Weymouth CC (Medina, OH)

Weymouth is one of the most disappointing places I've played. The very first hole threw me off! I looked down the fairway, and saw a sand trap straightaway, thinking it was a short par four, only to be told that's where the fairway doglegs left towards the green. 

Excuse me, but where do you hit the ball to?! 

(Many of the holes were like this too. I felt the tee shots were awkward, and the doglegs bent too much.)

Next are the par fives.  I thought they were just flat out boring!! There was really a lack of creativity, little challenge if playing as a three shot hole, and just because water fronts a green doesn't make it a good!! No wonder Shale Creek is doing so well! One play at Weymouth and it's no question Shale is a much more interesting course!

At least the par threes were decent. My favorite was the seventh. 

A shallow valley fronts the green, making the left bunker even more visually intimidating. Some good internal contouring makes for some interesting shots. The eleventh over the water creates some tension on the tee. 

It's a redundant motif that one can find on a slew of courses, but it stands out here. I think fifteen is the most solid par three. It's long, has enough ground contour to make it interesting, and comes at a point in the round where a three is needed to keep the momentum. 

There were two holes I felt were really good, the thirteenth and sixteenth. Thirteen had a cool green, a wide but shallow putting surface that was protected by a little valley short.

A high soft shot is required here.  Then at sixteen, I thought the drive was really well presented. 

I loved how it doglegged left while going up the slope. 

Weymouth is a Cornish designed golf course. I've played a couple of his and many consider his style to be traditional. Stow Acres fit that description well, but Weymouth didn't, and I almost feel there wasn't enough land here, which might explain the awkward doglegs. For a private course, I was really disappointed, and without a doubt, coupling with Fox Meadows and Signature was a good move for their membership. It's just a 3 (average). I won't be going out of my way to play it again. 

Longue Vue Golf Club (Verona, PA)

Longue Vue is a Robert White course located just outside of Pittsburgh. My friend Frank was a member there, and I had the pleasure of playing it. Frank was very proud of Longue Vue, and even though he lived in Concord, he worked in Pittsburgh Monday thru Friday, and thus kept his membership.

He loved golf course architecture as much as me, one reason why he played Manakiki every wknd, and he wanted me to see what he felt was one of the finest courses in Pennsylvania. 

Longue Vue starts with a solid uphill par four that doglegs around a sideslope that drops into a valley. 

It's a pretty simple strategy. Find the natural feature and use it. Then the second does the exact opposite, a downhill left to right par four. 

All the inside angles are covered by bunkers, so the line of charm which is to cut the corner demands a daring shot. It takes discipline to hit out to the left and play in from there. 

The third is a Redan par three played over a large ravine. Typically on this type of template hole, the shot would be to the front right so the slope can propel it left towards the pin locations. 

However you really can't do that here. In the middle of the green in the front is a bowl. I recall my ball finishing here, and unless the pin is there, putting up to the other hole locations is difficult. Also, a back left pin is like on it's own separate tier. It's not a true Redan in my opinion, but it's still a great par three!! 

The fourth follows with spectacular views off the tee and to the green! It's a grand par five!! It plays downhill and turns left with traps guarding the left and a near cliff to the right. 

For the long hitter, it's reachable in two, the risks being very visible. For most players, it's a three shot hole. I holed out of the greenside trap for birdie, a shot that made Frank shake his head. 

The fifth is the Eden hole. A template par three with a strong back to front sloped green that makes being in the bunkers on either side a very difficult recovery. 

The hole plays uphill and anything short will roll down the fairway. Even if the tee shot finds the putting surface, the putt is usually a big bender unless it's directly below the cup. The sixth follows with a good par four that banks off the hill around a deep ravine. The player who can fade the ball off the slope will have a flat lie from the fairway. 

Unfortunately the large tree on the right influences the second shot, and the player must contend with it by cutting the ball into the green. It's purpose is to punish drives missed to the right but it's long branches gets those in the fairway too. 

The seventh is a short par four whose fairway is severely sloped to the right. Being familiar with Pittsburgh, I'm not surprised that the course would eventually transverse this type of terrain. White did a good job making this playable, but it's still an awkward drive and approach. 

Longue Vue is a continuous eighteen holes, but if one decides to only play nine, then there is a shortcut where one walks on the entrance road (eight tee plays over it) and plays a par three whose green is in the far end of the driving range, then plays another par three where the green is at far end of the range tee box. It's the coolest thing I've ever seen on a golf course!!

Now getting back to eight. It's a parfive that plays over more sloped land. 

The main challenge is hitting the second shot with the ball below your feet. If you can, then it's reachable in two. However, playing it safe should give the player a real good chance for birdie. All in all, a beautiful golf hole! 

The ninth is a long par four that plays across a ravine and rumbles all the way to the green. Not a single bunker is needed to protect this hole, a sure sign how strong Robert White felt the hole was. 

The tenth hole is the Tillinghast hole. On his visit, he recommended this change, making this a par three instead of a short par four. Longue Vue put the new greensite in, and instantly had a classic. 

This par three plays right over the edge of a ravine, sloping from high left to low right. Standing on the tee, it's the most intimidating shot on the course. Bailing out left leaves a very testy chip. It's a perfect example how a new set of eyes can envision something not seen before. (Also it's why Tilly is one of the best architects ever) 

The result of that change is a very awkward eleventh, a longish par four that reverse cambers all the way to the green. The driving area is blind, and so is the approach. It's the only hole I dislike. I guess the real question goes back to the tenth. Was it worth it?  

The golfer is faced with another par three at twelve, and like the others, it's a shot across a ravine. 

 This green is fully visible from the tee, and instead of working the ball into a slope, the player has contouring that can be a bit more difficult to handle. Needless to say, there's a look of similarity between the one shotters, something only a miser would complain about. 

Thirteen follows, and from the tee, doesn't distinguish itself as a first class hole. As the player approaches his ball to hit the second shot, he will notice just how cool this hole is! And this  Alps/punchbowl green will have him smiling! 

The green is hidden by a large wall of rough, and on the other side is big punchbowl! Hitting your shot requires guessing the yardage, and figuring out which slope to use to your advantage. It has to be one of best holes at Longue Vue! 

After such a great hole, one will forgive if the next is one is bit of a letdown. It's not a poor one, just not as interesting as what had been presented so far. It's a long par four, and will present it's own challenge to make a par. Of course when you get to fifteen tee, that letdown will not have lasted long! This spectacular par five plays straightaway with traps and endless views the entire length. 

Like four, it can be reached in two, but when a lost ball is a possibility, playing it safe is the best play. 

The sixteenth is the final par three, but instead of hitting over a ravine, this one plays over a rise to a hidden green where only the flagstick is visible. There's fairway short of the green so a low runner can find the putting surface.  

The last two holes are long par fours. This strong finish will keep the pressure on all the way to the end. 

Seventeen is a well designed hole that plays across the hill and goes to the left. Then the player finishes on one of the finest ending holes. The drive is over the crest of the hill, and when the player arrives to his ball, a glorious view awaits! 

The fairway tumbles down the hill, twisting at the end into the green. The clubhouse dominates the shot, a wow moment that makes one realize how much fun Longue Vue is! The second shot is either flown all the way to the pin, or out to the right to allow the slope to take it onto the green. It's awesome! 

Longue Vue is a great golf course. It's hard to believe that hardly anyone knows it's here! I guess courses like Oakmont and Fox Chapel get most of the attention, and rightfully so, but this place makes one appreciate just how good the golf is in Pittsburgh! I give Longue Vue a 7 (great).  

 

Country Club of Ashland (Ashland, OH)

Public golf in Ohio just got better! Ashland is now public, and this Willie Park design should soon find itself sliding onto many of the golf publications top ten public course list for Ohio. Back when it was private, the Ashland Am-Am tournament was one of the premier events of the summer, and I found myself playing in it a few times. The best players in the state would show up, and the course was always in superb shape. 

Ashland begins with a very fine short par four. What makes this hole stand out is how the ridge cuts across the fairway, effectively making the drive a decision tween being short of it, or driving it up on top. Anything in between leaves the player in an awkward stance with the ball below his feet. With the severely pitched green sloping to the front right, such a lie and stance makes for a complicated approach. 

The second follows with another excellent par four. This one plays downhill into the valley before going back uphill to a sneaky tough green. 

The rear center of the green is slightly raised, a tough pin to find from the fairway. It also is a tricky chip or putt across this half of the green. A par is a good score. 

Ashland has a good quartet of par threes, and the third is the first. Playing bout 184 yards, the shot is downhill over the creek n sand. The excellent contoured green is what makes the hole. A little mound back center and front left influence the putting. A rear pin can be quite testy. The next two holes are good birdie opportunities. Four is bout 360 uphill. When you're at the green looking back at the tee, you're amazed how much uphill this is. Then five plays downhill, making this a reachable par five. I like how it tumbles as it gets near the green. A flat bout 100 yards short is a perfect spot to layup. Long hitters tho will only be hitting an iron. Short hitters can possibly get lucky, and get a favorable kick off the back side of the hill. 

(Can you see the roll of hill in pic?) 

Six is a short to mid iron par three. The small green is well bunkered, and only gives up a birdie for well struck shots. The seventh is another excellent par four, and arguably the best on the course. The hole doglegs left, the fairway turning in a way where the right side is the higher ground, and the left half is lower. A well executed draw will take the slope and leave a mid to long iron approach. 

The green has no bunkers protecting it, just a fairway ramp that propels ball forward onto the putting surface, while fall offs on the sides kick balls away. The  forward pitched green doesn't give up many one putts. Excellent hole!

I'm not a fan of eight since you cannot see the green unless a big drive gets you to the top. Average players will have a blind uphill shot, a very tough proposition to be sure. Any way to make a four is a winner. Then the ninth tumbles downhill, turns left, and rumbles to a green that sits high above the fairway on top of the hill. 

A short iron is the only way to get close to the hole. The green is so high above the fairway, anything more is going to have a hard time stopping on the putting surface. 

The back nine begins with a good par three. The tee is on the hill, thirty yards away from nine green, and plays downhill to the green. 

When it was private, the clubhouse was directly behind this tee. Members would watch players practice swing, then bets would be placed on if they would hit the green. It was fun!! 

Eleven is a sleeper hole. While hitting the ball up n over the hill seems simple, the left side is the only way to have a clear view into the green. 

I love the way the creek bottles up the drive from being blasted with impunity. It actually resonated very much with me. Just a very natural hole. 

Twelve is a short par five that plays up the hill. Right is death on the hole, so as long as the player stays left, he should have a decent birdie attempt. Then thirteen follows with a shortish par four. The tee shot is visually awkward as the   fairway disappears from view, narrowing tween trees and sand, before descending downhill to a green on a knob. 

It's possible to drive it, but many places to make a big number if the drive veers offline. Then fourteen goes the opposite direction, another mid length par four. Fifteen follows that with a par five whose green is guarded by water. Architecturally there's a lil lure in the design. Solid shots should get pars. 

Sixteen is a 230 yard par three. Like most holes of this nature, just getting there is a win, and there's plenty of room to run the ball into the green. 

The seventeenth hole follows with an uphill drive flanked by OB to the right. 

The fairway runs right into the green, giving the player plenty of options to attack the pin. Anything long will go down the hill and leave an awkward recovery. With the final hole being 330 yards, there is a lot of pressure to get past seventeen with no damage on the card. Obviously with eighteen being a short par four, one can take a chance on getting a birdie there. 

From the tee, the player wants to carry over the shallow valley by creek and get to the flat between the bunkers. From there it's just a wedge or so into a green surrounded by sand. These type of holes are common on old courses because the architect wanted the player to finish with confidence. This particular hole however requires some execution. It's not just a simple drive and pitch hole. 

Ashland has some great greens, that is the strength of this course. The topography is rolling, transversing over hills, and a creek flows thru the valley, and is present on many of the holes though usually it's not in play. It's a beautiful old course and I believe it's one of the top 10 public courses in the state. I give it a 6 (very good). I expect as the news gets out more and more golfers will be making their way to Ashland. 

Scarlet Ohio State (Columbus, OH)

If you're a golfer living in Ohio, then I think playing the Scarlet Course at Ohio State has to be on the "must play" list. I know it was on my radar for a long time. I love golf history, and Scarlet Course is immersed in it. The greatest architect in the world designed it! Well kinda. Alister Mackenzie had all the plans made up for it in 1931, but he died during construction so Perry Maxwell completed it. Then in 2006, Jack Nicklaus remodeled it. 

This is the placard on the wall by the clubhouse. If there's any question how much Jack is loved and revered at OSU, then this should answer it. It says:

             Jack Nicklaus 

"The greatest golfer ever to play the game."

With praise like that, I think the renovation turned into a remodel, and the Scarlet Course is basically a Jack Nicklaus design now. At nearly 7500 yards, it can host any tournament. 

The Scarlet course starts off with three stout par fours. By the way, the member tees are 6600 yards, so a strong game

is needed by everyone to play well here. It literally is one of the hardest courses I've ever played. The driver is very very important here. Anyhow, the first three holes are bruising par fours, and the terrain is relatively flat, so these holes look and feel very long. Par on any of these holes is a good score. The fourth is a par five that Nicklaus moved eighty yards to the right. Mackenzie had it playing down the boundary line, but now it plays out and around the water hazard that was extended. 

It was not well received. The green is oblong to the second shot, making it difficult to hit in two. However, if you layup short of the putting surface, then it opens up nicely for a little pitch. 

The front nine is really underwhelming in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, It's championship in every way! But it's repetitive! The greens look too much alike; the bunkering is similar; it's a grind! 

The best hole on the front is this mid length par three across the water. It's has a natural feature, something that sorely lacks (minus the fourth) on the rest of the front. 

The back nine inhabits the more rolling terrain of the property. It starts on ten, a long par four whose green sits above a shallow valley. Then eleven starts a three hole stretch of exciting golf. 

The best tee shot on the course greets you on the tee! The wide valley fronts the tee box and guards the entire left side, for once giving the player something extra to think about as he's driving the ball. Then twelve plays back the other way, and the green is fronted by the valley. 

It's a beautiful par five!! The green has some wonderful pinning locations, and getting the ball down the slope short of the creek will give you the best opportunity to attack them. Then thirteen ends the stretch with photogenic par three down the hill. 

I wish the entire course had all this character!! The green slopes from left to right, and depending on pin placement, the desired shot shape changes dramatically. What a beauty!!

After a couple holes, sixteen plays back towards the valley, and provides a neat little shot to a green placed on the hill. 

It's the only short par four on the course, something any place worth playing has! Then seventeen punctuates an excellent set of par threes with arguably the best one!!

The view is absolutely stunning, and the challenge is first rate! Can you imagine the drama played out here?! All the NCAA championships! Big Ten championships! Open qualifiers! 

Eighteen ends it with a dogleg left par four that finishes in front of the clubhouse. 

It's a fine hole. Obviously the pic shows how less dramatic the terrain is. Depending on how much of the dogleg you cut off, the approach is a mid to short iron shot. A birdie would be a nice treat for the members watching from the veranda. 

The Scarlet is consistently rated as one of the top five collegiate courses in the country. Not only does it hold numerous tournaments for OSU, but the Web.com plays one of their final tournaments there hosted by Jack Nicklaus. I'll be honest, I enjoyed the Warren Course more, but I was in awe of the Scarlet. This is home of the Buckeyes! Jack Nicklaus! Alister Mackenzie and Perry Maxwell! I give it a 6 (very good) rating. It almost got bumped up a notch due to it's history. It's worth driving several hours to play.