[Richard Hetzel]

I took a Sunday drive today, and although the weather was not totally cooperative, we were able to get in a round before the rain hit on the 9 hole golf course at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. (We will play Athens CC the next time we are nearby.) The course was redesigned by Barry Serafin in 2003. At one point the golf course was originally 18 holes, but was reduced to 9 holes whenever new buildings were added nearby on campus as well as the Army Corps of Engineers rerouting the river which removed a few holes as well. There appears to be a frisbee golf course on a portion of the NLE portion of the course. I was not able to discover who the original architect of the 18 hole course was. Maybe Barry would know? The course itself it pretty straightforward, few hazards, the Hocking River is along 2 of the 4 holes that were built on the South side of the river. The course plays to 3152 yards from the tips with a Course Rating of 70.9 and a slope of 121. I wish the bunkers were not so shallow. Anyway, here are the pics, as I know Ronald Montesano is dying to see them.

[Richard Hetzel]

[Richard Hetzel]

[Ronald Montesano]

memory lane trip for me...we were in Athens from 1992-1995 and I played this course a lot. Used to play it left-handed during a rebellious phase.

I qualify this statement by saying "a course on most of this property." The former, 9-hole course was very cramped and did not cross the Hocking river. It was an after-thought by the U., basically accompanied by the caveat "yeah, you've got a course, students. it ain't the Scarlet and we aren't OSU." The holes across the river looked a bit cramped from the google overhead, but in these images, not so much.

In Athens, there is a 9-hole Ross private course that is famous for being the site of the first meeting between pro Palmer and amateur Nicklaus. Dow Finsterwald, who went to OU, made the connection.

Without a thread-jack, can we concurrently discuss the virtues and vices of the course, as well as who exactly Barry Serafin is?

[Richard Hetzel]

With the exception of the par 3 hole being somewhat tight, the 4 holes on the other side of the Hocking River were not really cramped at all. In fact, the course does not play tight at all, even though it is on a very small piece of property. Barry Serafin has designed several courses in Ohio and is from, or lives in New Albany, Ohio which is East of Columbus, Ohio. He was previously with Dr. Michael Hurdzan.

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