AMHERST (formerly Deer Track, formerly Amherst) :  Now called Dragon Ranch.

ASTORHURST :  (440) 439-3636  18 metro-style holes in Walton Hills, south of Cleveland. Sort of short but with the most extreme elevation changes in the Cleveland area on two of the holes with 200 to 250 foot drops to the fairways. Some ebb and flow to the holes with emphasis on the back nine. From hole 12 and on the course significantly tightens up through the trees and valleys.  Only three par fives. Three short par fours. No houses on the course. 8 and 18 cliff tees are a little over the top. The only course I know that has a separate green for the men and a green for the women on a terrifying par three. Recent improvements on several tees boxes, a few mounds added to hole number two and the creek on hole nine widened and beautified with stones which now circumvents the green.  Too many out-of-bounds stakes and the greens always seen to be stressed. Three sets of tees. Could be marked better. Blue/red slope of 120 | 118 and yardage of 6083 | 5299. View Images Hole 9 Hole 10 Hole 13 Hole 14 Hole 16 Hole 17 Hole 18   GCO Rating » 57

AUBURN SPRINGS :   (440) 543-4448  18 holes located in Chagrin Falls, about 30 minutes from the I-77/I-480 interchange. The best hole is the first and then it sort of never really develops. Below average conditions with turtle back greens. Too many blind tee shots. There are several ponds, but you just cannot see the hazards lurking out there most of the time. A sort of hack around course at low cost. Yardage of 6835 | 6488. View Images Hole 1 Hole 2 Hole 15  GCO Rating » 38

AVALON LAKES :  (330) 856-8898  18 championship holes in Warren, about 1 hour from the I-480 & I-77 interchange in Independence. Recent host of LPGA events, the outstanding course is always in excellent condition, even in the dead of summer. An old Pete Dye design, but no signature railroad ties. The classic but flat layout has undergone extensive re-contouring and is deceivingly challenging and beautiful. All greens are guarded and elevated. Lots of sand and water hazards. GPS systems on the cart. Excellent fast and true greens, with undulations. At least four of the par 4s require careful club selection from the tees due to hazards such as water and tight doglegs. Four sets of tees and well marked. Expensive. Blue/white slope of 127 | 122 and yardage of 7001 | 6453. View Images Hole 11 Hole 13 Hole 14 Hole 15 Hole 17 Hole 18 GPS GCO Rating » 88

AVONDALE :  (440) 934-4398  Par 71 fun golf in Avon, two miles west of Rt. 83 on Detroit Rd.  While course conditions are below average and the course is poorly maintained, the layout is pretty good here. The price is decent, with good specials and usually a good pace of play. No housing on the course. The greens are also much better than you would expect and there is a good bit of bunkering. The course is on the short side and can be a real confidence builder for the long hitter. The fairways are dead flat but the surrounding rough areas have tons of mounding leading to decent green complexes. Unfortunately, many of the mounds are balding from the lack of quality turf conditions and there are the ever present high voltage towers. No two holes are alike but the holes are crammed in on this property. The front nine is sort of linksy with thin tree lining on each side of a fairway, and you get lulled into pounding your driver down these hard fairways. Then the back disappears in the woods and gets very tight as you hit holes 11, 12 and 13.  Your are surrounded by trees and branches and you better hit lasers off the tee or you will be cleaning bark from your ball and throwing away your score card.  The course saves the best for last with holes 15, 16, 17 and 18. Hole 18, a slightly uphill par four, over a lake into a fairway defined by pinching bunkers, is definitely the signature hole if they have one. Three sets of tees and easy to walk. Slope of 121 | 118 | ? and yardage of  6258 | 5993 | 5400. View Images Hole 2 Hole 5 Hole 10 Hole 15 Hole 17 Hole 18  GCO Rating » 37

BERKSHIRE HILLS :  (440) 729-9516  18 hole, formerly private, now public, par 72 (par 73 for women) .  8 miles east of I-271 on Mayfield Rd. in Chesterland A bit on the short side, but the tight tree lined holes will keep you honest. It is an old style course well laid out over wonderful terrain. While the course is a bit tired, it is still quit fun and no two holes are alike. Keeping the ball straight  off the tee will generally lead to good scores. But that is easier said than done. You will have to deal with mature pines crowding the landing areas, flowing elevations, dissecting creeks and moderate bunkering. The tees and the relatively flat, smallish greens are in good conditions. Playing this course, you still get the sense that this layout was once considered top shelf but Father Time has marched on and this course fell out of the ranks. Conditions of the fairways are average, but the rough, cart paths and surround areas need help. Hard to walk. Grass range. Slope of: 129 | 127 | 122 and yardage: 6338 | 6678 | 5512. View Images Hole 1 Hole 6 Hole 7 Hole 9 Hole 10 Hole 13 Hole 18    GCO Rating » 62

BIG MET :  (440) 331-1070  18 holes in the Cleveland metroparks valley system built in 1926. The entire course reopened in the spring of 1999 with new cart paths, drainage and a lake being added. In 2006, a nice new clubhouse was opened. The course is located in the heart of west side Cleveland. The back nine layout has remained mostly the same, but several minor changes were made to the front nine. Some new trees and new back tees for length were added thoughout the course.  The greens have improved by being quicker and more consistent, hole to hole.  But all in all, Big Met is an old 50's style course which plays very slow. It remains one of the most played courses in the county. The course is usually green and it survives the hot weather better than most due to the fact it lies in a valley and collects dew. It is surrounded by wildlife and the scenic Rocky River, making for a pleasant walk, if, and that is a big if,  it is not playing at a snail's pace.  Not very fair for women.  Three sets of tees. Slope of 113 | 111 and yardage of 6356 | 6137. View Images Hole 1 Hole 2 Hole 5 Hole 9 Hole 18 GCO Rating » 50

BLACK BROOK :  (440) 951-0010  18 holes owned by the City of Mentor.  About 20 minutes east of the Rt.2 and I-90 interchange. Par 70 for men and par 73 for women. Much of the terrain is flat and the fairways plain. Fortunately, seven holes have some character where the elevations created by the small  basin of Phil's Creek come into play. Notably on the fine par 5 eighteenth hole where the fairway unfolds downhill to the layup zone short of the creek.  The small green is perched above the creek making it a risky proposition to go for in two. Two holes abut the massive marsh of Mentor which, unfortunately, is hidden from view. They should open up the view by trimming down some of the trees. Most holes run parallel to each other and it definitely tightens up on the back side where the old oaks crowd the fairways. It is a shortish course that seems to have been stretched out to its maximum but the tightness of several holes will take the driver out of many hands. Conditions are below average and some of the pushed up greens have mild mounding and little grassy depressions as part of the greens complexes. Four sets of tees but in reality just three since the fourth tee is for juniors and is just set out in the fairway. Driving range. Slope of: 117 | 116 | 118 | ? and yardage: 6211 | 5870 | 5398 | 3540. View Images Hole 1 Hole 2 Hole 4 Hole 5 Hole 6 Hole 10 Hole 11 Hole 12 Hole 18 approach Hole 18 green   GCO Rating » 45  

BLUE HERON : (330) 722-0227. 27 Championship holes in Medina, about 25 minutes south on I-71 from the I-480/I-71 interchange.  3.2  miles from the Rt.18 exit to the entrance.  The Highland and Lake nines opened in the summer of 2005 and the River nine opened in 2007. This only Ohio Troon Golf establishment brings design, amenities and service, but at a price.  Even at this early stage, it is remarkably mature with a very attractive Clubhouse.  Greens are hard but this is expected for new greens, but they putt very well. Conditions are a bit down and hopefully they will improve as the course matures. There is no doubt that this is the very best terrain of any golf course in North East Ohio, and perhaps the most difficult to route a course over. You have stunning views from high elevations, deep gorges that must be negotiated, lakes to hit over, thick forests that eat wayward shots, it is all here. Plus, it seems the  developer has given plenty of respect to this course with minimal housing.  Then there is the design of the course itself.  A unique modern design with rolling and flowing fairways leading to many protected greens. Many forced carries from the tees and again to the greens, some quite daunting. You can pretty much play every hole several different ways. Good positioning and strategy are highly rewarded here. Know your distances, especially from the tee. Unlike many spectacular courses around the country that are just to hard to be appreciated by the high handicapper, acclaimed golf architect John Robinson has done a magnificent job making an incredible course playable for Joe Six Pack. There remains plenty of trouble out there, no matter the tees selected. To fully appreciate this course, you need to understand what Robinson has done. Each nine seems to plays a different tune and you need to dance to the tune that is playing. The Highlands nine is an absolute shotmakers nine where your driver should pretty much stay in the bag except for perhaps one or two holes, unless of course, you're playing from the tips. Its not that its too tight for a driver, just that perpendicular hazards lurk out there around 220 to 260 all the time, even from the blues. You will find yourself puddle jumping around the Highlands and if you play it that way, you will be fine. The Lakes nine lets you use the driver more, but you can score as well hitting a fairway metal most of the time so long as you keep it out of the water residing on seven holes.  The River nine has six holes on the other side of I-71 and is not some sort of spill over nine. It is every bit as strong as the first two nines. The first hole on the River might be the signature hole on the course where a hole opens over a gorge over a slight rise. River holes two and three are good holes to leave the driver in the bag even though you might think driver is the play. River hole two is noteworthy for the beautiful train bridge high over the narrow but extremely long green. The par four River seventh, called "temptation," is a good risk reward hole where a strong tee shot can carry the ridge all the way down to the receptive green complex.  Some long hitters get talked into playing the blue tees and then grumble about the configuration taking the driver out of their hands too much. They hit driver perhaps three times all day. They get a feeling the course is not well balanced. If you hit a driver more than 260 off the tee and are a mid-handicapper or better, suck it up and head to the tips. It is a totally different course from the tips and you will love it. Besides, the tips play shorter than you think and the fairways are pretty wide. For example, the par five Highland sixth hole is listed at 515 yards from the blues. However, the fairway runs out into a marsh at 230 yards. Step back to the black tees and its a whopping 609 yards but now you have plenty of room to bomb a driver plus the view is very cool. This scenario seems to play out over and over again, throughout the entire 27 holes. Perhaps the most difficult tee shot awaits all on the great par 5 Lakes first hole. A giant gorge protects the fairway from those trying to shorten the hole with a right sided shot.  But left is almost as bad because you might knock your tee shot straight into the woods. At Blue Heron, there is so much going on with each shots with incredible shot values that one can easy lose focus and let one's course management lapse. If that happens, you will pay. Outstanding practice facilities and a great GPS system on the cart. No walking. In time, this may soon be one of the best courses around, but right now, it still needs to grow in and requires some tweaking. Highland/Lakes Yardage of 6932 | 6567 | 6229 | 5873 | 5031. Slope of 144 | 139 | 134 | 129 | 125. View Images Highland 2 Highland 3 Highland 4 Highland 5 Highland 8 Highland 9 Lake 1 Lake 3 Lake 7 Lake 9 GCO Rating » 87

BOB-O-LINK (Avon) :  (440) 934-6217  27 holes of this mostly unimaginative course. Very, very flat and wide open. Sparse trees line most fairways. Some sand and water. Not in very good condition, and you can hardly tell where fairways end and the rough starts. GCO Rating » 21

BOSTON HILLS : Closed as of November 2006. 

BOULDER CREEK :  (330) 626-2828  par 72 championship course located in Streetsboro, 30 minutes southeast of the I-77 and I-480 interchange using I-480 and Rt. 14.  Opening in 2002, this spectacular course lies in heavily wooded terrain with mature pines and oaks covering hills, marshes and deep lakes. No houses ! (cross your fingers)  From the second you step onto the first tee, you know your in for something special. While bunkered conservatively, there are plenty of grassy hollows and bumps in addition to the challenging terrain of water, elevation changes and mature pines to keep you on your toes. There are no lulls in this gem. Starting with hole number one, this great par 5 requires a good tee shot so that you can carry a large marsh on your second. An interesting split fairway at hole number 6 and a beautiful waterfall accompanies the par 3 seventh. You can actually see the par 4 ninth hole from the Ohio Turnpike. A long and accurate tee shot is preferred there because your second shot must carry a large lake and bunkers to get home in regulation. The grand golf opera finale occurs at the beautiful island par three 17th hole where wind always tricks you into under-clubbing. Then the monster 600 yard par 5 eighteenth where you will be rewarded you if you can get to the fairway downslope. This course requires every shot in your bag. Sometimes you need to work the ball left to right, other times right to left. At times you need length, others times strategy and accuracy. The course may appears difficult, but the architect has tried to build in forgiveness to make it enjoyable by all. Heavy rough and uneven lies makes keeping the ball in the fairway very important. Super fast and challenging putting surfaces with interesting green complexes. This course has fantastic drainage. Even after torrential rains the day before, carts were still allowed on the fairways at 90 degrees. Everything about this place is turning out to be first rate and it has already earned high national accolades.  It is reassuring to see the owner actively tweaking the course to make it all it can be. Within a short period of time, the golf gods willing, this can become a premier destination in the Midwest. Great grass range. Five sets of tees. Yardage of 7173 | 6660 | 6132 | 5586 | 5048. Slope of 140 | 135 | 128 | 119 | 123. View Images Hole 2 Hole 6 Hole 7 Hole 8 Hole 9 Hole 12 Hole 13 Hole 14 Hole 15 Hole 17 Hole 18 Panoramic A Panoramic B Panoramic C GCO Rating » 91

BRANDYWINE :  (330) 657-2525  18 regulation holes and a nine hole par three course located in Peninsula. A very interesting course that plays like a Jekyll and Hyde course. The first nine has mild rolling hills and trees. But the ninth hole gives you a taste of what's to come with a wonderfully high par 3 which drops off over a pond to the green. Then the back nine takes off into the woods, up and down steep fairways and valleys and is much tougher than the front. The back nine has the famous "Z hole" par 5 which is, of course, shaped like a Z. It lies in a deep valley so you have to make your shots and there are no short cuts. Slope of 113 and yardage of 6,470. GCO Rating » 60

BRENTWOOD :  (440) 322-9254  18 hole par 70 course located in Grafton, about twenty minutes from Hopkins Intn'l Airport using I-480 and Rt. 10. Even though it is only a par 70, it still has four par 5s. The yardage seem short but you must bear in mind that this course has six par 3s. Mostly flat with no sand traps, this uneventful course is not usually to crowded and fair in price.  A sort of t-shirt and tennis shoes golf course if you know what we mean. Creeks, small pines and mature trees factor into the layout. The greens are relatively nice compared to the rest of the course. The best hole is the par 5 ninth, which has a nice, slightly downhill, tee shot around a large tree to a depression bordered on two sides by a creek. Your second shot it uphill, over the creek to a reachable green. Some of the holes here are really crowded in on each other and  you often find balls from other fairways on your own. Three sets of tees. Yardage of 5148 | 4695 | 4223. View Images Hole 11 Hole 15 Hole 16 GCO Rating » 42

BRIARDALE GREENS :  (216) 289-8574  18 hole par 70 municipal golf in Euclid.  Other than being conveniently located a half a mile from the I-90 and Babbit Rd. exit, this course does not offer much. Completely flat and very wide open.  Only one hole, the par four 10th, is tight. About 3 holes have some water to consider. Unfortunately, you get the feeling of playing in a prison with all the tall golf ball retention fences at this place.  You got giant decaying fences protecting housing and you also have those giant eyesores around the range which is on the inside of the golf course.  About the only redeeming feature here is that the well kept greens are elevated a few feet and well bunkered, making approaches interesting and putting fairly true. Conditions are a slightly below average and the greens are traditional in shape. Slope of 122 | 119 | 108 and yardage of 6058 | 5723 | 4932. View Images Hole 3 Hole 15 Hole 18 GCO Rating » 47

BRIARWOOD :  (440) 237-5271  18 regulation holes and a nine hole short course located in Broadview Hts., about fifteen minutes from the I-480 and I-77 interchange. The short red course is at its max only 2,960 yards and is like the rest of the course. The regulation 18 (red-white) has a good amount of elevation changes, some tight tree-lined holes, two fairways with a single tree in the middle of two fairways. Not heavily trapped and little water. Water does however makes 9 and 18 nice finishing holes. Most players find the trouble is from the tightness of some holes. There are some interesting holes on this old style Cleveland parkland course. Most holes run parallel to each other and the course has only the 150 and some 100 yard markers. Conditions are below average and the greens are slow but with some undulations. Three sets of tees. Slope of 125 | 119 and yardage of 6985 | 6330.    GCO Rating » 52

BROOKLEDGE :  (330) 971-8416  A very pleasant and well maintained 18 hole par 71 Muny course in Cuyahoga Falls, about 40 minutes from Cleveland and only 24 minutes from the I-80 / I-77 interchange. Actually re-designed by renowned golf course architect Arthur Hills, but the re-design only hints at his genius. Nevertheless, this is a good example of how a dogtrack can be made into a fine public course. They used to have only three par 5s but in 2007, hole eleven was lengthened with a nice elevated tee box making for a nice improvement. The par 5 seventh is particularly notable for its slow dogleg right which culminates with a semi-blind, plateau green. All the par 3s are good with each becoming more daunting, culminating in the tough 14th hole which is 197 yard from the tips and with lots of trouble to look at. A good assortment of short dogleg par fours. A great beginning par five to start with provides your best opportunity for birdie.  The closing par 4 hole is tough to gage since a big drive can reach the hazard. Most will layup with a fairway metal or hybrid, but you can gamble with your driver if the wind is against you. All in all, a surprisingly well conditioned course with a good layout and good greens. Some nice elevation changes and a little modern contouring. Most of the holes are separated from others by thin tree lines and some wild areas, but there is also a good bit of heavy woods on a few holes to deal with. In recent years, they have let more areas of tall wild grass grow in which tends to adds to the aesthetics and challenge to the course. Decent value. Grass range. Four sets of tees. Slope of ? | ? | ? |  ? and yardage of 6371 | 5861 | 5401 | 4786. View Images Hole 3 Hole 4 Hole 7 Hole 9 Hole 12 Hole 14 Hole 17 Hole 18 GCO Rating » 73

BRUNSWICK HILLS :  (330) 225-7370  18 regulation holes on Rt. 303, 5 minutes west of I-71. The front nine is on the flat, open and boring side save hole 7 and 9 where water and small valleys come into play on your tee shots. The sparse tree lined holes provide little challenge to errant shots. The back is far more difficult where the holes are routed through tight wooded valleys with elevation changes, creeks and forced carries. It is easy to give up a few strokes on the back. The meandering creeks throughout the course always seem to affect your tee shots calculations. The course is poorly marked with no guidance from the tees. It is advisable to looking a few holes ahead to figure how much club you can take on future tee shots. At least there is no housing on the course. The course usually is below average in conditioning with more than a few bare spots and it seems particularly prone to suffering in dry times. Small saucer shaped greens means your approach shots need to be particularly accurate. The par four 12th is the signature hole where a long and accurate drive is required to set up a middle iron down to a scenic green tucked into the valley and protected by a creek and bunker. It also happens to be the number one handicap hole and with O.B. down the right and trouble down the left. It is the only green which isn't a tiny saucer and actually has three distance levels. Three sets of tees. Slope of 119 and yardage of 6,538. View Images Hole 4 Hole 7 Hole 9 tee Hole 9 green Hole 12 Hole 14 Hole 15 tee Hole 15 green Hole 16 Hole 17 GCO Rating » 47

BUNKER HILL :  (330) 722-4174  Par 72, 18 holes located in Medina, just about eight minutes from I-71. Some real great holes with big hills and water. Holes number 12 and 13 are newly remodeled and feel a little like Myrtle Beach holes. Other holes have been lengthened and improved. Lots of elevation changes. Great finishing holes which provide a great deal of challenge and club selection at 9 and 18. They run down into a tightly wooded landing area where the second and third shots have to carry creeks to elevated greens. Just two or three average holes keep this course from being a real favorite. Course seems to be under constant improvement and it has a brand new three story clubhouse. A mix of modern greens and turtle backs.   Yardage of 6467 | 5906 and slope of 110 | 110. View Images Hole 1 Hole 7 Hole 8 Hole 10 Hole 11 Hole 12 Hole 13 Hole 15 Hole 18 GCO Rating » 74

CHARDON LAKES :  (440) 285-4653  18 holes on a decent layout with rolling terrain and some slight elevation changes. There really aren't any lakes here, just a few ponds and a lot of creeks. The front nine is slightly more challenging and scenic. There are several challenging tee shots through tight openings into fairways. A little like a poor mans Augusta. Conditions are a little above average. Favorite holes are three which is a very tight tee shot and 6 with a creek and O.B. on the right. The greens have a lot of slope and roll to them making them challenging. Four sets of tees. Back and Men's slopes of 135 | 129 and yardage of 6799 | 6224. GCO Rating » 65

CHEROKEE HILLS (COOPER TOP) :  (330) 225-6122  18 holes located in Valley City, 5 miles west of I-71 on Rt. 303. While this course is by no means a championship course, it is surprisingly fun to play with a decent layout. There are plenty of interesting holes. Only two par 5's here, but they are both great holes, especially the par 5 18th hole. The par 4 hole 11 was nicely remodeled into a high elevation tee that hits down over water into a tight fairway protected by a tree on the right and mounds on the left. A new club house is being built to replace the barn club house. Three sets of tees. Slopes of 109 | 109 and yardage of 6210 | 5810. View Images Hole 1 Hole 2 Hole 10 Hole 12 Hole 17 Hole 18 GCO Rating » 55

CHIPPEWA :  (330) 658-6126  Par 71 18 hole course located in Doylestown, 25 minutes south of the I-80 / I-77 interchange, off of  Rt. 21. With a name like Chippewa, you would expect a real dogtrack.  However, this is a good course that is very well maintained, containing a good assortment of holes and nice speedy greens.  While mostly open, there are a few tight spots where club selection is critical. Particularly the beautiful par four 14th and 16th, where drivers may end up in ponds fronting these greens and 15 which is arguably the toughest tee shot on the course. This is the so called "Bermuda Triangle" of holes where you can easily blow up. There are powerlines and towers that may come into play on a few holes, but thankfully, under the rules of golf, you rehit if you strike these obtrusions.  Good elevations changes, especially on the back nine as well as good green complexes which feature bunkers and grassy hollows.   Three sets of tees and range. Slopes of 119 | 116 | 109 and yardage of 6543 | 6101| 4974. View Images Hole 1 Hole 7 Hole 14 Hole 15 Hole 16  GCO Rating » 64

CREEKWOOD :  (440) 748-3188  18 holes on a decent but flat course. As the name implies, creeks and woods come into play here. A couple of forced carries and some water. Very short with many wide open holes. The back nine has a few tight spots with narrow fairways and overhanging trees where club control is very important. It always seems that one green is under construction at this course. Recent drainage and sprinkler system additions have improved course. Conditions are below average and the greens are average. Sixteen has been improved with the removal of the tree which blocked you tee shot. Many young trees have also been planted on some of the wide open holes to make the course more challenging. Three sets of tees with an occasional 4th back tee.  New range. Slopes of 116 | 112 and yardage of 6139 | 5158| 4693.  View Images Hole 2 Hole 3 Hole 10 Hole 11 Hole 12 Hole 13 Hole 15 Hole 18 GCO Rating » 49

DEER RIDGE :  (419) 886-7090  This par 72 championship course is located in the Mansfield area. This unique course is a haul from Cleveland, an hour and fifteen minutes from Hopkins Airport using I-71. But it's right off the highway at exit 165 and even visible on the east side of I-71. Despite the long drive, it's worth the ride, and very affordable. This is another gem by local golf architect Brian Huntley. Like his excellent work at Eagle Creek, this 1999 championship layout has championship conditions. His conservative modern design fits the land wonderfully without being too flashy or contrived. His well thought out holes utilize the land without much earth moving. This course, like Eagle Creek, is extracted from the land, not imposed upon it. Unlike Eagle Creek, this course has the most elevation changes of any course in all Northern Ohio. You will experience some breathtaking holes throughout this heavily wooded course. There is a slight reprieve on the back nine from the elevations, which then leads you to a fantastic finish. Perhaps the most spectacular hole is the par 5 16th which requires a forced carry over a gorge. If your drive is long enough, you will be generously rewarded as your ball cascades down the spectacular slope opening to the approach of the green. Then there is very cool finish at 18 which is reminiscent of a Robert Trent Jones trademark uphill par 4. If the elevation changes don't add a few strokes to your score, the very tough and fast greens are likely too. Four sets of tees. Range and GPS on the carts. Yardages of 6584 | 6081 | 5518 | 4791. Slopes of 129 | 123 | 117 | 115.  View Images Hole 1 Hole 2 Hole 8 Hole 10 Hole 14 Hole 15 Hole 16 Hole 18   GCO Rating » 87

DEER TRACK (now known as AMHERST):  (440) 986-5881  

DORLON :  (440) 236-8234  18 mostly flat and unremarkable holes in Columbia Station. The course is rather long and straight. You feel more like your walking in a park instead of being on a golf course. Some water and sand. Very sparse trees line most fairways. Most of the water seems to lies just out of play unless you have some real bad shots. The course would have been more interesting if the water was just 30 yards closer to the fairways on most holes. The rough and fairways blend together. Course conditions are poor. Four sets of tees and the greens are average. Slope of 125 and yardage of 7,154. GCO Rating » 18

DRAGON RANCH (formerly Deer Track, formerly Amherst) :  (440) 986-5881  Par 71-18 hole public course located on Rt. 58, just north of Oberlin, about 35 minutes east of Cleveland using I-90 and Rt. 2. Opening in 1989. While the course is dead flat, it has extensive mounding and 21 sand traps to create some definition.  The mounding of the rough creates an image of  grassy warts rather than the intended flowing terrain.  A few big lakes and ponds come into play on 8 holes. Some tight wooded holes as well.  The greens have some minor undulation. A couple of real fine holes and more than a few boring ones. Sort of reminds you of a cheap Myrtle Beach course, just no where as nice. Fairways and green have average conditions, but there are plenty of bare spots, particularly the rough.   Several fairways are so close to each other that your are in danger of wayward tee shots from the adjacent holes.   Open year round. Four sets of tees although it really looks like only three. Slope of 126 | 123 | 114 | 116 and yardage of 6480 | 6183 | 5387 | 5118. GCO Rating » 53

EAGLE CREEK :  (419) 668-8535  18 hole par 71 championship course in Norwalk Ohio.  About one hour west of Hopkins Airport, using Rt. 10 and Rt 20. Near the Norwalk Raceway. One of the area's best kept secrets, the Brian Huntley layout and design is superb and no two holes are the same. It used to be a old nine hole course that was renovated in 1995 into one of the areas best courses with the addition of more land. Some beautiful new homes being built on a few holes but not interfering with the course or its aesthetics. Once we played following a few days of rain and this was the first time I was told to keep the carts "in the fairways." Apparently the drainage is that good in the fairways. Excellent first and finishing holes. Not too punishing, but offering a very good challenge. Nice moderate, rolling elevation changes. Some very scenic and grip it and rip it tee shot opportunities especially at the par five 18th where a big drive is required if you are going to try to get home in two. A good driving course which often requires you to move the ball one way or the other. The par four 15th hole is perhaps the most underrated in difficulty. You need a great tee shot to shave off as much of the corner as you can or you will be over 200 yards out to a tough green. The trouble is that on the inside of the dog leg there resides a nasty pond which is tough to carry from any tee, and hitting to long straight away you will be either blocked out in the trees or in the hidden pond behind the fairway. Very well marked with excellent fast, undulated greens. Usually a good value with excellent conditions.  In 2004, two bunkers were added on hole 17 on the left side of the fairway, giving added definition and a nice target. Nice grass range. Four sets of tees. Slope of 126 | 122 | 117 | 116 and yardage of 6603 | 6234 | 5835 | 4908. View Images Hole 1 Hole 3 Hole 4 Hole 5 Hole 7 Hole 8 Hole 11 Hole 13 Hole 16 Hole 18 GCO Rating » 85

ECHO VALLEY :  (440) 647-2065  18 holes par 71 course located six mile south of Rt. 20, in Wellington, about 36 minutes west of the Cleveland Hopkins Airport.  The course lies in a rather large valley and the conditions, particularly the tee boxes in spots, leave a lot to be desired.  The fairways need some help too.  The greens are bit smallish and hard to hold, but are surprisingly good and on the modern side. Most of the greens appear pushed up with a few cut into the hillsides.  Eight or so small bunkers. The front side is a bit easier and more open, but has several blind tee shots where water lurks.  The back side tightens up dramatically.  The course is on the short side, but you may well chose to leave your driver in the bag on a good number of tight driving holes. Where you dare to drive the ball, the play is to shape your shot left or right, often through chutes of tall, mature trees. Lots of tree cover, dramatic elevation changes and a good deal of water to contend with.  These factors can easily lead to big numbers, even on short holes, if your do not keep it in the short stuff.  They appear to be trying to add some length and improve some tee boxes.  Pace of play is usually very good and the price is right for this lazy farmer's track.  Call before your go, they have lots of outings, sometimes are closed, and "don't take no tee times."  Only three sets of tees. Slope unavailable and yardage of 6110 | 5278. View Images Hole 1 Hole 5 Hole 9 Hole 10 Hole 11 Hole 12 Hole 16 GCO Rating » 42

ELLSWORTH MEADOWS :  (330) 656-2103 18 hole par 71 course located in Hudson, about a 15 minute ride from the I-80 / I-77 interchange. Just a short ride off of State Rt. 8.  An older style course that the City of Hudson acquired in 1997 to preserve the "green space" and make renovations. Big renovations occurred in 2003 and 2004 under the auspices of former Arthur Hills assistant, Brian Huntley. The gentle rolling terrain contains tree lines holes with a good bit of wild grass expanses. There are also several sneaky creek beds meandering about the course.  The changes brought several brand new holes, some new greens, new tee boxes, improved routing and the customary improvements such as drainage, contouring, and lengthening. The many changes are much appreciated and keeps the course current with the modern golfer.  We just wish all the holes were renovated to keep the course seamless but we'll take what we can get. The old greens were a bit smallish and the new rebuilt greens keep with that theme. The greens complexes themselves are not overly penal and the bunkering is conservative providing you reasonable opportunities to get up and down.  The five par 3s could have been more varied and have a tenancy to slow play. Hole eight, the number one handicap hole, troubles everyone. It is a long par 4 which requires a serious drawn just to hit the narrow fairway with a driver. Too far left and your out-of-bounds, too far right, where almost everyone ends up, gets you blocked by trees. Perhaps the best advice is to take you medicine with a long iron off the tee and on the approach. You will immediately recognize Huntley's work from holes 10 and 11. But the reachable par 5 seventeenth, which snakes around a lake, is the most interesting.  A big reward could await those that manage a long tee shot down the middle but be cautious since the fairway runs out at about 150 yards in.  A long tee shot sets up a mid iron approach over the lake leading to a reasonable chance at birdie or even eagle. Eighteen plays longer than you expect but beware of the two collection ponds on each side of the fairway. They can be reached by the longest of hitters. Course conditions are good with a great grass range and practice facility. Four sets of tees. Slope of 133 | 127 | 124 | 124 and yardage of 6831 | 6367 | 6003 | 4920  View Images Hole 2 Hole 3 Hole 6 Hole 7 Hole 8 Hole 9 Hole 10 Hole 11 Hole 11 green Hole 13 Hole 14 Hole 17 Hole 18 GCO Rating » 77