Pine Brook Golf Links (Grafton, OH)

Pine Brook is one of the courses in the Mallard Creek pass rotation. This business model has been very successful the past several years and has helped Pine Brook gather rounds they otherwise would not have seen. 

(The 502 yard par five ninth is the best hole on the course. Most players layup short of the creek in the background while the more aggressive play takes on the pond and squeezes it up close for an easy pitch.)

While the layout is perfunctory at best, the small greens give enough flavor and variety to keep it relevant among the pass offerings. If the fairways and drainage were held to the same standard, the course would be a decent little track. Hopefully with the increased revenue, such improvements can be made. 

(A field of wildflowers sets the scene on the southern boundary.) 

Pine Brook has an unusual routing. It has something you don’t see too often; six par threes. It’s hard to find that many quality one shotters, and here, they’re mainly connector holes to move players around safely. It’s really not a big enough piece of property to put a quality eighteen holes. 

(The 130 yard par three seventeenth is a nice hole across the valley. The tiny green is a challenge to hit, but a fine birdie opportunity if you do.) 

The land close to the clubhouse is where the best holes are located. (9,10,17,18 all use the valley to good effect.) The rest of the property is redundantly flat and offers no true strategy in playing on it. If it wasn’t for the six par threes, mid or long irons would rarely be used. Also, too many nondescript short par fours characterize the course. 

(The 345 yard eighteenth is potentially an exciting hole because the carry over the water shortens it by a hundred yards. Many players layup with an iron and the word amateurish comes to mind when describing the architecture. Flukey is another descriptive yet accurate assessment.) 

Pine Brook gets a good amount of play, and much of that is attributed to how different it is compared to the other courses on the Mallard Creek pass. Personally, if I had ten plays with my pass, half would be at Briarwood, and the other five would be divided up between Mallard and here. I give Pine Brook a 2 (below average)(worth driving 15 minutes to play). 

(The clubhouse is an inviting structure that is perfect for after round beverages. It creates a warm atmosphere when you pull in.)