Golf
Golf in Cincinnati has become a sport for all people. Around town, players at the tees range from the professionals at Kings Island to the par 3 beginners at Reeves Golf Course. People in Cincinnati play golf all through the year. If there is a nice day in December or February, you will find people on the links all across the area.
Greater Cincinnati has more than 100 golf courses of various levels. Shaker Run Golf Course in Lebanon is considered to be the most difficult course in Greater Cincinnati. More than 30,000 rounds were played at the course in 2002. Many other courses also have 30,000 to 60,000 rounds each year.
We’re not sure why there are so many golf courses in Greater Cincinnati—it’s not exactly a place people come for a golf vacation. Maybe it’s the weather, which allows for long golf seasons, or maybe people here just enjoy the game.
Everybody seems to play, though. Don’t be surprised if you can’t get in touch with certain business executives in their offices during the first few warm spring days. Plenty of local business takes place on the links. And if you need a building inspected, check the back nine. That’s where a local television station found then-county building inspectors a few years ago, teeing up on taxpayer time.
Some of the courses are private; most are public. And a surprising number are part of a residential golfing community. It seems you can’t build a housing development around here these days without including a golf course.
We’ve put together a comprehensive list of public courses in Greater Cincinnati by area, with basic information about each one. The distances and par are from the back tees. Prices are all for 18 holes unless otherwise specified. Reservations at courses in the Hamilton County Park District (city of Cincinnati) can be made up to 14 days in advance by calling (513) 651-GOLF.
1. Avon Fields Golf Course
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Golf
Telephone: (513) 281-0322
Address: 4081 Reading Road
Description: Owned by the city of Cincinnati, this 80-year-old course is the oldest municipal golf course west of the Allegheny Mountains. Located in the heart of the city, it is accessible from all parts of town. The 4,963-yard, par 66 course offers straight and simple fairways played over a rolling terrain. There are no par 5 holes on the course, with the longest hole being a 432-yard par 4, one of 12 par 4s the course has to offer. Although the course can be played by beginners, the small target greens make the course more of a challenge for experienced players. The greens and fairways are bent grass.The greens fee is $34.50 for riding, $21.50 for walking. For reservations, call (513) 651-GOLF up to 14 days in advance. A driving range and pro shop are available.
2. Beach Creek Golf Club
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Golf
Telephone: (513) 522-8700
Address: 1831 Hudepohl Lane
Description: Beech Creek is one of many 9-hole courses in Greater Cincinnati that can be adapted to an 18-hole course through the use of different tees. The course measures 3,000 yards through 9 holes, so it’s good if you’re looking for a quick game or don’t want to walk long distances. The course has its challenges, though, and a grove of beech trees in the middle of the fairway on the fifth hole. Both are scenic but demand good shooting. The greens fee is $22 on weekdays before 2:00 p.m., $26 on weekends with a cart. Reservations are suggested.
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Golf
Address: 4040 Cooper Road
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Golf
Address: 10965 Springfield Pike
5. Greenhills Village
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Golf
Telephone: (513) 589-3585
Address: 14 Enfield Street
Description: This tiny par 3 9-hole course runs just 1,100 yards, but it’s a mature course with lots of large trees and hilly terrain. All the greens are elevated, adding to the challenge by making approach shots critical. Greenhills Village is a great course for beginners who are developing their skills, or for those in search of a very quick round of golf. The greens fee is $12 for 18 holes. There are no carts.
6. Sharon Woods Golf Course
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Golf
Telephone: (513) 769-4325
Address: 11355 Swing Road
Description: Sharon Woods is the oldest of the seven courses owned by the Hamilton County Park District, dating from 1938. The par 70 course runs 6,633 yards, with the 468-yard third hole running uphill all the way. As one might gather from the name, the course is carved out of a heavily wooded section of a local park, making mature trees a regular hazard. The round ends with a beautiful but demanding 431-yard par 4. The greens fee is $23.75 every day. The cart fee is $14. Reservations may be made five days in advance.
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Golf
Address: 10999 Mill Road
8. Winton Woods/Mill Course
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Golf
Telephone: (513) 825-3770
Address: 1515 West Sharon Road
Description: This long, rolling course sits in Winton Woods Park and has bent-grass fairways and greens and four water hazards. The Mill was renovated in 1993 and includes a clubhouse for the challenging 6,376-yard, par 71 course. Its no. 2 hole is a 513-yard par 5 that makes a sharp 90-degree turn to the left.The greens fee is $22.75 weekdays and $24.75 on the weekend, and the cart fee is $14.00. Reservations are accepted five days ahead of tee times.
9. Wyoming Golf Club
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Golf
Telephone: (513) 821-8226
Address: 81 Mount Pleasant Avenue
Description: Although it has only 9 holes, the course at this private club dating from 1897 fools newcomers with its difficulty. It is a 6,328-yard, par 72 course. Fees are $45 for 18 holes and $25 for 9. The cart fee is $15.50.
10. Reeves Golf Course
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Golf
Telephone: (513) 321-2740
Address: 4757 Playfield Lane
Description: A city of Cincinnati course in the basin along Lunken Airfield, this 18-hole par 70 course has 6,371 yards and is wide open with limited bunkers and water. Its driving range is heated and lighted, good for a warm-up any time. Weekday fees are $33 for riding, $20 for walking. Weekend rates are $35 for riding and $22 for walkingReeves also has a 9-hole par 3 executive course that is a great place to learn golf. It has very few hazards and is straightforward and affordable. Greens fee is $8.25.
11. Vineyard Golf Course
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Golf
Telephone: (513) 474-3007
Address: 600 Nordyke Road
Description: The Vineyard is the “resort course” of the seven owned by the Hamilton County Park District. It features bent-grass tees, fairways, and greens in a rolling, scenic, and heavily wooded setting near Woodland Mound Park. The par 71 course has three lakes that come into play on six holes and 45 white-sand bunkers running throughout its lengthy 6,789 yards. Some holes, such as the no. 2, which stretches for 553 yards, is protected by all three hazards: lake, trees, and bunkers. The greens fee is $30.50 weekdays, $33.00 on the weekend, and the cart fee is $14.00. Reservations may be made 10 days ahead. The golf course is rated four out of five stars and was rated one of the top 10 public golf courses in Ohio by Golf Digest.
12. Aston Oaks
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Golf
Telephone: (513) 467-0070
Address: 1 Aston Oaks Drive
Description: This scenic course was designed by the Nicklaus Group and is part of a housing development along the Ohio River. The no. 12 hole overlooks the river. The course’s signature hole is the no. 16, which crosses a creek three times before hitting the green, which is along a 10-foot-high rock wall. Three of the course’s holes run along the creek.Greens fees for the course are $35 weekdays and $47 on weekends and include the cart, which is mandatory.
13. Circling Hills Golf Club
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Golf
Telephone: (513) 367-5858
Address: 10240 Carolina Trace Road
Description: This course on the far-western edge of Cincinnati is a flat, links-style course with two lakes and numerous bunkers spread over 6,390 yards. It is easily walkable, although a couple of holes seem to go on forever. It starts with a 405-yard no. 1 hole and later follows with the 565-yard par 5 no. 5 hole, which requires a chip shot over a creek to make the green. The course has four par 5s, including the no. 16, which is 570 yards, and the no. 7, which is 495 yards.The greens fee is $25 daily, and the cart fee is $14. A driving range, pro shop, and practice greens are available. Reservations may be made seven days in advance.
14. Delhi Hills Par 3 Golf Course
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Golf
Telephone: (513) 941-9827
Address: 1068 Ebenezer Road
Description: This small 9-hole par 3 course covers just 2,600 yards and has no sand traps but plenty of hills. It has been family owned and operated since 1958 and is excellent for practicing iron shots. The greens fee is $7.50 for 9 holes and carts are $5.00.
15. Dunham Golf Course
City: Cincinnati, OH
Category: Golf
Telephone: (513) 251-1157
Address: 1951 Dunham Way
Description: The city of Cincinnati owns this course, which is ideal for juniors or beginners. It stretches just 1,310 yards, with a par of 29, so it’s convenient for those looking for a fast game or looking to work on their short game. Hills and valleys make each hole unique, with holes ranging from the 83-yard no. 3 to the 259-yard no. 9.The greens fee for nine holes is $5.00 for riding, $8.50 for walking; carts are reserved for seniors only. For reservations, call (513) 651-GOLF up to 14 days in advance.