#65 Top 100 USA Modern (Golfweek)
Sand Ridge is on 370 acres highlighted by a large wetland area that the back nine loops around. It’s one of a few courses worldwide to be recognized as an International Audubon Signature Wildlife Sanctuary and it’s this connection that makes the round so enjoyable. The Ohio landscape adds texture and vibrancy, especially as the colors switch from yellow and green to orange and red as the seasons change late in the year.
(The par four fifth has the unique distinction of two greens that change the dynamics of the hole completely. A central bunker makes the left green accessible only through the air while the right green allows more options.)
(The 142/136 par three eighth is a good opportunity to steal a birdie. While a far left pin should be approached with caution, the others should be attacked with vigor.)
Sand Ridge was designed by Tom Fazio in 1998. Golf Digest rated it as one of the top courses in the USA, and it climbed as high as #52 in the 2005/2006 list. While the first six holes are solid, the course starts to build steam at the long par four seventh. The fairway crests over a slight rise before sliding downhill to a green backdropped by lowland terrain. The eighth and ninth follow up with beautiful green sites guarded by water. As you make the turn, the long views across the wetlands to the holes on the other side punctuate the beauty of Sand Ridge’s property. There’s no homes or structures; no noise; just the graceful swaying of the wildflowers and the sounds of the many birds that make this place home.
(Possibly my favorite hole on the course is the short 150/145 yard par three twelth. I thought it had an incredible green. Not only is it two tiers, but a slight pocket in the middle ensures there are no easy putts even for those who hit the center. This picture really captures the beauty of the property. Gorgeous!)
The back nine is very strong and the tenth opens with a very demanding cape style approach shot to the green. The up and over par four eleventh takes us down to the wetlands and here we’ll stay for the duration of the round. The final three holes provide a thrilling and intense finish and I’m sure most people would pick the par four sixteenth as their favorite. It’s a diagonal tee shot across the water followed by the toughest, in my opinion, approach shot on the course. I love how the green arcs, genuinely confusing the player between what is putting surface and what is fairway. The bunkering makes it seem like it’s two, maybe even three, different greens that you’re playing towards. The long par three seventeenth follows and is perfectly placed alongside the wetlands, allowing the player to soak in the view as he awaits his turn. The finishing hole is a par five whose second shot is split by a centerline bunker that defines the upper fairway from the lower. The green is artfully placed next to wetlands, and a single bunker defends the right side.
(The dramatic 385/350 yard par four sixteenth is a beauty of a hole.)
(The 200/186 yard par three seventeenth is a very fine penultimate hole. It’s the only par three that demands a long iron or hybrid shot which is a direct reflection of the design Fazio reveals to the player. The par threes as a group have good variety.)
While Sand Ridge has backslid off the Top 100 list, it’s still considered one of the best in Ohio. As a modern course, the cyclical nature of architecture, especially when compared to the older courses, may see it viewed favorably once again. Nevertheless, Tom Fazio’s artistic style combined with the beautiful Geauga countryside makes for a great day of golf. It does sport one of the higher course ratings so bring your “A” game when you show up. I give Sand Ridge a 7 (great)(worth driving 3-4 hours to play).
(The 531/496 yard par five eighteenth pleads for your two best shots in an attempt to grab one last birdie. As you can tell by the picture, the upper right fairway gives the best view if playing as a three shot hole. The greenside bunker sees a lot of action.)
(We played the triangle tees at 6,330 yards. I felt the course was very fair with varying yardages on all the holes. It was a good examination of our golf game, however, it was especially demanding on the approach shots. The bunkers, hollows, and false fronts placed a premium on carrying the ball to the putting surface preferably from the fairway. Being out of position typically meant bogey or worse. I believe the three of us who play regularly all shot in the 80s.)
(Wildflowers line many of the holes so wild shots are swiftly punished.
