The Links of Echo Springs (Johnstown, OH)

The Links of Echo Springs is located thirty minutes east of Columbus in the rolling foothills. It’s off the beaten path and it’s rural setting is one of its defining characteristics. While many courses in our state capital have homes surrounding them, Echo Springs has avoided such a fate and is a true hidden gem. 

Barry Serafin designed Echo Springs in 1996. It occupies a very large and diverse tract of land. It goes between hardwoods, plays up and down the hillside, and borders several springs. 

It offers panoramic views of the valley and on many tee boxes one can gleam over multiple holes. 

(The 559 yard par five sixth entices the player to challenge the tree on the right and cut off the yardage...
...as this picture shows, the front section is aptly wide but gets narrower the further back it goes. With it sloping away on all sides, a flag tucked in the rear requires pinpoint accuracy.)

This is my fifth Barry Serafin course, and as I mentioned in previous blogs, most of his work is outside of Columbus with the exception being Reserve Run in Boardman. I like every single one of them, but I’d say Echo Springs is arguably the best piece of property. This really allowed Serafin to design some classic golf holes. Each environ from tree lined to hilly to prairie gives it texture and keeps the golfer engaged throughout the round. 

(The 373 yard dual fairway eighth can be played by either hitting to the visible landing area or carrying the traps to a blind speed slot that brings the green into short iron range. Note the rough spot in picture. This gives one an idea of the differing angles. For those choosing the conservative route, a pair of sand traps challenge the approach.) 

(The 409 yard par four ninth goes uphill over the brow of the previous hill. The ball will be above ones feet hitting to this big green. A wonderful view of the countryside closes out the front nine.) 

(The 520 yard tenth plays in the prairie with three springs guarding the entire left side. It poses the biggest threat for those trying to reach it in two, otherwise Serafin gave a wide berth to stay away from the water. It’s an easy par to start the back nine.) 

Serafin did a really nice job with the greens. A few are above swales in the land, a couple are fronted by hazards, and a pair are very different from the usual. One in particular caught my eye. It belongs to the short par four fourteenth. Look at the narrow upper right 

side. Any pin on this shelf will be prove elusive especially if the shot catches the sharp slope to the bottom tier. It made what I’d call a ho-hum hole into a good one. 

(The 174 yard par three thirteenth plays over a gully to well positioned green.) 

The only drawback I can find at Echo Springs are the forest holes. They were extra wet when we played which makes me question how well they drain. The grass was also a tad long in the fairways which could have been a direct correlation with the rain we received. It could also be a maintenance issue. 

(The 478 yard par four finishing hole is both uphill and guarded by water on the left side...
...a four will be a great score under any circumstances. A ball played close to the water does shorten the hole while playing down the right side will make this a three shot hole. From the up tees, it’s a more manageable 400 yard, and more times than not the back tee will be up there anyway.)   

Golfstyles has Echo Springs on their list of top 100 Ohio public courses. Lately I was thinking it would be cool if I could play them all which was the number one reason I found myself in Johnstown. Curiously, Donald Ross’ Granville is only ten miles away which would make for a nice 36 hole day. I give The Links of Echo Springs a 5 (good)(worth driving an hour to play). 

(The 410 yard par four fifth plays through the woods before doglegging right to a green perched above a shallow valley. A good drive is a must to have a clear shot at the flag otherwise you may have to fade it.)  

Chenoweth Golf Course (Akron, OH)

With the Cuyahoga Golf Association merging with the North Coast League this past winter, Saturdays have become much more interesting. One of the members of NCL is Rick Todd, owner and architect of Chenoweth. 

(Looking down the hill on the third hole with the fourth green and fifth fairway in the background.) 

Chenoweth is off I77 at the Arlington rd exit. I’ve driven by it for years (you can see the first hole from the freeway) and it’s one of the new courses on the schedule. Obviously with the connection with our league, it’s a no brainer. For me, it was an up close experience to see how a local guy like myself went about orchestrating a respectable, playable, affordable course. 

(The biarritz green at the par five was unusual. I like how it’s narrow in the front and how the rear tier is shallow. Even though is a mundane hole, very few birdies will be squeezed out of it, especially when the flag is in the back.)

The hill that the course sits on is the main feature. Todd was able to route six holes up and down it. (1,2,6,7,8,18)  The stretch from 6-9 will be the holes players remember the most. It’s best not to get too greedy on the dogleg holes and position the ball in the fat half of the fairway. A pond behind the clubhouse guards both the ninth and eighteenth greens. Nine is a lovely par three while the uphill par five eighteenth has the potential to be a dramatic finish. 

(The picturesque ninth hole is all carry to a bunkerless green.)

The back nine goes through the residential community and it lacks the excitement that the front possesses. The terrain is also flatter and it isn’t until the sixteenth that the player will face a quality shot over an interesting feature. Chenoweth is in very nice condition and draws a medium skilled crowd. It did surpass my expectation. I give it a 3 (above average)(worth driving 15-30 minutes to play).