The Pines Golf Club (Orrville, OH)

If nothing else, The Pines is a sound golf course. It has good length, nice greens, and a couple stretches (5-9 12-13) that are challenging and fun. More importantly to me, this is the first new course I’ve played this fall that avoids having any quirky or silly holes. It may get a little repetitive with the flat terrain and treeline fairways, but I never once rolled my eyes, or thought “if they only did this.” 

(The 185/151 yard par three eighteenth is not your typical finisher. The last full swing of the day must carry all the way to the putting surface and not go offline where the big pines eagerly wait to swat the ball down. A par is a good score.) 

The Pines was designed in 1960 just outside Orrville, a small town between Wooster and Massillon. Getting there requires driving on state route 585, one of the most scenic roads in northeast Ohio. The long views of rolling farmland is quite different than what a city slicker is used to seeing. The horses and cattle along with the crops, especially in the first morning light, or even better, the softness of the setting sun, is soul touching. I comment on this because I’ve always felt it contributed to the overall experience of the course. It’s so arbitrary, I know, but I have the same feeling driving to Eagle Creek, and it was one of the reasons why I loved Seven Hills. 

(The 178/153 yard par three fifth is a good looking hole. The green has a modest back to front slope, and is a good birdie if you hit it in regulation.) 

(The 421/366 yard par four seventh starts off with a beautiful drive over a couple small water hazards. The back tee is another sixty yards behind this view.) 

(The 525/510 yard par five eighth is arguably the best hole on the course. Knowing how small the green is, it’s not in anyone’s best interest to go for it in two. This view from ninety yards short opens up every pin position for attack.) 

(The 271/258 yard uphill par four ninth is my favorite hole. The contours of the hill require a drive up the left but the line of charm may fool you into taking the head on approach. For the long hitter, it’s a chance for glory.) 

My pictures highlight the best holes, specifically the 5-9 stretch, but unfortunately the flatter holes, especially by the entrance road, are not as interesting. This also applies to the 14-17 stretch too. If these holes had a bit more character to them then it would be as popular as Mohican Hills was, as both sit on the same Rt30 corridor. (You’d think a great course would’ve been built a long time ago on the 55 miles that separate Mansfield and Massillon) As is, The Pines is doing well and was voted 2024 best course by the Daily Record. I give it a 4 (above average)(worth driving 30-45 minutes to play). 

(We played the white tees at 5,991 yards. A few bad holes prevented both of us from breaking eighty. Note the deuce on eighteen. If this is the final round of the season, then what a way to end it!) 

Mound Golf Course (Miamisburg, OH)

Mound is a decent nine hole course that was designed by Alex Nipper Campbell in 1938.  The rolling hill that crests down to the clubhouse is the only natural feature on the property. Thankfully, Nipper’s routing allows four of the holes to significantly use this attribute while the ones on top are on flat terrain. The mound that towers over the course is the largest conical mound in North America. Built by the Adena Culture, it dates back to 500BC. 

Mound starts off with a short par four with a ravine on the right waiting those who push or slice it with a driver. The second hole is an even shorter par four but is a really cool drive as you climb the hill in one blow. The third is the number one handicap hole as it awkwardly doglegs left around the corner of the property. It’s reachable in two shots if you can power draw it down the right side. The fourth is a bland par three. It’s hard to recall since a dog barked at me the entire hole. If you want to talk about sucking the air out of the room, the neighborhood is too close and kills any feeling towards connecting with nature. Five doglegs right and narrows as you hit into the turn. It’s a well bunkered green. Six is a long par four with a cool green below the fairway as a pair of bunkers hide the putting surface from view. Seven follows up with a long par three where anything right is way below the green and leaves a completely blind pitch uphill. Eight is a short par four with another well bunkered green. Finally the ninth, which tees off under the shadow of the mound, plays straight ahead before cresting over the hill and dropping down to the green. This is the best hole on the course and undoubtedly the most picturesque. As a short par five, it’s a great opportunity to finish with a birdie. 

(The opening tee shot #1)

(The uphill drive on two is blind and imposing for the new player.) 

(A wonderful view greets the player as he approaches the green on the short par five ninth. Note the unusual decision to put the clubhouse under the hill and not on top where this view would be soaked in by everyone.) 

Seeing the mound, I couldn’t help but think about Moundbuilders, a Tom Bendelow course in Newark, that is closing this fall after the Ohio Supreme Court ruled the state can declare eminent domain as Ohio’s first UNESCO site will preserve the Hopewell Culture and their mounds and earthworks. The mound, in my opinion, is the best part of the golf course, and I concur with many reviews that the entire property should be a park that educates people on the Adena people. Truthfully, the course is only mildly interesting, and the neighborhood that surrounds it could blend in peacefully without the golfers. I give it a 3 (average)(worth driving 15-30 minutes to play). 

(Mound has an eighteen hole scorecard but the white tees are simply known as the front nine and the blues are the back nine. 2,913 yards is the longest Mound plays.) 

(Miss right on the par three seventh and only the top of the flagstick will be visible.) 

Echo Valley Golf Club (Wellington, OH)

“I can’t believe that I never played here before!” That was the comment several of the guys repeated after our reconnaissance trip to see if Echo Valley was worth adding to the schedule next year. Everyone was super impressed. It was a delightful fall day, the leaves were taken care of so you didn’t have to worry about losing a ball, and the greens were as fast and smooth as any we’ve played. 

Echo Valley is your classic do-it-yourself mom n pop course. Like most of these type of courses, there is self expression when it comes to architecture. It’s not uncommon to see some out of box golf holes. The par three third is a classic example. It’s 170 yards thirty feet uphill to a wild green. Fail to hit the appropriate distance, and there’s a high possibility that the ball will roll sixty or so yards back down the hill. It’s these moments that sets the course apart. However, on the flip side, you often see quirky, or even unfair holes. Take the thirteenth and fifteenth where a ball not hit far enough, or straight enough, will be blocked out. Even the fifth, sixth, and eighteenth have dramatic doglegs that require length and accuracy to avoid being stymied by the trees. 

(The 375 yard par four fifth doglegs right from the tee before requiring a precise approach over water. This punchbowl green will funnel your ball towards the middle where a steep slope will demand your best putting stroke.) 

(My favorite hole on the course is the 425 yard par four seventh. It doglegs right with a reverse camber that’ll force a long second shot with the ball above your feet. Look at that view down the hill. It’s a classic looking hole!)

This is the fourth new course I’ve played this month,  all mom n pop designs, and Echo Valley is the quirkiest. Depending on what you enjoy, that could be a good thing or a bad thing. I personally don’t mind it, but it’s very easy to make big numbers. The greens are audacious. Granted we played the day they setup for the greenskeeper revenge, but I still believe three, and even four putting, will be common. 3,7,9,11,12,16 are all very good holes. I give it a 4 (above average)(worth driving 30-45 minutes to play). 

(The 330 yard par four eleventh has a creek cutting across the fairway that might take driver out of your hands. The bridge dominates the view as you hit your approach into the green. In the background is the 115 yard par three twelth with its green shored up by wooden timbers. These two holes are the highlight on the back nine.) 

(The 325 yard par four sixteenth has a gorgeous skyline green with a vicious grass hollow eating into the right side. Like the greens in the Bermuda Triangle at Chippewa, the front half of the putting surface is unpinnable.) 

(Five circles on the card between the four of us. Pretty impressive considering the pins were in some crazy locations.) 

Paradise Lake Country Club (Mogadore, OH)

Short, quirky, and tight is the best way to describe Paradise Lake. The elevation changes and blind shots remind me of Salt Fork, a comparison that will make you smile if you like eccentric golf. How’s this for a first?! Both nines start off with a par three! 

(The 277 yard par four seventh swings around the corner and straight up the hill. Play this one close to the vest and refrain from cutting the dogleg. It’s just a short iron or pitch after the turn.) 

I’ve driven by this place a hundred times while driving to Seven Hills. It’s off state route 43 just past Mogadore Reservoir. It was designed by John Rainieri in 1975 and maxes out at 5,655 yards.  (Rainieri owns Raintree and Prestwick CC in Uniontown) Don’t dismiss it too quickly. The elevation change and par 70 designation play longer than the scorecard indicates. While four of the par fours are sub 300, four others are 390 yards or longer, the par threes are very good with some serious length to them, and the two par fives include the long 528 yard thirteenth. 

(The 333 yard par four fifth doglegs left with a beautiful tree guarding the inside line. A good drive leaves a short iron to this lovely green tucked in the corner of the property.) 

(The 390 yard par four ninth quickly topples over hill, creating a blind shot from the tee. Once you reach the valley, the approach is uphill to a green set beautifully in the trees and hillside. In my opinion, it’s the best hole on the course.) 

It’s difficult to advocate for Paradise Lake since it’s yardage carries that stigma of being executive length, especially for the longer hitters who might complain about hitting driver, or lack thereof. I personally enjoy it, and think it is very attractive. The greens are nice and roll smoothly. It could be a possibility for the CNCGA, and I believe JC commented that it was once on their schedule many years ago. The clubhouse and patio are A+. I give Paradise Lake a 4 (above average)(worth driving 30-45 minutes to play). 

(The144 yard par three tenth is a lovely hole over the water. Anything right of the green will kick down into the hazard. It reminds me Sugarbush’s tenth hole.) 

(The 178 yard par three fourth drops 40’ down to the green. It’s startling to see this much elevation change so close to Kent.) 

(Look at the scorecard and note the par 34 front nine that plays only 2,578 yards from the tips. The only awkward hole is the 340 yard sixth where the drive must get past the 150 marker and stay right to have an unimpeded shot to the green.) 

(Paradise Lake boasts one of the best clubhouse and patios in the area. I hear the sausage sandwich is stellar too. The view goes without saying. Props to Al and Michelle for the recommendation.) 

Millstone Hills Golf Club (New London, OH)

This past summer, when the CNCGA visited Ridge Top, I commented that we needed more courses like this, specifically as a referendum on the price point, as it seems $65-$70 is fast becoming the norm for a Saturday morning tee time. Millstone Hills is a mom n pop do it yourself course that precisely fits this description. It’s location in New London, 15 miles south of Wakeman on route 60, places it just on the line of acceptable driving distance. 

There’s always a few awkward holes that either make or break one’s perception of these countryside courses, and at Millstone, the par five third and fifth holes are the culprits. The third has a pond bisecting the fairway that forces a silly layup (from the white tees) unless you can carry it 210 yards. From the back tees, it’s a more respectable hybrid/long iron tee shot.  Easy fix is playing the gold tees short of the water and making it a 340 yard par four. I might add that it’s a damn good hole from here too. The fifth is a reverse C 120 degree dogleg left par five. Getting the proper angles is the key. The square green atop the hill is severely pitched forward. Both my playing partner and I had decent par attempts but had to squander a shot getting there. If you can overlook these two holes then the rest of the course is pretty solid. 

(The 485/430 yard par five third has a saucer like green that demands an exact approach shot. Since one is forced to layup off the tee, this could mean anything from 160-120 yards.) 

(The 407/396 yard par four sixth has a turtle back green that will prove to be difficult to hold in regulation. Thankfully an open apron allows a shot along the ground to run on. Four will be a good score.) 

Owner Frank Cooke designed the first nine holes in 1968 and his son Stuart designed the second nine in 1972. I love how they used the old pushup method to make greens, injecting them with false fronts and slopes on the side. The key to a good round are the five short par fours (7,9,10,12,15). All of them have fun greens that reward strong short iron play. Get a little careless on them and you’ll find yourself with difficult two putts. The island green par three sixteenth is the hole everyone looks forward to playing. A covered bridge on the right adds to the charm as anything short will clang off the roof. 

(The 141 yard par three sixteenth is a gorgeous hole…
…be careful not to be too aggressive as the back of the green comes up quickly. The bridge is definitely in play and so is the one coming over the water…
…my playing partner’s ball carried over the bridge and clanged loudly off the metal guardrails. I couldn’t help but chuckle.) 

Millstone must be becoming more popular because they’ve extended twelve, which is now played to a peninsula green, created a new par three at thirteen, and seemed to be adding a lot of stone work to shore up some of the greens against the water, eighteen being the biggest project. It maybe a sleeper course now, I’ve never heard of it, but improvements like this might start resonating with golfers further away than Norwalk and Ashland. I definitely enjoyed the course and give it a firm 4 (above average)(worth driving 30-45 minutes to play). 

(The 176/143 yard par three eighth is all carry over a pond to a two tiered green. Note the beautiful stone wall that lines the green.) 

[we played the white tees at 5,950 yards. It was a brisk Saturday morning in the high 40s and the dew drenched greens made the putting hard to gauge. By the time we made the turn, the putting surfaces had dried up and we’re running a bit quicker. Both Al and I had good birdie chances but we never were able to get the speed and lines matched up.]

(The 370/352 yard eighteenth hole has a semi peninsula green where the front half is completely surrounded by water. The biggest challenge is driving the ball far enough up the hill to get a view of the green. For the shorter player, it is a blind uphill shot. Four is a good score.) 

Little Met (Cleveland, OH)

Little Met has introduced many new players to the game of golf and was my home course the first few years. Located at base of Fairview Hill, it is easily accessible for everyone living on the Westside of Cleveland. Stanley Thompson designed it in 1925 as an introductory nine holer while Big Met was being built. It was so popular and such a success that the Metroparks kept it opened, giving the Rocky River Reservation 27 holes at the time. 

Little Met starts off with a longish par four that most beginners will be pleased to make five on. The second is the best hole on the course and its elliptical green falls away left, right, and behind. I can recall many a shot failing to hold the putting surface and finishing on the hill. Three is the only par five and is really a long par four. Skilled players will have a chance to reach it in two while beginners get the opportunity to reach it in regulation. Four is a short par four although a crease in the fairway can cause a funky lie. Five begins a three hole stretch of one shotters with the fifth featuring an undulating green. Six follows with a long iron or hybrid shot. Seven was always one of my favorites. The hole sits besides the dyke next to the Rocky River. The green is set at an angle and is two tiered. Eight is a mid par four that doglegs right and has a steep back to front slope. I made my first birdie here, a moment that kickstarted my love affair with the game. Nine finishes with a short driveable par four. If you’re looking to start your son or daughter on their golf journey, then Little Met is the perfect place to begin.  

Green Hills Golf Course (Clyde, OH)

I was very impressed with Green Hills. Not only were the greens as smooth as any I’ve putted on all year, but several of them were downright treacherous with bold contouring and rolls that even Perry Maxwell would love. From the back tees, which maxes out at 6,521 yards, the course possesses several muscular par fours and the 601 yard par five sixth has to be seen in person. It has a fantastic green perched at the end of a large hill where only the top of the flag can be seen. Don’t mistake this place as your typical country course. It’s a lot more than that. 

(The 450/425 yard par four eighth starts at an elevated tee box and finishes at an elevated green. The putting surface has a sunken front right side and rolls to a back left portion that slopes away. A four is a great score.) 

[Before I hit the first tee, the course was already winning me over. It’s hard to explain, but little things go a long way. The flowers by the tee boxes; the gazebo and wooden benches on the driving range; the tavern that serves as the clubhouse. Excellent stuff!]

(The 489/474 yard par five fifth has a cornfield lining the entire left side. It’s reachable in two shots but the reverse C green has OB left and a hidden pond in the cut on the right. While a front pin position might give up a few eagles, the back ones will give players fits. I’m not sure you could putt from the front right to the back right.) 

(The 110/109 yard drop shot par three fourteenth is a beautiful hole with a creek sliding short of the putting surface. Be careful with how much spin you put on the ball. Enjoy the cows watching on the left. It was a first for me.) 

I haven’t ventured past Eagle Creek in Norwalk for several years (Findlay is the best I’ve seen and Fremont is nice) but MVC has been hyping this course up so I was confident it would be worth the 75 minute drive from my house. Dismiss the goofy short par four second hole, and the other seventeen holes are really solid. The greens on 1,6,8,10,12 are terrific! If conditioning is important to you, then you won’t mind the additional time in the car. I wish it was a tad closer because it would become a CNCGA darling. I give Green Hills a solid 5 (good)(worth driving an hour to play). 

(The 358/350 yard eighteenth hole plays up and over a slight rise with a soy bean field marking OB down the left. The two tiered green is nicely defended by traps.) 

(Played the blue tees just over 6,000 yards. I bogeyed the last two holes on the front and the last three holes on the back for a 78. The real key at Green Hills is the putter. I escaped with 0 three putts but I’m positive that’s not the norm.) 

Sand Ridge Golf Club (Chardon, OH)

#60 Top 100 USA (Golf Digest)

#65 Top 100 USA Modern (Golfweek)

Sand Ridge is on 370 acres highlighted by a large wetland area that the back nine loops around. It’s one of a few courses worldwide to be recognized as an International Audubon Signature Wildlife Sanctuary and it’s this connection that makes the round so enjoyable. The Ohio landscape adds texture and vibrancy, especially as the colors switch from yellow and green to orange and red as the seasons change late in the year. 

(The par four fifth has the unique distinction of two greens that change the dynamics of the hole completely. A central bunker makes the left green accessible only through the air while the right green allows more options.) 

(The 142/136 par three eighth is a good opportunity to steal a birdie. While a far left pin should be approached with caution, the others should be attacked with vigor.) 

Sand Ridge was designed by Tom Fazio in 1998. Golf Digest rated it as one of the top courses in the USA, and it climbed as high as #52 in the 2005/2006 list. While the first six holes are solid, the course starts to build steam at the long par four seventh. The fairway crests over a slight rise before sliding downhill to a green backdropped by lowland terrain. The eighth and ninth follow up with beautiful green sites guarded by water. As you make the turn, the long views across the wetlands to the holes on the other side punctuate the beauty of Sand Ridge’s property. There’s no homes or structures; no noise; just the graceful swaying of the wildflowers and the sounds of the many birds that make this place home.

(Possibly my favorite hole on the course is the short 150/145 yard par three twelth. I thought it had an incredible green. Not only is it two tiers, but a slight pocket in the middle ensures there are no easy putts even for those who hit the center. This picture really captures the beauty of the property. Gorgeous!) 

The back nine is very strong and the tenth opens with a very demanding cape style approach shot to the green. The up and over par four eleventh takes us down to the wetlands and here we’ll stay for the duration of the round. The final three holes provide a thrilling and intense finish and I’m sure most people would pick the par four sixteenth as their favorite. It’s a diagonal tee shot across the water followed by the toughest, in my opinion, approach shot on the course. I love how the green arcs, genuinely confusing the player between what is putting surface and what is fairway. The bunkering makes it seem like it’s two, maybe even three, different greens that you’re playing towards. The long par three seventeenth follows and is perfectly placed alongside the wetlands, allowing the player to soak in the view as he awaits his turn. The finishing hole is a par five whose second shot is split by a centerline bunker that defines the upper fairway from the lower. The green is artfully placed next to wetlands, and a single bunker defends the right side. 

(The dramatic 385/350 yard par four sixteenth is a beauty of a hole.) 

(The 200/186 yard par three seventeenth is a very fine penultimate hole. It’s the only par three that demands a long iron or hybrid shot which is a direct reflection of the design Fazio reveals to the player. The par threes as a group have good variety.) 

While Sand Ridge has backslid off the Top 100 list, it’s still considered one of the best in Ohio. As a modern course, the cyclical nature of architecture, especially when compared to the older courses, may see it viewed favorably once again. Nevertheless, Tom Fazio’s artistic style combined with the beautiful Geauga countryside makes for a great day of golf. It does sport one of the higher course ratings so bring your “A” game when you show up. I give Sand Ridge a 7 (great)(worth driving 3-4 hours to play). 

(The 531/496 yard par five eighteenth pleads for your two best shots in an attempt to grab one last birdie. As you can tell by the picture, the upper right fairway gives the best view if playing as a three shot hole. The greenside bunker sees a lot of action.) 

(We played the triangle tees at 6,330 yards. I felt the course was very fair with varying yardages on all the holes. It was a good examination of our golf game, however, it was especially demanding on the approach shots. The bunkers, hollows, and false fronts placed a premium on carrying the ball to the putting surface preferably from the fairway. Being out of position typically meant bogey or worse. I believe the three of us who play regularly all shot in the 80s.) 

(Wildflowers line many of the holes so wild shots are swiftly punished.