Mound Golf Course (Miamisburg, OH)

Mound is a decent nine hole course that was designed by Alex Nipper Campbell in 1938.  The rolling hill that crests down to the clubhouse is the only natural feature on the property. Thankfully, Nipper’s routing allows four of the holes to significantly use this attribute while the ones on top are on flat terrain. The mound that towers over the course is the largest conical mound in North America. Built by the Adena Culture, it dates back to 500BC. 

Mound starts off with a short par four with a ravine on the right waiting those who push or slice it with a driver. The second hole is an even shorter par four but is a really cool drive as you climb the hill in one blow. The third is the number one handicap hole as it awkwardly doglegs left around the corner of the property. It’s reachable in two shots if you can power draw it down the right side. The fourth is a bland par three. It’s hard to recall since a dog barked at me the entire hole. If you want to talk about sucking the air out of the room, the neighborhood is too close and kills any feeling towards connecting with nature. Five doglegs right and narrows as you hit into the turn. It’s a well bunkered green. Six is a long par four with a cool green below the fairway as a pair of bunkers hide the putting surface from view. Seven follows up with a long par three where anything right is way below the green and leaves a completely blind pitch uphill. Eight is a short par four with another well bunkered green. Finally the ninth, which tees off under the shadow of the mound, plays straight ahead before cresting over the hill and dropping down to the green. This is the best hole on the course and undoubtedly the most picturesque. As a short par five, it’s a great opportunity to finish with a birdie. 

(The opening tee shot #1)

(The uphill drive on two is blind and imposing for the new player.) 

(A wonderful view greets the player as he approaches the green on the short par five ninth. Note the unusual decision to put the clubhouse under the hill and not on top where this view would be soaked in by everyone.) 

Seeing the mound, I couldn’t help but think about Moundbuilders, a Tom Bendelow course in Newark, that is closing this fall after the Ohio Supreme Court ruled the state can declare eminent domain as Ohio’s first UNESCO site will preserve the Hopewell Culture and their mounds and earthworks. The mound, in my opinion, is the best part of the golf course, and I concur with many reviews that the entire property should be a park that educates people on the Adena people. Truthfully, the course is only mildly interesting, and the neighborhood that surrounds it could blend in peacefully without the golfers. I give it a 3 (average)(worth driving 15-30 minutes to play). 

(Mound has an eighteen hole scorecard but the white tees are simply known as the front nine and the blues are the back nine. 2,913 yards is the longest Mound plays.) 

(Miss right on the par three seventh and only the top of the flagstick will be visible.)