Clevelanders are very passionate about Golf. Under normal conditions, courses are open and playable from April to October each year. Although some hardy souls trudge through the mud and snow in other months, most golfers get their fixes during the season, and courses become crowded with outings and leagues. Because of the short season and passionate following, Northeast Ohioans have many choices when it comes to playing a round.
General Characteristics
The Cleveland Plain Dealer Golf Guide lists 117 public golf courses in Northeast Ohio, which consists of Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage and Summit counties. The choices include prestigious, nationally ranked courses with higher greens fees to executive or par 3 courses for beginners or family play.
Cleveland is known as The Forest City, and the courses in the area are very scenic, with many trees that are a challenge to every skill level. The Northeast Ohio area was shaped by the glaciers that created the Great Lakes and nearby Lake Erie, which allows for rolling landscapes, and difficult holes with large inclines and steep drops. Many of the courses offer lakes or creeks as water hazards and sand traps come into play on most of the courses.
Most of the courses provide information on the difficulty of the course by showing the rating and slope. Rating is an indicator of how well a scratch golfer would score, while slope is more indicative of how a duffer would play.
Prestigious Courses
Of the many courses in the area that are open to the public, some courses stand out for challenging golf with scenic layouts. The greens fees on these courses are higher, but the conditions and amenities are first-rate.
Blue Heron Golf Club in Medina – A very difficult course, with many ravines and elevation changes that come into play. You may never hit a driver, and you will have to think on every shot. GPS is included on carts.
Stonewater Golf Club in Concord- Home of the Cleveland Nationwide Tour event. An immaculate course, with water hazards on 16 of the 18 holes and deep, difficult sand bunkers. The greens are cut to very fast, and around the event, the rough can be very deep.
Value Courses
On the other end of the spectrum are courses that may not be in perfect shape, or do not have distinctive hazards or fancy clubhouses, but have affordable rates and available tee times.
Emerald Woods in Columbia Station – Reasonable rates and five different nine-hole courses to choose from means that there is rarely a time that you can’t play. Courses range from flat and short to wooded and long.
Little Met and Big Met in Cleveland – Twin courses managed by the Cleveland Metroparks, Big Met is a true test of 18 holes, heavily wooded. The rates are reasonable and the course can be quite crowded on a nice day. Little Met is a short nine-hole course nearby. It is usually busy with beginners, but is a great value at under $10 on weekdays.
Springvale in North Olmsted – A fairly short course, but reasonable rates and great specials. Nicely maintained and heavily bunkered.
Summary
These are just a sampling, as each course in Northeast Ohio has its own particular charms. The only way to really experience Cleveland area golf is to get out and play.
For more information on another great place to play, see Las Vegas Golf.
