Golf suggestions near Columbus, Ohio

[Lou_Duran]

Bill,

I am surprised to hear that the reviews of Scarlet are "mixed".  It is now what, the fourth season since it re-opened?  The changes and the course should have matured.  Other than #4 where the green was moved right and up against the water, possibly causing a long, awkward walk to the back tee on #5, the original MacKenzie routing should be fairly intact.  What are the main objections?  Too long and difficult?  How are they doing on maintenance?

As to the "Big Four", during my time there Scarlet was among them.  Double Eagle was new, and the word on the street was that it was an impeccably conditioned country club course with some unusual rules.  I've played it once and thought that it was aptly described.

Columbus CC back in the late 70s was a nice course, but definitely second tier with a few others like Brookside, Worthington Hills, maybe one called Riviera (?).  I thought it was quite a bit easier than the "Big Five", though some of the elevation changes and greens that could get quick made it interesting. 

Whatever happened to the old Stoneycreek CC?  I believe it was purchased by the city or county and renamed Blacklick Woods?  Is the old Winding Hollow CC on the north side (not far from the original Schottenstein's, with a par 3 over a valley running north along the main road) what you're calling Champions?  I thought it was much older for it to have been an RTJ design.  I was under the impression that Ross migh have had something to do with it.

It's been awhile since I've been to Columbus.  Many great memories.  Hope all is well.
 

[Billsteele]

Lou-As much as I am ashamed to admit it (especially since I am an OSU grad and a Columbus resident), I have not played it since the Nicklaus redo. Not that I haven't had the opportunity or access...maybe that's it, it's too convenient and there is so much golf elsewhere to see and play. Since I have not played the "new" Scarlet, I usually omit it from any discussion of Columbus area golf I am involved in. However, from what I have a gathered from somewhat knowledgeable players, the MacKenzie routing remains essentially intact but some of the MacKenzie/Maxwell design elements have been lost. The philosophy of the redo was to present the highest level modern player with a challenging golf course. As far as that goes, mission accomplished. Nicklaus deepened bunkers, located fairway bunkers in play for the ungodly length of the modern player and evened it out somewhat by softening some of the green contours. If it's a hard course you want, Jack gave it to you. However, what I loved about the Scarlet I knew was that it was demanding but ultimately fair and playable for most of the people who utilized the golf course. If you missed a shot, it was punished but recovery was possible with a solid shot. Now some of the bunkers are so deep that some of the members cannot get out of them (both literally and figuratively). Some people love the new Scarlet for it's difficulty and embracing the modern game. From what I have seen from Kenny Road and the area around the clubhouse, I am not sure I would prefer the new course to the old one. Some of the integrity of the original design may have been lost. But you must return to your Ohio roots and we can decide for ourselves.

Stoneycreek is indeed now Blacklick Woods, a very solid and affordable public golf course.

You are also correct that Champions (formerly Winding Hollow) was not an original Trent Jones project. He was brought in during the late 40's or early 50's to redo it. This was just before he did Firestone (which itself was a redo of a Bertie Way design). However, I have never heard Ross' name associated with the original Winding Hollow.

Lou, you are a fellow Buckeye and my favorite person from the Tiffin area but I don't see Columbus Country Club as being on the same level as Brookside, Worthington Hills and Riviera. Brookside has a good set of greens but has always seemed overly treed/claustrophobic to me. I can't remember a single hole at Worthington Hills. Riviera is solid but hardly memorable. The first hole at Columbus is much better than anything I remember on those golf courses. If you reconnect with your Buckeye roots in the near future, we can discuss this and the state of Buckeye football in greater detail. Hope all is well in Southern California.

[Lou_Duran]

Bill,

You have a great memory.  I haven't heard a reference to Tiffin in ages.  BTW, as of February I am back in north Texas.

I am so surprised that you haven't played the new Scarlet.  I toured the course while it was in the later stages of construction, back in the fall of 2005, and the amount of tree clearing was dramatic.  My hopes were for a course that was more sympathetic to MacKenzie's plans.  I always thought that the original greens had about the right amount of undulations and internal contouring (you should have seen the snake I made on 13 from the upper left to a lower right hole location to all but close out Joe Kish for the first flight club championship).  And, as you said, the redemptive quality of the recovery shot that the course often allowed was one of it greatest attributes (and one of MacKenzie's more important principles).  If that has been sacrificed, the course will be the lesser for it.

I've actually only played Columbus CC during a CDGA Amateur, where I made it through medal play, but was defeated by my friend George Phillips in the first round.  A bad drop from an unplayable lie in a bush 10 yards from a green in the back soured my mood and sealed my fate.  My recollection is of a course being fairly straight forward with alot of garbage (shrubs, ornamental trees) in play to toughen it up.  The first three holes were real cool, but there were also a half dozen or so that you could find in any Columbus area muni.  I don't doubt that the course has changed through time for the better, and my memories are not all that fresh.

I have broached the subject of spending a few months in Columbus each year when we retire, but my wife did not respond favorably.  I suspect that she remembers how fond I was of the Scarlet and Grey Club, and how much time I spent playing golf.  Without a doubt, 1972 -78 were my best years in golf.

[Shawn Arlia]

i second playing Cooks Creek. If you are going to go out to Longaberger, then i might suggest also playing Eaglesticks. The Players club is a nice golf course, but its hodgepodge mix of holes. Another course that i used to like playing when we went to columbus was Bent Tree. Granville and Champions are the only two courses worth anything that i havent played down there. Good Luck.

[Richard Hetzel]

I went to a wedding (alone) last weekend in Springfield and had to go to Columbus prior to returning to Cincinnati. Therefore I SNUCK in 9 holes at Darby Creek. EXCELLENT front 9, fairly open with a lack of trees. I took picture, but I need t upload them. Darby Creek would be a fairly decent drive from OSU.

I would play Champions.....

[Andy Troeger]

Bill,

I am surprised to hear that the reviews of Scarlet are "mixed".  It is now what, the fourth season since it re-opened?  The changes and the course should have matured.  Other than #4 where the green was moved right and up against the water, possibly causing a long, awkward walk to the back tee on #5, the original MacKenzie routing should be fairly intact.  What are the main objections?  Too long and difficult?  How are they doing on maintenance?
 

Lou,
I had never seen Scarlet before one round last year. I had no quibbles with the routing per say, but the course now is excessively difficult, excessively narrow, and just too dang hard to be any fun. Its "championship" style golf--just not much fun unless you're a really good player. I've played a few other MacKenzie designs and Scarlet currently has little of the charm that make the others so special.

[Chris_Blakely]

You are also correct that Champions (formerly Winding Hollow) was not an original Trent Jones project. He was brought in during the late 40's or early 50's to redo it. This was just before he did Firestone (which itself was a redo of a Bertie Way design). However, I have never heard Ross' name associated with the original Winding Hollow.

The orginal 9 holes at Champions (formerly Winding Hollow) were by Herbert Strong and not Donald Ross.

Chris