J.E. Goodpark (Akron OH)

Goodpark is one of the finest municipal courses I ve played. It's set in a parkland setting and the huge oaks, elms, hickory, and pines trees make this a great experience. If I had to choose one word to describe Goodpark, it would be precision. Every player has to pick his spots and try to hit them. Whether that means hitting to the elbow of the doglegs, or curving the ball around, if you miss your spot then the second shot will be difficult.

Goodpark does need pruning, and sometimes it's not always in great shape, (it is a muni after all!) but the course has a pedigree. The junior amateur championship was held here. The Shaw Cup was started here. Every great player in northeast Ohio has found they're way to Goodpark. If the USGA ever wanted to come in.... There is plenty of room to expand and make the holes longer to host a big time event.

The first hole is an excellent starter and lets the player know right away the challenges needed. Trees line the hole on both sides as the hole doglegs right. The preferred drive starts left and cuts back into the fairway. Like I said initially, the player needs to to hit his spot off the tee to have good approaches to the green. The first short hole appears at the fourth. It has two separate greens. The short one is on the left and is just a short iron shot. When they use the right green, the hole really shines. It's a beautiful uphill shot with a large tree guarding the right side. The next hole is a long par five that moves to the right. Trees line the entire hole and at 570 yards every shot must be hit perfectly to make a par.

The best three hole stretch at Goodpark is eight, nine, and ten. Eight is a 438 yard par four. The drive needs to be middle of the fairway to right side for an open view of the green. Anything left of that will need to curve into the green. Favoring the right side also adds a few yards to the second shot. Nine is a 222 yard par three that plays in full view of the clubhouse and patio. It's strong par three with a demanding green. I can't think of a finer ending par three ninth. Ten is considered by many to be one of the best holes in Stark county. A dogleg right, the drive must carry the valley to the fairway while cutting so it doesn't run into the left rough. The green is laid out on a hill and the approach is usually 180-200 yards. It's a great hole!!

The back has some good opportunities to score well, or at least better chances than the front. In matchplay, there's plenty of good holes to cut into a lead. The par three thirteenth is one if my favorites. It plays a lil longer than the yardage so the front bunkers get a lot of  action. Seventeen is the othe fun hole. At 360 yards, the golfer can choose to lay up to the rise in the fairway, or drive it up as far as possible. The small green is a real birdie possibility. Finally, the last hole is a great par four that doglegs left. 440 yards, the drive must be in the fairway to have a chance to reach in regulation. The green is severely sloped and only uphill putts have a good chance for a three.  A great ending hole!!

Goodpark is a Bert Wey design. Many don't know this, but he designed Firestone before Robert Trent Jones lengthened it. Typically, Goodpark is a love/hate course. Start to spray it here, and you will not be treated kindly. I give it a 5 (good) rating. I had given it a six in the past, but I have come to realize that it is somewhat one dimensional. Nonetheless, it is one of my favorites. All northeast Ohio golfers should play it.