Brookside (Canton)

[jonathan_becker]

MG- I took these photos last year and it was too bright out to really get some good ones, but here are the holes you listed as favorites.

8 green from behind



approach on 9



10 tee



11 tee and approach




15



16 green but not with your back right pin.  I've never seen a green like this anywhere with the huge drop from back right to front left.

[Mark Saltzman]

Excellent golf course with perhaps the best set of greens I've ever seen.  I was told they have a few more restorative steps they are hoping to take, including squaring off several of the green fronts, which based on historic photos/aerials, is true to original design intent.

Brookside is deserving of a full-on photo tour, but until then a few favourites...

Routing Plan






Silva Master Plan




Approach to par-4 1st:




Green at par-4 2nd.  Unbelievable the change in elevation from the back of the green to the front.  The people in the picture give a good idea of the scale of the elevation change:






Cresting the hill on the par-5 3rd:




Intimidating par-3 4th:






From behind the par-4 5th:




The wonderful par-4 6th with a tee shot to a tilted fairway and an approach with as much slope (9% in places) as I've ever seen.  Long or left is plain dead.







More to come...

[jonathan_becker]

with perhaps the best set of greens I've ever seen. 

Considering all of the places you've played, that's quite a statement.  It also makes MG and I not sound like a couple of crazies. 

I'm glad you enjoyed Brookside and I look forward to seeing more photos.

[Mark Saltzman]

Downhill 190 yard par-3 7th with an unbelievable green -- almost like a diagonal biarritz






Shortish par-4 8th with another amazing green dominated by three massive humps and a false-front that runs nearly the first half off the green.




The openness and elevation change visible when standing on the 10th tee has a bit of a Shinney feel to me.




Tee shot on 400 yard par-4 10th




and from behind




Approach to the 11th, will just be a flip-wedge for longer hitters.




And a look back at the 11th fairway; really great terrain here.




Extremely difficult 240 yard par-3 12th.  Shots landing short of the green will funnel back all the way to 50 yards short of the green.

[BHoover]

with perhaps the best set of greens I've ever seen. 

Considering all of the places you've played, that's quite a statement.  It also makes MG and I not sound like a couple of crazies. 

I'm glad you enjoyed Brookside and I look forward to seeing more photos.

I don't think you guys are crazy.  This is my favorite course in Ohio.

[JLahrman]

Hopefully the statute of limitations for this crime has run out, but I will confess to sneaking out onto this course about ten years ago late one summer evening.

I played the 12-17 loop twice and loved the holes.  And the greens certainly were a lot of fun.

Limited perspective of the course, but if the other 12 holes are as fun as the six I played, I would agree with your assessment.

Shit, these pictures are really making me wish I had snuck onto the rest of the course.

[Mark Saltzman]

Tee shot on the 380 yard par-4 13th:




Tee view on the '2 or 20' 140 yard 14th.  Almost a great eternity green.  Back-to-front tilt is unbelievable.




Tee view on the 440 yard par-4 15th:




Green on the mid-length par-4 16th.  Green is some 9,000 sq ft but with such a significant tilt that there are very few pins.




'Funnel' green on the par-5 17th:




Tee View on the par-5 (4.5) finisher:




And a view of 18 from 14 green:

[Doug Braunsdorf]

This course looks scary good.  The bunkering and aerial reminds me a lot of Lulu, albeit a bigger version. 

[BHoover]

Great photos.  Every time I think of Brookside, it makes me want to move back home just to be able to join the club and play there all the time.  I played there recently in a qualifier for the Ohio Am.  The greens were unbelievably firm and fast.  I struggled but having the opportunity to play Brookside again definitely made the trip to Canton worthwhile.  I honestly think that this may be the best course in Ohio (certainly of those that I've played, it is).  The members are very fortunate to be able to play here all the time.  My wife, however, doesn't want to live in Canton. 

[Joe Leenheer]

Played here today and had to bring this thread back to the surface.

Absolute gem! Either by plane, train, or car you must get to Brookside! Possibly the best course in Ohio (and I've only not played two of the big boys).

Warning...you better have some short game or you will be in a world of hurt. Of the greens I've been on, only Oakmont's could possibly rack up more 3 putts.

[Matt Elliott]

Brookside is one of my favorite golf courses in Ohio.  I think it ranks up there with pretty much anywhere else in the state.  I haven't played in Canton since they made the changes to the 18th hole this summer, but from what I understand, the new bunkers and fairway lines are very good.  Hopefully I'll make it back up there before it starts snowing.

Personally, I would pick Brookside over Scioto more often than not.  However, I never willingly turn down the invitation to play either.  There are so many great golf courses in Ohio and I would rank Brookside and Scioto toward the top of an excellent list.

[BCowan]

Had the privilege of playing Canton Brookside a few days ago.  I had very high expectations going in and they were exceeded.  The best greens i have seen next to Old Town.  Camargo is the only top course I haven't played in the state.  The course is about an 8.3 now and could be a strong 8 with the removal of about 400-800 more trees.  This is the best track I have played in Ohio.  The course has  large scale in places and feels intimate in other areas of the course.  Lots of variety with green complexes along with wonderful land.  Can't wait to play again!   

[Joe Zucker]

I also played Brookside earlier this year and found it to be awesome, but it is a really hard golf course.  The course feels really large and expansive, which is not something I experienced much growing up in Northeast Ohio.  The elevation change keeps the course interesting, but everyone talks about those greens so I will too.


They are so hard.  A combination of modern greens speeds and classic slopes make anything outside of 15 feet a candidate for a 3 putt.  I can definitely see why Joe Leenheer compared them to Oakmont in 2012.  I wonder if the course is too hard for member play because I can't imagine it being much fun to average 39 putts a round. I would either become a much better player or my handicap would go up 3 shots if I played there regularly...

[BCowan]

Joe,

   They were rolling about 10 when we played them.  A very good speed.  The entrances and greens were soft with the poa and they ran a little inconsistent along with my stroke  .  I shot 7 or 8 shots higher at Moraine and feel that is a harder course.  I hear for tournaments the OGA gets Brookside running 12+ and people are 4 putting all day.  It comes down to restraint, but when Oakmont is deemed the gold standard, people think that's cool.  It leads to flattened greens and works of Art ruined.  Lag putting is an Art and Skill and people need to be reminded of that IMO.  I would love to see it firmer (late September) but the members probably wouldn't like that all season. 

[DFarron]

I think the fact that Jonathan Becker learned the game there is holding it back.

I think Brookside is a terrific course...or as I stated in my post-Dunes Club alcohol induced haze, "BROOKSIDE IS AWESOME!" However, I do think three things hold it back a bit. First, the finish is not that strong...as you alluded to. Second, it doesn't have the tournament pedigree that Jonathan mentioned. Third, you really have to seek out Brookside. With a number of great courses in Cleveland and Columbus (and one in both Toledo and Cincinnati), you have to be willing to break away and drive the hour or so from Cleveland or the two hours from Columbus to see and play it. I think it is well worth it but I am not a rater.

This past weekend, I played Springfield Country Club...about an hour west of Columbus.  It is another Ross design. It was my second round there and I enjoyed it more the second time than the first (sort of like sex). The greens there are also wicked awesome.

Best course in Ohio? Personally, The Golf Club and Camargo rank right up there...and I might choose Kirtland over Brookside. But it is awfully good. A nice day would be one where I have that choice.

As far as Scioto, it has the Nicklaus connection. All Brookside has is the Becker connection...not even close.

BINGO on Springfield CC!

[DFarron]

If Brookside were in a more visible location it would get better ratings. Even for Canton it is in a very hard to find spot.

[BCowan]

Drew,


That's a fair point.  Also not hosting pro tourneys or being a soup club hurts. The greens should be studied by young Archies.  500 more trees gone would be so good. Sand cap entrances too and regrass.  10 mins from the course it's dead flat, then u enter great change of elevation by the course.

[Joe Zucker]

Ben, I completely agree about the area being dead flat outside of the property.  As with most things in Canton, you really wonder if it's worth going to Canton, but it certainly is.  Once you reach the course, the land completely changes.  I also agree about the green speeds.  Something running around 10 would still leave wild putts with plenty of creativity, but you would have a chance.


Bill Steele made an interesting comment that the the course having a weak finish.  I think 14, 16, and 18 are all very good holes. The infinity-esqe green on the short par 3 14th provides a great view and the 16th is one of the wildest greens I have ever seen.  I wonder if 20% of the surface could hold a pin? The 18th is a fun par 5 and really one of the only reasonable chances to make birdie there.  While it's possible to hit in two, most people should have a wedge onto a green where the putting surface is blind.  I thought it was a fun and difficult shot to attempt at the end of the round.  A nice respite on a course that beats you up most of the round. 

[Michael George]

I also played Brookside earlier this year and found it to be awesome, but it is a really hard golf course.  The course feels really large and expansive, which is not something I experienced much growing up in Northeast Ohio.  The elevation change keeps the course interesting, but everyone talks about those greens so I will too.

They are so hard.  A combination of modern greens speeds and classic slopes make anything outside of 15 feet a candidate for a 3 putt.  I can definitely see why Joe Leenheer compared them to Oakmont in 2012.  I wonder if the course is too hard for member play because I can't imagine it being much fun to average 39 putts a round. I would either become a much better player or my handicap would go up 3 shots if I played there regularly...

Joe:

The greens are difficult, but really become easier the more that you play the course.  There is a spot to miss most pin positions and the members really know these spots and play to them.  For instance, #12 has the hump separating the left and right side of the green.  The members would rather be in the rough or bunker on the correct side of the green than on the wrong side of the green putting.  On #14, the members play to the front of the green, regardless of pin position. ...they just don't go deep on this green.

The nice thing about Brookside is that it lets you drive the golf ball and is not overly long.  Yes, the greens are the challenge, but they are also the entertainment!  Glad that you enjoyed it.

I have now played every noteworthy golf course in Ohio.....Brookside may still be my favorite.  Lot of great courses though and I now loath to rank them - Bill McKinley is right about that!

[DFarron]

Drew,


That's a fair point.  Also not hosting pro tourneys or being a soup club hurts. The greens should be studied by young Archies.  500 more trees gone would be so good. Sand cap entrances too and regrass.  10 mins from the course it's dead flat, then u enter great change of elevation by the course.

Ben-So sorry I am missing your Michigan outing in September. I can't wait to play Meadowbrook, tried to get on there in June but they weren't allowing outside play.

[Tom Allen]

Reviving because yet another GCA'er has now played it and come away very favorably impressed.  Wow.  Those greens.  Yes, the course is great, and allows you to hit driver all you want, but those greens are from another world.  I played Pinehurst No. 2 and I thought those greens rejected shots.  These greens were like roller coasters.  Fast, curvy, with impossibly hard bumps and ridges.  I hit one (really good!) bunker shot that was one foot shy of the top of a ridge, and found myself 40 yards away from the green when it finally finished rolling.  Being a member her would make you a world-class short game artist in no time.