Valley View Golf Course ( Galion, OH)

Valley View was recommended to me by a friend. He is one of a few people I personally know who has played more courses than I have and our architectural tastes are very similar. I asked him how he found it considering Galion is in the middle of nowhere, and he told me back when he was trying to qualify for the US Senior Amateur, the only playing partner who ever did was from here, so he searched it out. 

(The 170 yard par three ninth plays over a valley to green set into the hillside beneath the clubhouse. Long is nearly an impossible up n down. Note the totem pole on left side of pic. Patio alert for all my CGA friends!) 

Valley View is a do-it-yourself course designed by owner Lee Stuckman. A beautiful spacious valley is the prominent feature of the property with a creek running through the bottom. Stuckman routed eleven holes through the valley using every slope and curve the best he could. The other seven are atop the hill  on the flatter portion. 

(The downhill 140 yard par three second hole plays to a shallow green with a creek behind and two bunkers fronting. The traps are graded above the putting surface so the slope behind them can shed the ball off the back.) 

Valley View has some interesting holes. The three that I found most engaging were 6,8,17. Six is an uphill reverse cambered dogleg right hole with a giant oak tree guarding the inside corner. The golfer must figure a way to get by it with either a fade or draw. The uphill second shot is then played to a difficult green that tilts to the front left. The eighth is another reverse cambered hole but this one doglegs left. The play is over the crest of the hill where one can get close to the green. The drive must be very precise, otherwise one can be blocked out. Both are very intriguing holes that take multiple plays to figure out.

(The oak tree in background is actually the inside corner of the 370 yard par four sixth. A draw approach can catch the green and funnel towards the hole, but it can also stay up on the fairway and leave an impossible putt or chip.) 

The last 70 yards of the par five seventeenth plays downhill with the green falling away to the rear. In the summertime, it’s reachable for several different types of players. Being short can be problematic and a deft touch is needed to get close. I think it’s a great hole that sees a wide variety of scores. 

(This is the view of seventeen green from the fairway. Note the transition area where the fairway picks up. One has to get to this spot to have the ball run onto the putting surface. At 550 yards from the tips, most golfers will be happy to have a view similar to the one above.) 

Valley View takes great pride in their greens and they are known to be some of the best putting surfaces in the area. They are fast and firm. The valley holes have more tilt and slope in their greens but the seven holes on the flatter portion of course are more subtle. 

(The downhill 335 yard par four tenth showcases many of the attractive qualities at Valley View. The giant oak tree on the right tends to get a lot of action from the tee. Note the creek that crosses the fairway fifty yards from the green.) 

The only drawback to Valley View is the upper holes lack the character and interest of the valley. The flat terrain is nondescript and somewhat of a letdown. That doesn’t mean they are easy. Stuckman gave them the most length. They’re the longest holes on the course and are likely to add several strokes to your score. 

(The 315 yard finishing hole ends the round with a birdie opportunity providing one can hit a good drive from the tee.)

Valley View is the kinda of place I cherish in my travels. A local guy builds a fun beautiful course and the native golfing community loves  it and supports it. It’s in great condition and has a reasonable rate. It’s a solid choice should one find himself in the Mansfield-Bucyrus-Shelby area. I give it a solid 4 (above average)(worth driving 30-45 minutes to play).