Pleasant Valley Golf Club (Medina, OH)

Last year I wrote bout driving on Hamilton road in Medina passing up several courses on my way to Shale Creek. One of those courses was Pleasant Valley. Jack Kidwell designed it in 1970, and much like his design at Punderson, it plays very long from the white tees. 

Length has always been one of Kidwell's design traits. Pleasant Valley seems to have this feature in bunches as long straightaway par fours and par fives make up the scorecard. Besides length, Pleasant Valley lacks little features that make a course stand out. The bunkering is minimial, and the large greens bailout players on a consistent basis. Long hitters have always enjoyed coming here for that reason. 

If there's a bright side to Pleasant Valley, it's the last five holes. Fourteen is a downhill par three set against water and sand. Then fifteen is a long uphill dogleg right par four. 

The last three holes revolve around a lake, however, It's only in play on the last hole. Sixteen is a reachable par five that plays that goes downhill, then back up. 

As you can tell by the pic, the bunkering is very basic. There's plenty of room to run it in. Then seventeen plays 200 yards across the valley. The oval green is bunkerless, it's length is it's only defense.

As mentioned before, eighteen is the only hole on the water.

The pic above gives the impression that the approach is over the lake, but in reality, the water is mostly to the side. The drive can get wet if the ball is not properly hit down the left side since right half of the fairway will take a cut and propel it further to the right. I do wish it was longer then it would force more players to hit a driver. At 350ish yards, hybrid or even long iron will take all the trouble out of play. 

Right now Pleasant Valley is a nice league course. It has options and flexibility if more challenge is needed for the members. I'm giving it an average rating. (3)  I'm still looking for great Jack Kidwell design.