Two national magazines have singled out seven public courses and one private club in Northeast Ohio this month.
View full sizePicturesque Canterbury has been a golf institution in Beachwood for generations, but it has drawn attention for its efforts to attract younger players to the game.• Off the Green | Staying aligned during the swing: Video
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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Two national magazines have singled out seven public courses and one private club in Northeast Ohio this month.
Canterbury Golf Club is one of five national winners of Golf Digest's Junior Development Award, being cited for its growing junior program.
Golf Magazine listed seven area public courses among its top 15 in Ohio.
Canterbury, a former member of Golf Digest's 100 Greatest Courses list and the site of many high-profile championships, has restructured its thinking and the junior program has benefited.
Administrators say reduced initiation fees, easy payment methods and membership drives have attracted newer and younger members. And, they are bringing their children with them. Consequently, Canterbury, which traditionally has attracted some of the area's top amateurs, has one of the youngest membership rosters in the Greater Cleveland area.
Wednesday mornings are reserved for juniors and they play anywhere from one to 18 holes, depending on their age and skill level. There is a week-long golf camp and the club also offers teenagers the "Tweens" Camp. Qualified youngsters can earn a junior bag tag, which allows them to play unaccompanied at specific times. The best junior golfers make up the Junior Tour School and Junior Travel team. Parents of juniors are required to volunteer a certain number of days.
Professional Michael Kernicki estimates 50 to 60 juniors participate in the program at any given time.
Going public: While not in Northeast Ohio, Longaberger Golf Club, in Nashport, is listed as the 56th best public course in the nation to play by Golf Magazine. It also says Longaberger is the fifth-best bargain to play, even at twice the price of its $55-$99 greens fees.
As for the best public courses in Ohio, Concord's Little Mountain was ranked second behind Longaberger, followed by The Quarry in Canton (third), Stonewater in Highland Heights (fourth), Fowler's Mill in Chesterland (sixth), Windmill Lakes in Ravenna (10th), Boulder Creek in Streetsboro (13th) and Shale Creek in Medina (14th).
Longaberger, an Arthur Hills design, has various greens fees packages, ranging from $59 to $99. Pacific Dunes, located in Bandon, Ore., is ranked first on the national list. Its fees range from $75 to $275. It can cost you anywhere from $495 to $530 to play a round at second-ranked Pebble Beach.
Calling all seniors: Spots are available for the 36-hole Summit County Senior Amateur, which will be played at Barberton Brookside and J. Edward Good Park on Friday and Saturday. Competition will be held in three divisions: 50-59, 60-69 and over 70. Call 330-864-0200.
Better than birdie: Westlake's Dan Grincewiecz scored a rare double-eagle on Monday when he used driver and a 5-iron to make a two on the 451-yard 15th hole on the North Course at Thunderbird Hills in Huron. Because of the hole's layout, in which a large valley cuts the fairway, Grincewiecz and his playing partners were unable to see the ball go in the hole.
Numbers up: While official attendance figures are not released, Bridgestone Invitational Executive Director Don Padgett III said attendance at this year's event exceeded last year. That will be good news to the local charities that receive contributions from the event.
More than $800,000 was donated following last year's event. Padgett said the attendance on Saturday and Sunday exceeded last year's totals, while Thursday and Friday were about the same.
"Obviously, we are pleased," said Padgett. "We had a favorable weather forecast for the weekend and we had two great days, which I think brought everyone out."