Avon Fields Golf Course (Cincinnati, OH)

The historic Avon Fields is located minutes from downtown Cincinnati and is reportedly the oldest municipal course west of the Alleghenies. Nine holes was built in 1914 and expanded to eighteen the following year. Who designed it is a muddling question. Both Donald Ross’ and William Langford’s names are mentioned, however, it is William Diddel who ultimately gets credit for his renovation work in 1933. 

Avon Fields is not going to make anyone’s list of places to play but it is a case study for what the future may hold for new courses built in urban settings. It’s a 4,963 yard par 66 comprised of twelve par fours and six par threes. There is not a single par five. The property is a mixture of ridges and valleys, and the course skillfully takes advantage of all these natural features. It’s a lovely round of golf and can be enjoyed in three hours or less by everyone who shows up. In a world where time is a factor that stymies the growth of the game, Avon Fields offers a practical solution. 

(The 354 yard par four fifth plays atop the ridge before dropping down to this green in the valley. Note the homes in the background of this urban playground. Now take a look at the steps leading up to the sixth tee…
…this 142 yard par three has the unusual hazard of having that wooden railing being in play albeit a rancid shot…
…the hole itself is artfully placed in the corner of the property. Drop offs short and right with a hazard left makes this a well earned par.) 

Another historical footnote pertains to the segregation of golf where African Americans struggled to find a place to play. Avon Fields was open to everyone and many black golfers called it home. Like Highland Park here in Cleveland, or Rackham in Detroit, Avon Fields is full of stories of men who never had the chance to prove themselves. 

For those not familiar with William Diddel, Avon Fields will be a fine introduction to his natural routing philosophy. He felt that a good routing doesn’t need any bunkers. There are several here but they are not needed. The holes either stay on the ridgeline, play across the valleys, or climb up the hills. The putting surfaces are tilted either to the front left or front right. It’s difficult to have a straight uphill putt. For a sub 5,000 yard course, it’s a fine golfing examination. It is a solid 4 (above average)(worth driving 30-45 minutes to play). 

(The course record is -11 under 55 set by local pro Hank Wilms.) 

Maryland National Golf Club (Middletown, MD)

My annual autumn getaway took me to Harpers Ferry National Historic Park, an underrated but super cool place that steps back in time to the Civil War era. After scouring the area for golf, I chose Maryland National, an Arthur Hills design built in 2002. It’s generally rated as one of Maryland’s best courses, and is heavily advertised in regional publications including Golfstyles Magazine. 

Maryland National occupies a central valley with the Catoctin Mountains off in the distance. The spectacular long views are the defining feature and makes this one of Art Hills best sites. As an Ohioian, I am very familiar with Hills’ style.  (He’s from Toledo after all) I’ve seen his work in many places, and his best sites are usually his most disappointing because the architecture is no different than his work at the local muni. In fact, I would say his municipal courses excel because they bring a pedigree of architecture not seen at that level. At Maryland National, Art Hills broke out of that mold, and produced a very good test of golf. 

(Being the first one on the course has it’s advantages including this beautiful, unhindered view of the 585/527 yard par five second hole. A tight draw off the tee will gain some extra yards and bring the green into reach.) 

(The 209/158 yard par three sixth drops down to a green guarded in the front and left side by a creek. A grass area to the right offers a bailout but not an easy recovery. The putting surface extends in the rear almost beneath the limbs.) 

The par threes are the highlight of the routing. Three of the five connect the higher topography to the wetland filled valley floor. To avoid any thoughts of monotony, the par three twelth is the longest one and tees off from the highest part of the property. I’ve always been a huge fan of his short holes and look forward to them on every new course I play of his. Play these five holes in even par and you’re on your way to a good round. 

The par fives are a mixed bunch mainly because they punish those who are too aggressive and fail to hit the green. Conservative play usually results in easy pars. There’s little that challenges the layup shot and this reduces them to a pitching contest. The par five seventh is the exception as a flat upper fairway is the perfect spot to execute that pitch. 

(The 542/513 yard par five seventh features the abdominal sand pit that must be avoided off the tee. Notice how the green left is below the upper right fairway. The falloff left of the green sees many shots.) 

The par fours have a wide variety of distances and are solid. Three holes in particular stand out (9,10,16)  mainly because the property is cramped in those areas and Hills made them short par fours that don’t require driver. These drive and pitch holes focus on the ability to hit a short iron or wedge to a narrow or small green. The par four sixteenth occupies a narrow valley with a creek cutting it in half. Since it’s driveable and the carry to reach the fairway is only 150 yards, it’s hard to call foul. Even short hitters have fairway to hit to before the creek. For long hitters going for it, there is little room to miss. I played these three in two under but they can easily mess up your card with three double bogeys. 

(Would you try to drive this green?! The 336/268 yard par four plays twenty yards shorter on a direct line. The hillside can be used to kick the ball back into the fairway. It’s a bit controversial in my opinion but there’s no denying the late round theatrics found here.) 

(The 203/159 yard par three seventeenth is downhill to kidney shaped green guarded by a low area short. The elevated tee helps add height to your shot. Club selection is vital to get close.) 

I would put Maryland National in the same category as both Longaberger (now called Virtues) and Shepherd’s Hollow, Art Hills courses that are mentioned as best in their respective states. The property is so good that Hills really didn’t have to do much to make a memorable course. With Musket Ridge a couple miles away, golfers have a perfect combination for a 36 hole day. I give Maryland National a 6 (very good)(worth driving two hours to play). 

(The 435/396 yard par four eighteenth doglegs right with wetlands on the right and crossing short of the green. The elevated putting surface places a premium on hitting one final good iron shot. Avoid the right otherwise you’ll finish with a round killer double bogey.) 

[I played the white tees at 6,069 yards par 71. As you can see, it’s still quite a force with a 131 slope rating. Note the back nine. I hit eight greens in regulation! That’s the only way to consistently shoot low scores. Much of that can be contributed to the back nine being 500 yards shorter than the front! Three birdies and one under overall gave me a 74.]

(The 186/159 yard par three fourteenth is a beautiful downhill shot over scrubland to a green set in the trees.)

Washington Park (Newburg Heights, OH)

Washington Park was the last course to be built in Northeast Ohio. Brit Stenson designed it in 2006 for the FirstTee program. It’s location off I-77 in Newburgh Heights makes it a convenient stop for those driving downtown or coming home from work. A grass driving range, a practice putting green, and a superb short game facility greets those looking to get some work in. 

(30-50 yard pitches plus a sand trap makes this worth the $8 practice fee.)

Being the site of the FirstTee, one would think it would be player friendly yet every hole has a bunker guarding the green. Young kids learning to play the game, generally, have a nonexistent sand game. In my mind, it would’ve been better to have only a few. I learned to play the game at Little Met, and there’s not a single one to be found there. If the goal is to grow the game, then the difficulty of sand traps can be a deterrent. Of course the counterpoint is giving young players a full spectrum of golf shots. 

(The opening hole is a long par three but is realistically a par four for the kids. Note the shorter right bunker opens up the angle from that side. A lot of brush and middling trees.) 

(The short par three ninth has two bunkers guarding the front of the small green. Missing right or long with result in a penalty stroke.) 

I previously mentioned learning the game at Little Met. Mastick Woods is another executive course that caters to young people. Closer to home, the par three course at Shawnee Hills is a good place to learn the game. All three are run by the Metroparks. This tells me that Washington Park is more about being centrally located and easily accessible. It’s location also gives adult golfers a quick opportunity to get nine holes in. Of course, I would be inclined to say the practice range gets more use than anything. It’s only a couple miles from work, which is perfect for practicing before or after my shift. It is always full of golfers when I stop to practice. Mission accomplished! 

(Washington Park is surrounded by an older neighborhood.) 

Treetops - Threetops (Gaylord, MI)

Back in the 1990s, Treetops was the place to be. Teaching pro Rick Smith was the man in charge, and his students were some of the best players on tour. (Lee Janzen, Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh etc) He added three courses to Treetops but his most famous one is his shortest. 

Threetops is a nine hole par three course. From 1999-2006, it held the ESPN Par-3 Shootout. The very first one saw Lee Janzen ($260,000) edge out Phil Mickelson ($230,000). The following year Ray Floyd would win the most skins, and Phil once again came in second. In fact, Phil played in the first seven shootouts, never winning it, and coming in second five times. The best shot is undoubtedly Lee Trevino’s ace on the par three seventh in 2001 which won him a million dollars. The pin was in the rear and the ball carried past, spinning backward ten feet into the cup! 

(The 159/146 yard par three second has alternating greens with alternating tees. I love the big bunker cut into the hillside short of the left green. It’s a bit “out of the box” but the two greens perfectly employs the wide ridge they sit on.) 

(Lee Trevino’s ace came on the 150 yard downhill par three seventh. It drops 90’…
…look how high up the group on the tee is! Today’s pin position is only playing 116 yards!) 

Links Magazine called Threetops “…one of the baddest par three courses in America.” I’ve had the privilege of playing both Bandon Preserve, a thirteen hole par three course, and Palm Beach Par-3, an eighteen holer that is one of the best in the world, and I would rank Threetops up there with both of them. The elevation change is so cool! How do you gauge 145’ drop?! It’s awesome!

[I wanted to comment on our golf trip. We had eight guys, and stayed in the Jones Cottage, a four bedroom cabin with every bedroom having its own bathroom. The kitchen and living room shared a two-sided fireplace, televisions in every room. We got three nights, five rounds of golf, price tag of $750! That is a great value! When I was at Bandon, that was my daily price! Obviously we’re not on the ocean, but for an affordable guys trip, it’s hard to beat Treetops!]

I’m doing something a little different with my blog. I played all five courses at Treetops and instead of sending them out one at a time, I decided to sent them all out at once. Here are the links to the other courses. I personally have them ranked in the following order:

1) Signature 

2)Masterpiece 

3)Premier

4)Tradition

 

Read them for yourself and enjoy! 

Signature

 http://golfingwithshawn.blogspot.com/2023/09/treetops-resort-signature-gaylordmi.html?m=1

Masterpiece 

http://golfingwithshawn.blogspot.com/2023/09/treetops-resort-masterpiece-gaylord-mi.html?m=1

Premier

http://golfingwithshawn.blogspot.com/2023/09/treetops-resort-premier-gaylord-mi.html?m=1

Tradition

http://golfingwithshawn.blogspot.com/2023/09/treetops-resort-tradition-gaylord-mi.html?m=1

(Pinehurst, Bandon Dunes, Sand Valley, all premier golf destinations, have added par three courses to their rota. It’s safe to say Rick Smith’s creation here at Treetops was the catalyst for this trend! That, in my opinion, deserves major recognition!)

Treetops Resort - Tradition (Gaylord, MI)

The Tradition is the course that Treetops needed. The Premier, Signature, and Masterpiece are all difficult courses that require strong golf skills to play adequately. This course is none of that.  That is not a dig, and personally, I think it’s fantastic that the resort dedicated this piece of property to newer players and players with less skill. In fact, I believe resorts with these kind of courses do very well. There’s many opportunities for recreational golfers to enjoy themselves and it allows the resort to fill the tee times without it backing up. 

The property itself is very nice. It doesn’t have the elevation change the other courses have but it still moves up and down quite a bit. The course has less bunkers on it and the greens are muted with very little interior movement. In my opinion, that’s the biggest reason the course never attracted my attention. Truthfully, this is a great opportunity for renovation. I doubt they would ever go that route, but Mike Devries or Tom Doak, both Michigan boys, could instantly make this a top Midwest course. Until then, I don’t advocate a reason to play it with one of your packages. The par three course is much better. I give Traditions a 3 (average)(worth driving 15-30 minutes to play).

[we played a two man best ball. It was the backend of 36 hole day. Wyatt, an eighteen handicapper, caught fire on the back and really helped their team catch us and take the lead. Joby reaching eleven in regulation was very impressive. It’s 458 yards played extremely long. The short par three seventeenth was the tipping point. Joby made a twelve footer for par and I missed an eight footer. It was a lot of fun and all our C players had a great time.]

Treetops Resort - Masterpiece (Gaylord, MI)

     #83 TOP 100 USA MODERN (GOLFWEEK)

Masterpiece was designed in 1987 by Robert Trent Jones Sr. It was selected by Golf Digest as the second best new resort course that year. The setting is stunningly beautiful, rolling through the hills and valleys of the northern Michigan backwoods. The elevation change drops over 100’ on a few holes! On the spot of par three sixth, Jones told Harry Melling, owner of Sylvan Resort, that all he could see were treetops, thus inspiring the name change that we associate the Masterpiece with today. 

(The 539/510 yard par five fifth plays over and around a dropping valley, enticing players to cut off the yardage and give the second shot a go…
…laying up to the right reveals just how tiny the target is. Jones’ sprawling bunkers protect every part of the green. A par is a fine score.) 

I’m a big fan of RTJ sr older courses. The small greens have good internal contours to them. They demand very precise shots, often times over deep cavernous bunkers. I love the look! I know it’s not en vogue right now, usually criticized as being too difficult and boring (aerial shots only) but as a single digit handicap, the thrill of seeing the ball land safely on the green after taking on a tucked pin position is addicting. Watching your buddies take on the same shot or bailing out is fun too. His “hard par, easy bogey” philosophy means weaker players can layup short of the sand and try their hand at saving par with a good short game.

(The 180/162 yard par three sixth drops 120’ down to a triangular green. The view from the tee is awesome, and only the changing of the seasons when the leaves are ablaze with color can the view be better. Club selection is a bit tricky. It was 175 ish when we played and I hit my 145 club to 5ft!) 

(The 431/389 yard par four ninth begins at the beautiful waters of the Pigeon River. It crawls uphill between thick treelines. Four will be a good score…

…the island tee is particularly beautiful with this wooden bridge leading down to it. The water is crystal clear!) 

The stretch from 5-15 is undoubtedly one of the prettiest I’ve ever seen. Pure views at every vantage point is almost like hiking a trail through a national park. The routing through this area covers all the best parts, hitting the high points offering fantastic vistas, while transversing the low area next to the river headlands. Unfortunately, the beginning of the round is somewhat predictable (the par three fourth is an absolute dog) and the final three are on less dramatic land although they’re all solid holes. When I was reviewing my round, I had given 5,6,8,10,15 an exclamation point. They were all really cool holes with great features. 

(The 605/589 yard par five tenth is a monster of a hole! It plays uphill, heaving and buckling all the way to the green. Bunkers guard the front, guaranteeing only an aerial assault. Five feels like a birdie!) 

(The 431/387 yard par four eleventh plays downhill and a draw will take the speed slot into mid to short iron range territory. It’s another well bunkered green.) 

(The 208/176 yard par three thirteenth is nicely set in a grove of trees over wetlands. Today’s pin is on an upper tier although it’s difficult to find the green regardless what level it’s on.) 

The Masterpiece is easily good enough to be a top 100 course in America and I’m pleased to see Golfweek comfortably place it on their modern list. I wish RTJ  had done something different with the first four holes. (I was actually shaking my head after putting out on their new par three fourth hole.) It’s not often that I give a course five exclamation points much less that many in an eleven hole stretch. That said, I like a course to be consistently good throughout, with no poor runs. It’s enough of a letdown to dock it point. I give Masterpiece a 7 (great)(worth driving 3-4 hours to play). 

(The 446/407 yard par four fourteenth has an awkward tee shot where one lays up to the edge of the ravine. If successful, this is the approach over the valley to a green atop the hill. I love the front left bunker melding into the woods. It’s a daunting shot!) 

(The 363/343 yard par four fifteenth drops over a 100’ to a skinny green edged into the hill. The long hitter can drive this green if he chooses to take on such a risky shot. Look at all the fairway short right. It’s very difficult not to let your eye get drawn to the left…

…the green lies on a narrow ledge with sand guarding every inch. When I saw the green from seven fairway, I actually thought the players putting were on a tee box. It is quite small in the rear. I love 2-7 type of holes!!) 

[we played the blue/white tees at 6100 yards. It was our last round (90 holes) in the three days we stayed at Treetops. The overall goal was to enjoy the round and hit good shots. My 81 was fine. I holed out a bunker shot on the par three sixteenth for my only birdie. My buddy birdied two of the hardest holes on the course at eight and fourteen. Note the back tees with a 74.8/147 course and slope rating. It’s a par 71.]

Treetops Resort - Signature (Gaylord,MI)

The Signature debuted in 1993 a year after Fazio’s Premier, and was designed by teaching pro Rick Smith. It was his first foray into course design and to say he knocked it out of the park would be an understatement. The course uses the main ridgeline often, featuring eleven downhill tee shots with gorgeous views of the valley. 

This is my favorite course at Treetops and for several reasons. Besides the great vistas, it has a lot of width to it, allowing the player to open his shoulders and drive the ball as far as he can. The bunkering is up to scale with the property, stretched over various parts of the fairway, giving players pause before deciding which line to take. The greens have big contour in them, ridges that section off pinning areas. I was pleased to see all the short grass surrounding most of the putting surfaces, giving golfers options for their approach shots. There’s plenty of greenside bunkers too. I felt it was a strong examination of one’s game. 

(The 176/160 yard par three second hole is downhill with a green divided in half by a ridge. Todays pin is just over the bunker, and only the best shots will get close. In my two rounds, I was in both the front left bunker and right bunker, saving par twice with a great shot.) 

(The 556/523 yard par five tenth has the hilltop directly in the background. Look at all the fairway which allows multiple shot shapes to be taken off the tee.)

(The 175/164 yard par three eleventh is the most controversial hole at Treetops due to its claustrophobic setting. It was so much different than any other par three including the par three course. I absolutely loved it! Beautiful hole too!!) 

Golf Channel’s Matt Ginella listed Signature as one of his top 50 public courses in America. I wouldn’t go that far, but in a golf rich state like Michigan, I think it’s top ten public, challenging for a possible top five. Considering places like Arcadia Bluffs, Greywalls, the Loop, and Forest Dunes are perennially being tossed in the conversation for best courses in the country, being in that group is high praise indeed. 

(The 485/461 yard par five fifteenth is one of the coolest, reachable holes I’ve seen. It has a wide fairway but challenging the bunker on the left leaves the best angle. Note the tight gap between the saddle of the trees. Don’t even think about hitting the traps short right…

…the two tier green is very skinny and long. I love how you can work it off the steep banks on either side. It’s a really fun hole!) 

(The 368/361 yard par four sixteenth is a prime example of the scale of the bunkers matching the size of the property. The entire left side is strongly protected, convincing players to go up the right.) 

(The 199/188 yard par three seventeenth sits on the spine of a ridge. The green is well protected, and divided into three pinning areas. It’s a very good penultimate hole.) 

The only nit to Signature is it’s unwalkable. When you have eleven downhill tee shots, it’s obvious that the goal was to get to the top of the hill. I personally don’t have an issue with this, but purists frown upon it. Other than that, I think the course is fantastic! There’s five courses in Michigan that I have rated eight or higher, and Signature is at that level in my opinion. It’s a true experience that you’ll remember long after the round. I give it an 8 (excellent)(worth a weekend visit). 

(The 363/343 yard finishing hole has a diagonal fairway where the best position is just over the tree sticking out on the right…
…if you can work the ball to that area then most pin positions are accessible with your approach. For those who hit it to the widest part, a sidehill lie will complicate your short iron shot. Enjoy the final view of the day!) 

[we were playing a two man best ball with an odd number of players, so I had two eighteen handicappers who alternated between even and odd number holes. Ironically, the player who’s score did not count almost always played better than the guy who did. As a group, we ended up at 68 (-2) which won by five strokes. (I was getting seven strokes). Our 33 on the back nine was the key since it was three strokes better than the next group.]