Fowler's Mill (Chesterland, OH)

Before there was Sawgrass, Kiawah, or Whistling Straits, there was Fowler's Mill. Originally built for TRW in 1970, Fowler's Mill is one of Pete Dye's earliest designs.

All the features that would come to represent his work, small undulating greens, railroad ties, split fairways, and gambling par fives, are all here. 

The course starts out with a long dogleg par four. The small green has two step style bunkers guarding the left. A tree front right used to make the approach really narrow, but for whatever reason they took it out. It definitely made the hole much easier. Long hitters can hit with impunity without worrying bout a long drive going thru the fairway and being blocked out by the tree. Two follows with a nice mid to short range par four. 

In the pic, a bunker right narrows the driving area just as the fairway rises out of the shallow valley. There are plenty of options available including driving over the trap. The shallow green is somewhat flat, and presents a good birdie opportunity. 

The third is the only mediocre hole on the course. It's a long par three played from an elevated tee to a narrow green. It's not easy to hit, but as long as the ball is not shortsided, saving par is very possible. I wish they would frame the green with bunkers. It d be more striking hole. The fourth follows with one of the best par fours in northeast Ohio. It's a C-shaped par four cutting around the water.

The drive really needs to challenge the water to find a flat lie. Those who hit away from the hazard often find their ball in the rough as the left half of the fairway slopes to it.  The green is far enough away from the water for it not to be a factor, but coming from the rough, it definitely is. From the back tees, it's intimidation factor increases tenfold. Excellent hole! 

The par five fifth follows and what looks like a birdie opportunity on the scorecard is actually a very strategic three shotter. It double doglegs with the last fifty yards cutting back to the right. It's imperative to hit the second shot left otherwise a shot from the right can be blocked out. It's pure Pete Dye! Six is arguably the second hardest hole on the course. The green is atop the crest of a ridge in the shape of an L. The fact that the drive can only be hit to the corner is my only grudge. It basically has to be hit perfectly and even then the approach is 200-180 yards! 

Laying up short is a viable option. Par is a great score. Seven is similar to six as far as it's green is on a natural plateau with fall offs short, right, and left. The best 

part....not a single bunker is needed! It's as natural a par three as you'll find. It's also a good birdie hole too, especially with a flag in the rear of the green. Front pins positions are a little more dicey to shoot at. 

Eight is the second par five on the front and this one forces the golfer to hit two good shots just to reach the dogleg! Pete's shortcut can possibly be used but it's all carry over a field of bunkers. Short hitters are, unfortunately, not long enough to use it on the second shot. As a short hitter myself, I'm not a big fan of the eighth because it's so difficult reaching the dogleg. It reminds me of Harbour Town's 15th except it doglegs more abruptly. It's a bit ridiculous to hit two fine shots and be blocked out. 

The front nine ends with the split fairway ninth. The left fairway is the easier side to hit but a gambling drive down the right fairway opens up a simple pitch to the green. Its a really cool hole. 

The back nine starts with a good par four. The creek that split nine fairway meanders in from the right rough and crosses the tenth before looping up short left of the green. It's another hole that requires no bunkers to challenge the player. 

The next three holes are my favorite. I love the tee shot on eleven as you drive from an elevated tee across the valley. 

The green has a false right side where a balls not hit properly spin back to the right fringe. Not sure you can see in pic, but a left pin and back pin are difficult flags to find. Then twelve follows with what some say is the best hole on the course. 

This short par four has a dual tee-dual fairway that is split by a creek. The green is crescent shaped and offers several different challenges dependent on what fairway your in, and what section the pin is. It is a great hole!! Then you walk behind the green to the tee set back behind the creek. It's another bunkerless hole, and much like seven, is completely natural!

The tree on the left stymies a fade so a draw or straight shot works well. Take an extra club, or two, and swing away! 

After playing the last three holes, fourteen thru eighteen seem almost like a letdown. Fourteen is a double dogleg par five that goes right and then back to the left. It's possible to hit to a spot in the fairway where a line to the green is not hindered by a tree. Then it's reachable. Oddly enough all the par fives dogleg and don't really require driver off the tee. If you're playing the hole conservatively then hit a couple hybrids and setup a short iron third for birdie. Fifteen is just lengthy. The green has a steep fall off to the left. I've seen this design feature before by Dye (at Windermere). 

Sixteen is a classic looking short to mid length par four. It's the only hole with bunkers guarding both the right and left sides of the fairway. The green has a rise on the left side which influences all the pin positions. It's a birdie hole if you can get the ball below the hole. Then seventeen follows with a well designed par three I call the "reverse C" hole. 

The green is squeezed in the middle by a bunker on the left. This creates three pin sections, front, middle (like flag in pic), and rear. The rear flag is most fun as the back portion of the green slopes hard to the left. A controlled draw will hit in the middle of the green and take the slope down to the pin. It's a green I have not seen anywhere else. Cool hole! 

Finally the last hole is a dogleg left par five. 

It's reachable with two big shots but the second will have to be carried onto the green. Most players will layup in the neck of the turn to leave a good yardage for their third. It's a nice par five. 

Fowler's Mill is a definite must play course in Northeast Ohio. I'm surprised when the best courses in state rankings come out that it isn't on there. It's easily one of the five best courses in the state! Add in the historical value of playing an early Pete Dye course, and there's no question about what it's rating should be. I give it a 7 (great) rating! It's worth a few hours to see!