Sunny Hill Golf and Recreation (Kent, OH)

Why do some courses close while other ones stay? Maybe the land becomes too valuable. Or the maybe a particular business model isn’t  profitable. Or maybe the property is judged to have a better purpose for the betterment of a local population. Regardless of the reason, the courses that remain absorb the clients. Now what happens when four courses close all in a close proximity to each other? That’s where Sunny Hill finds itself. 

(The opening hole on the North nine gracefully climbs the hill to the green. A tight draw will take contour and finish in the flat area leaving a pitch for the approach.) 

The city of Kent has seen KSU, Green Hills, Oak Knolls, and Maplecrest all close in past twelve months. Sunny Hills is one of the few courses left in the area, and with 27 holes, it can accommodate many players. The West nine is best for beginners and juniors. It’s short without much trouble. The South nine is the longest, and offers a fine test. But it’s the North nine that has a chance to really shine. 

(The second on the North has a beautifully placed green atop a ridge above the valley. The tee box though is barely wide enough to get a stance, and the overhanging limbs and branches make the drive an absolute joke.)

The North nine has been around for 100 years and just looking at the routing, the placement of the greens, and the shots required, one can see the architectural bones that makes this worth investing in. Management needs to trim back trees, build new tee boxes, and open up playing corridors to make this a truly enjoyable nine holes again. There are some really nice holes here! And some are really cool! The big hill in the middle of the third fairway is a feature I’ve not seen before. The fifth is a great par five that plays downhill over a creek to a green high on the hill. 

(View from the sixth tee box. A creek cuts diagonally across the fairway. The pine tree dead straight in the pic needs to go, and the grass needs to be cut so players can carom the ball off the hill back to the right.) 

(The white tee is just in front of the pine tree while the blue tee is unbelievably behind it to the left in pic...

...it plays to this green with the mounds guarding the front left and right. I’m a big fan of this old style defense.)

I was disappointed playing here, but at the same time intrigued. The way it is now, Sunny Hills is a 2 (below average)(worth driving 15 min). It has potential to bump up not just one but two points if the correct changes are made. I’ll conclude with this. The ninth is a 250 yard par three that proves back in the old days, one shotters sometimes meant a chip and a putt. That might mean finding the best place to up n down for par.