Ohio Golf Destinations

  • Cleveland

    Cleveland prides itself in classic golf, from Riceland Golf Course which began in 1922 to Manakiki Golf Club, a 1920s Donald Ross design. Sleepy Hollow is another Cleveland classic, laid atop and in ravines by designer Stanley Thompson in 1925. For a modern flourish, try Little Mountain C.C. with its views of Lake Erie. It makes the most of the rolling hills and woods and tosses out challenges in the form of 80 bunkers, a large lake, waterfalls and Ellison Creek.

    The 18-hole Red at Highland Park Golf Course in Highland Hills, OH is a public golf course that opened in 1927. Designed by Sandy Alves, Red at Highland Park Golf Course measures 6322 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 116 and a 69.
    The 18-hole Tanglewood Club (formerly known as Tanglewood National Golf Club) in Chagrin Falls, OH is a public golf course that opened in 1967. Designed by William F. Mitchell, Tanglewood Club measures 7029 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 138 and a 75 USGA rating.
    The 18-hole Maple/Lake at Fowler's Mill Golf Course in Chesterland, OH is a public golf course that opened in 1971. Designed by Pete Dye and Roy Dye, Maple/Lake at Fowler's Mill Golf Course measures 6618 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 126 and a 70.
  • Cincinnati

    When it comes to golf, Cincinnati didn't skimp! Check out Tom Fazio's Belterra Golf Club or the classic Deer Run C.C. that rises and drops over western Cincinnati's hills. The Golf Center at King's Island has hosted professional tournaments and has three courses. For a resort course, play Harbor Links at Sagamore Resort in nearby Liberty, Ind. You have to work hard not to find things to do in Ohio's southern-most city.

    Green Crest Golf Club is a player-friendly course located in Middletown. The course was designed in 1972, offering a traditional layout with wide, forgiving fairways and short roughs. Strategically placed bunkers lurk along the medium-sized greens on six holes and there are water hazards coming into play on eight holes, but the challenges are straightforward and don't present too much trouble for high handicappers.
    Situated amidst lush, rolling hills in Batavia, Elks Run Golf Club has the benefit of being tucked away far from any homes or other distractions. Greg Norman designed the course. He worked carefully with the natural terrain to make a playable but challenging course with several risk-reward opportunities.
    Tom Fazio designed the course at Belterra Golf Club, which boasts the reputation of being one of the best casino courses in the country. Although there are closer courses, many golfers from Cincinnati, Louisville, and Lexington still bypass those to play at Belterra, but thankfully it is only a short drive from all three.
  • Akron

    Akron has come a long way from being Tire City, once the home of Goodrich, Goodyear and Firestone. Golfers will be glad to know there are many public courses around the city, including two munis. J.E. Good Park -- "The Park" -- is an 18-hole course with an nice mix of doglegs, slopes, undulations and trees. Nine-hole Mud Run is a great spot for a quick round through wetlands and woods. Turkeyfoot Lake dates back to 1925 and has 27 tree-lined holes. Chenoweth G.C. is another well maintained course set amid thick forests.

    Located just minutes from downtown Canton, The Quarry Golf Club was built on the site of an old quarry that dates back to the 1800s. The location provides a dramatic landscape featuring cliffs that stretch over 100 feet, meandering streams, and deep-water lakes.
    Windmill Lakes Golf Club consistently ranks as one of the best courses in the state and is definitely the top golf course in northeastern Ohio. Located in Ravenna, it is the home course for the men's and women's golf teams at Kent State, which is only six miles east of the club.
    The 18-hole Raintree Country Club in Uniontown, OH is a public golf course that opened in 1992. Designed by Brian Huntley, Raintree Country Club measures 6936 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 127 and a 73 USGA rating.
  • Dayton

    The city of Dayton boasts an abundance of fine public golf courses. Kittyhawk Golf Center is comprised of three 18-hole courses, led by the challenging Eagle layout. Dayton's Community Golf Center has two 18-hole courses, and Madden Golf Center is much more than a "muni" that rises and falls over rolling hills and traverses a stream that cuts through the back nine.

    Windy Knoll Golf Club opened in 2001 but being one of the newer golf courses in Springfield hasn't stopped it from gaining a reputation as one of the area's best public plays. It has a traditional links design that utilizes many of the features of the original horse farm that formerly occupied the site. The course is seemingly easy but there are many risk-reward opportunities that will challenge even the most experienced players.
    Jamaica Run Golf Club is located just west of I-75 in Germantown. The course has a fair amount of challenges, but overall it's player friendly enough to appeal to a wide range of skill levels. The small greens are hard to hit and provide most of the trouble.
    The 18-hole Majestic Springs Golf Course in Wilmington, OH is a public golf course that opened in 1999. Designed by Barry Serafin, Majestic Springs Golf Course measures 6464 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 129 and a 70.
  • Toledo

    Toledo also has an array of quality golf courses. The classic South Toledo Golf Club (originally known as Heather Downs Country Club) was designed by William Rockefeller in the 1920s and spruced up by Arthur Hills in the 1990s. Red Hawk Run south of town is a water-laden, 7,000-yard top-tier course designed by Arthur Hills. Closer to town, Pike Run tightens the screws for the back nine that squeezes through tall trees, and Valleywood is just minutes from the airport.

    The 18-hole Heather Downs Country Club in Toledo, OH is a semi-private golf course that opened in 1925. Heather Downs Country Club measures 6250 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 123 and a 70.
    The 18-hole Detwiler Park Golf Course (formerly known as Detwiler Golf Club) in Toledo, OH is a public golf course that opened in 1971. Designed by Arthur Hills, Detwiler Park Golf Course measures 6620 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 118 and a 71 USGA rating.
    The 18-hole Ottawa Park Golf Course in Toledo, OH is a public golf course that opened in 1908. Ottawa Park Golf Course measures 5079 yards from the longest tees and has a slope rating of 113 and a 64.
  • Columbus

    Many top-flight golf courses ring Columbus, from Jack Nicklaus' Muirfield Village Golf Club, to an array of public courses created by the prolific and creative design firm of Hurdzan-Fry. The city's golf offerings include Cumberland Trail Golf Course, StoneWater, Little Mountain and Cooks Creek. Play one of Dr. Michael Hurdzan's earlier works at Mohican Hills. If you're a purist, check out Pine Lakes Golf Club, which opened in 1926.

    Delaware Golf Club originally opened in 1922 as a nine-hole course. Donald Ross designed the original nine holes and another nine was later added under the direction of course architect Dr. Michael Hurdzan and PGA Tour player Fuzzy Zoeller. The back nine is the original Ross design and being so distinct from the front nine, it's like getting to play two courses in one.
    Bent Tree Golf Club in Sunbury boasts a reputation as one of the best championship courses in the greater Columbus area. Although it's not a terribly long course at 6,642 yards from the back tees, it offers plenty of other challenges to make up for any lack in length. If you're not careful, you'll end up in one of the layout's many bunkers.
    Willow Run Golf Club is about a half-hour drive northeast of Columbus. The club boasts one of the most affordable rounds you’ll find in the area. Opened in 1964, the course was designed by Jack Kidwell, an Ohio native that contributed numerous designs to his home state. The layout is a bit like playing two golf courses in one with a front nine that is target-oriented and a more open, links-style back nine.