mayfield Country Club (South Euclid, OH)

Mayfield was designed in 1911 by architects Bert Wey and Herbert Barker. Its merits were such that it was chosen to host the 1919 Western Open, then considered a major championship, and the 1920 US Women’s Amateur. In fact, the great Harry Vardon exclaimed during his exhibition tour that it was one of the top three courses on this side of the Atlantic. Fast forward to today and this hidden gem flies under the radar both nationally and locally, barely moving the needle while other northeast Ohio stalwarts gardner all the attention. 

(The 202/185 yard par three thirteenth was featured in The American Golfer magazine. The green is tucked between two fescue strewn hills with bunkers ringing the sides. Club selection is vital to finding the putting surface.) 

Unlike Shaker Heights Country Club which plays in full view of the neighborhood that it sits, Mayfield drops down into a valley away from the hustle and bustle of the city life above it. This valley has several ridges and it’s the way the course jumps onto them that  makes it so unique. Three tee shots play up and over a two story wall of fairway. Today’s modern game abhors such tee shots since it’s blind nature creates uncertainty and doubt. It’s also very unforgiving if you don’t elevate it quick enough. 

(Where do you aim at the 340/333 yard par four second?! There is no discernible landmark in the distance…
…the rollicking fairway has few level lies for the approach. The green is up on the hillside surrounded by bunkers. The long hitter might be tempted to carry the entire hill to the lower fairway but the downslope between the two is rough. This is my favorite hole on the course!) 

(The 196/178 yard par three fourth plays downhill to a back to front sloped green. I’ve seen an old picture of this hole where a bunker fronted the entire green…
…looking back one can see how difficult a rear pin position is.) 

(The 420/412 par four fifth is the number one handicap hole. The ideal tee shot is just over the inside bunker but note the creek just past it on the right. There’s plenty of room to the left but that leaves a long second shot in. The creek continues down the right and cuts behind the green. Much of the putting surface is hidden and it extends further back than imagined. The front left bunker sees a lot of action.) 

Back in the 1990s, my Uncle Tony was the godfather of the GM, and we played Mayfield every Monday. They would take a cart while my cousin Mark and I would walk. I remember playing til it was dusk, sometimes walking 54 holes in a day. I was really new to the game back then, maybe it was my second or third year of golf, and the course would just kick my butt. I rarely got to play with my uncle and his buddies. They had a big money game, often times $5 or $10 a hole. That’s a pretty penny nowadays so back then that was a significant amount of money. 

(The 369/350 yard par four seventh has a severely undulating green. The creek cuts across the fairway 280 yards from the tee and guards the left side of the putting surface.) 

Mayfield is a continuous eighteen hole course and does not come back to the clubhouse. It has four par fives and five par threes including back to back one shotters at twelve and thirteen. Three of the five play downhill and connect the ridge line to the valley holes below. Unfortunately they all play in the same direction. Another tidbit that my playing companion pointed out was no approach shot was uphill. There are a few uphill drives but the greens are either level or below the fairway. Considering how unique the topography is at Mayfield, this is definitely a choice made by Barker and Wey. (It actually got me thinking about Bert Wey’s other courses. Goodpark, Black Brook, and Chardon Lakes. Only number 8 at Chardon does one hit uphill to a green.) 


(The 454/424 yard par four ninth has a completely blind uphill tee shot. I remember an old iron staircase that one took from eight green to this tee box, but alas, it is no longer there…

…the left side features a flat area to hit from while the half pipe right side will propel the ball further down the hill. The green actually slopes away from the golfer so it’s not uncommon to see balls go long. It’s a great hole!)

(The 542/527 yard par five eleventh is a most unusual hole that rises and falls before finishing at a green well below the fairway. One can land the ball fifty yards short and it will roll all the way to the putting surface.)

(The 407/390 yard par four fourteenth plays straightaway but the creek comes back in, squeezing the approach shot just feet from the right.) 

Mayfield occupies a rugged piece of property that stands alone in northeast Ohio. I’m a bit flabbergasted that it doesn’t get more recognition. Yes I would concur with anyone that points out the muted bunkering that I remember being visually more terrifying in the past but few courses are going to challenge the engagement Mayfield poses to the golfer throughout the round. The greens are demanding and one can putt off of them with a careless stroke. (It happened four times in our foursome) It’s lack of length (6687) has pushed it back into yesteryear’s class  as it’s too short for the top tier men but the rest of us will undoubtedly be examined of our golfing abilities. What a joy it is for the members who get to solve all the nuances present here! I give Mayfield a 7 (great)(worth driving 3-4 hours to play). 

(The 410/405 yard par four fifteenth doglegs right off the tee and left into the green. A drive that flirts with the fairway bunkers offers the best angle.) 

(The 180/175 yard par three seventeenth plays downhill to another green ringed by bunkers. There’s a rise in the middle that makes indifferent shots difficult two putts. Note the huge hill in the background, the last blind uphill drive.) 

[I played in my second NOGA event this year, a net two man best ball from the white tees at 6,387 yards. My partner and I got off to decent start but we weren’t able to take advantage of our stroke holes at 9&10. The back to back par threes ended any chance at placing in the money. Neither of us stroked and they are very easy holes to bogey. The winning team netted -9. We finished at +3. It was disappointing. I wish NOGA would flight these tournaments. The senior tees are a huge advantage and some of these guys still hit it long and get plenty of strokes.]