Oberlin Golf Club (Oberlin, OH)

Established in 1899, Oberlin is one of the oldest Golf Clubs in Ohio. It started off as a makeshift nine holer, and became a proper course in the 1930s when Harry Holmes, a chemistry teacher, reconfigured and expanded it. It stayed that way for another thirty years until Harold Paddock added a second nine in 1961. The two are separated by Pyle South Amherst Road, and the Paddock nine serves as the front, while the Holmes nine is the back. 

(The 545/532 yard par five seventeenth is the longest hole on the course. The club player will need two mighty whacks to position himself on the same level as the green. Failing to do this leaves a blind shot from an uneven lie in the valley. A five is a fine score.) 

Over the past few years, I’ve seen several courses where an additional nine was added to make eighteen holes. The best ones are sympathetic to the original architecture and meld seamlessly with it. Here at Oberlin, Paddock did a nice job fusing the two nines together.  The large greens have a simple geometric shape and are either circular or oval with a tilt to one side or the other. The clean driving lines harken to classic architecture. It must be pointed out that the last three holes, 7-9, were redesigned in the 1980s and their style is significantly different from Paddock’s and the original nine holes. The mounded greens have humps and bumps in them, and disrupt the flow that Paddock had created to merge with the back. 

(The 367/352 yard par four first has a green fronted by Plum Creek. While birdie demands a precise approach, Paddock left plenty of room to play long, and two putt for par.) 

(Like the first, the 172/160 yard fifth is fronted by Plum Creek. Golfers need to check the wind and select the correct club.) 

I’m a big fan of Harold Paddock. Most of his work is on hilly sites, but here at Oberlin, the front nine topography is mild. The valley the creek flows through is the main feature, and I like how Paddock took advantage of it by routing the green on one, the tee shots on two and seven, and the long approach on six. 

(The 473/430 yard sixth is a cracker of a par four. The hole doglegs right with the fairway dropping into the valley. The creek crosses diagonally and the green sits further up away from it. A good drive leaves a long approach, but an open front allows shots to run in.  A poor drive however will force a decision where to lay up and whether to challenge the creek. It was my favorite hole on the front.) 

The back nine has an unusual routing, compiled of two par threes, four par fours, and three par fives. It’s this nine that fascinated me the most. To think that a chemistry teacher is mostly responsible for what we play today is remarkable. Several drives are over valleys, greens are artfully placed, and the creek is used sparingly enough to be a hazard yet sill visually pleasing. 

(The 445/393 yard par four twelth plays in the valley below the seventeenth hole. A poor drive will have the diagonally crossing creek to carry…

…the front of the green looks open but the left side is raised and will shed balls away. A pin slid up in this area will prove devilish to get close. It is arguably the hardest hole on the course.) 

There’s some very stout par fours on the back where par will be a challenge, but that is offset by three par fives where a good player should feel he has three opportunities for birdie. In fact, three of the final five holes are three shotters, and I have to think that even a round that is slipping away can be salvaged by birdieing one, two, even all three of these holes. 

(While short on the card, the 468/458 yard par five fifteenth has plenty of bite. A tight landing area requires a long drive to have a chance to reach this in two. The elevated green is atop a ledge, and you’ll have to carry it all the way to the putting surface. The shorter hitter has the option to take on the creek and get close as possible or lay back.) 

(The 173/156 yard par three sixteenth has a treacherous green that slopes hard to the front. Being pin high or above is a mistake that often results in a three putt.) 

(The old nine has more interesting greens than the front. This is showcased immediately on the 267/260 yard par four tenth where the putting surface is literally sixty degrees from the fairway behind several trees. The player needs an angle to attack the pin, and either hits to the left corner of the fairway or tries to drive it just short of the green.) 

If there’s any questions about the strength of the golf course, then all one has to do is look at the quality of the membership. Oberlin has had some of northeast Ohio’s best players, and even today, is represented well in NOGA and USGA tournaments. It has an outstanding short game facility that goes a long way into making players tournament ready. 

(The 440/416 yard finishing hole is fantastic! The player drives over the valley to top of the fairway…
…the approach is to a small hourglass shaped green that is well defended by bunkers. The rear section is raised just slightly so it takes an exquisite shot to get close. Note how short leaves a reasonable chance to save par. Being long is not so fortunate. What a way to end the day!) 

The back nine of Oberlin plays next to Westwood Cemetery and it from here where I first saw the golf club. While visiting the cemetery, I saw the twelth green and the beautiful par three thirteenth hole. I was smitten by its classic architecture and pristine shape. Upon learning it was Oberlin Golf Club, I read about its unique history, and being a golf geek, I was hooked on one day playing it. It more than lived up to my expectations. I give it a 5 (good)(worth driving an hour to play.) It is the crown jewel of Lorain County golf.

(The 130/118 yard thirteenth is classic uphill short par three. It looks innocent but is closely guarded by bunkers. Shot selection is critical when attacking the pin.)