Stone Oak Country Club (Holland, OH)

Stone Oak is the type of place I would want to be a member. It has all the amenities every family is looking to experience, and the golf course is beautifully manicured with landscaped tee boxes and excellent course conditions. 

Originally known as Glengarry, Stone Oak was designed in 1921 by Toledo legend S.P. Jermain, and later remodeled by Robert Bruce Harris. Jermain is one of most interesting characters in Ohio golf. His design in 1899 at Ottawa Park was the first nine hole golf course west of NYC. He was the first President at Inverness and was highly involved with picking out the property for the course. He is also the originator of holding international matches between the UK and USA, today known as the Ryder Cup, and convinced the PGA of America to conduct the matches in 1927. Being the design consultant, his personal connection with Stone Oak made this one of the prominent golf clubs in Toledo. 
(The par five second hole is well defended with sand. The bunker in the foreground is particularly punishing for the long hitter trying to reach it in two as the long bunker shot is one of the most difficult to execute.) 

[Stone Oak also was the host course for the first four Jamie Farr Toledo Classics from 1984 - 1988. Lauri Peterson (-10) won in 1984, Penny Hammel (-10) 1985, Jane Geddes (-8) in 1987, and Laura Davies (-11) in 1988.]

(Note the bunkering in this picture. The height of the sand makes it look like it’s up against the green, but in reality, it’s several yards short. This depth perception trick fools the player from trusting his yardage.) 

Stone Oak has only four straightaway holes, meaning ten of them dogleg left or right. One would think the long hitter would have the advantage, but the huge oak trees defend against players cutting the corners. Those who do take the risk can find trouble very quickly. The trees are quite large and the rough is thick enough to exact strokes. This puts a premium on a strong iron game since a conservative strategy will leave longer approach shots. 

(From the middle of the fairway, the player can work the ball to the pin anyway he desires, but the bracketed bunkering takes away the angles once you get off the short grass into the trees.) 

We played Stone Oak the day before it hosted the Toledo Open. They had been grooming the course four weeks before the tournament and the rough was 4-5 inches high. It was in fabulous condition. The greens were receptive but rolling fast. It was setup perfectly for a course that tops out at 6625 yards. Not exactly long by today’s standards. 

(The par three fourteenth sits atop a slight ridge with the green sloping from back left to front right. Being below the hole is ideal, but rarely is that the case with the bunkers eating into the front slope.) 

(The fade-away green on fifteen accepts shots and feeds them to the rear. It doglegs at just the right point where a careless drive can be blocked out by the trees. Note the grass bunker short right. It’s blind approach, but the ball must carry this otherwise it can be buried in the thick grass.) 

The Toledo Open is one of the premier Ohio tournaments. It dates back to the 1920’s and several prominent names have won including Byron Nelson who claimed it four years in a row. The winning score at Stone Oak this year was -8. This is a testament to how large trees, thick rough, and shot shaping can keep the big boys at bay. 

(This view from seventeen tee expresses the demands Stone Oak asks. Look how the hole gently doglegs right with a bank on the left to nudge the ball back towards the green. The group behind us, while practicing for the tournament, was taking on the trees at the corner, and hitting it within 50-70 yards, however a couple failed and were punching out...

...the green is perched up on a little ledge with bunkers once again eating into the slope. A strong back to front slope insists on a spinning shot from the fairway. Long is dead, and actually brings those front bunkers back into play.) 

Any invitation to Stone Oak should be accepted. It’s the consummate country club and is joy to play. It definitely ranks as one of the top five courses in Toledo. I give Stone Oak a 6 (very good)(worth driving two hours to play). 

Note the gold tee course rating. It’s one stroke higher than par.