Aston Oaks Golf Club (North Bend, OH)

Continuing the blog with courses I’ve played on past Ohio golf trips, Aston Oaks down near Cincinnati was once nominated as one of the best courses in the state. This was probably attributed more for being a Nicklaus Group Design than it’s architectural merit. Nonetheless, any course that found its way into any golf publication invariably found its way onto my “to play” list. 

(The 560/534 yard par five eighth plays across a sloping hill to a green fronted by a pond. Two solid shots are needed to have a reasonable approach.) 

Aston Oaks was designed in 1999 by Nicklaus associate Tom Pearson. It plays atop rolling hills on land that once belonged to president William Harrison. [Harrison served only 31 days in office before dying from pneumonia]  

This hilly piece of property has nice views of the Ohio River which can be seen from holes 10-12.  

(The 345/325 yard par four ninth hole curls below the brow of the hill. Players must decide how aggressive they want to play it since a drive that carries the inside bunkers leaves a wedge approach. Kudos to Pearson for keeping the hole at grade and not positioning the green atop the hill. This is possibly the best hole on the course.) 

(The 350/330 yard par four tenth plays a little tougher than its meager yardage suggests. Players must carry the bunkers while keeping in mind the trees on the opposite side of the fairway. It’s uphill topography adds a couple clubs to the challenge.) 

Aston Oaks is part of a residential community, and Pearson did a nice job routing the course in a way that maximizes the most course front views. Walking is not a realistic option as the course tries to find the high points, going from hill to hill, giving the developer the best land to build houses. In fact, in the early days, golfers had an unrestricted view of the Ohio River, but nowadays, residences break it up. 

(The 470/420 yard par four fourteenth plays at the edge of a steep drop off. Keeping down the left side will at least give one a chance to save par.) 

(The 214/188 yard par three fifteenth demands a long iron to an unbunkered green. Note the tree on the right. A high fade is the preferred shot shape.) 

While Pearson kept most of the holes on the high ground, the last three drop into the valley. This proved to be something of a mistake. It doesn’t drain very well, and also doesn’t grow grass very well either. He also tried to put three holes into a space where he should’ve put two. The par three seventeenth is just a throwaway. And the eighteenth is a fine hole but could’ve been really good if it had the extra yardage lost making seventeen. 

(The 556/501 yard par five sixteenth crosses the creek three times on its way to this green. It doglegs twice with the green tucked against the hillside. It’s a true three shot hole.) 

While this is a nice course, it’s not even close to being in the top ten. There’s several courses alone in Cincinnati that are better. Still, it does a good deal of business and the Nicklaus name  continues to be a draw. I give it a 4 (above average)(worth driving 30-40 minutes).