Pine Ridge Country Club (Wickliffe, OH)

Pine Ridge owns the best footnote in northeast Ohio, It was Arnold Palmer's home course when he was stationed in Cleveland with the Coast Guard. 

(The 85 yard fourth is the shortest par three in the city. It's a hit or miss shot that plays over a gorge.) 

Palmer was a member at Pine Ridge from 1953-54. He won the Ohio Amateur in '53, which coincidentally was held at Pine Ridge, and then in '54 won the Ohio Amateur again. He also claimed amateur golf's biggest prize that year, the US Amateur in '54. 

(The 435 yard sixth green is tucked in the trees, surrounded by a dropoff left, right, and behind. The proper miss is short which leaves a reasonable up n down.)

I imagine Pine Ridge was a prestigious club once, but unfortunately, today it's just a shell of it's former glory. Very much like Ridgewood in Parma, it has been bastardized with housing flanking every foot of it's periphery, and those long ugly nets draped across the boundary line on several holes. 

(View of the 212 yard seventeenth from atop the ridge of the eighteenth. Note all the housing to the left and background of the pic. I'm sure it's not the course Arnold played in the '50s.) 

(The first hole is less than 300 yards, but the road is not that far away from the green. By moving the tee to the right, most players are forced to layup and hit a wedge in.) 

(The par five eighth has an interesting green. The flag on the right looks inviting, yet most of the internal contour is on this side.) 

The course is bisected by Ridge rd, holes 2-8 playing on the southern parcel. The tall trees and valley to the south makes this the more visually aesthetic side. With a couple strong par fours to tackle, most players would consider this a decent seven holes of golf. 

(The 310 yard ninth is driveable in the right conditions. Note the curved tree. It's influence dictates a layup to the far side of the fairway to achieve an uninhibited shot to the green.) 

The back nine has taken the biggest beating. In fact, the eleventh was a beautiful downhill par four played off the ridge down to the far corner of the property. With so many slicers hitting it OB, the course just decided to move the tee down to fairway and make it a so-so par three. It's this decision along with the high nets that makes this a disappointing nine holes. 

(The eighteenth reminds me of Conewango Valley in Warren PA except the hill is directly ahead instead of crossing diagonal...

...luckily the hole is only 316 yards, so the player has a few options off the tee. The houses behind the green are a reminder of the urban sprawl the course resides in.) 

 

Pine Ridge will always be connected with Arnold Palmer. There's photos and momentos to remind everyone of the courses former self. Lake Metroparks owns it now, and it has settled into a typical municipal course. Nothing here to recommend a visit, but a decent place for locals. I give it a 3 (average)(worth driving 15min). 

(The old clubhouse is still beautiful, but it now welcomes wedding parties and such instead of golfers.)