3Aces

I used to play here somewhat regularly, but I hadn't been back in several years and not since the ownership had changed a few years ago. I had heard that the course had been improved so I was looking forward to trying it again. I remembered it as an affordable place to play--with a fairly forgiving layout, a handful of memorable holes and a few intimidating shots. The conditioning was always the weak point--it was a bit crusty, dry and firm.

The course is still affordable and it remains forgiving because most of the holes are in the open without lateral hazards and the rough is very playable. The fairways remain hard, firm and fast--not lush, but not dried out, either. And there is a decent amount of elevation change here for a course in this part of Ohio. Nothing dramatic, but several holes play gradually uphill or downhill and that makes things interesting. And water comes into play often enough to keep your attention but not so much as to wear you out.

But, what really impressed me this time around was the greens. I don't know if the new owners have reworked some of them, but they really make this course. They were all in great condition and rolling fast and true. Several, if not most, of the greens have mounds and slopes that really test your short game. On the day we played a lot of the pins were tucked near the edge of the green and a few were on small tiers. It looks like there are a lot of challenging pin placements that will make this a fun place to revisit.

For me, the quality of the greens plays a huge factor in my overall assessment of a golf course and, for that reason alone, I will want to come back here to play again.