Owlwood National Golf Club
6838 Owlwood Drive
Mason, OH 45040
About Owlwood National Golf Course
506 yards of golf played over a half acre with pars 3, 4, 5 using a wiffle golf ball.
A combination of trees, hazards, out of bounds forces a variety of types of golf shots.
Host to the Brackman Memorial Invitational Tournament held annually on Memorial Day weekend.
SCORECARD
Course Rating: 70.8
Slope: 128
Front Nine
Back Nine
Hole 1
Rose Bend
23 Yards
Par 4
Handicap 10
The first hole gives the player a chance to get under par with a well placed shot over the corner. However, don't get too aggressive as there are rose bushes that have to be cleared on the right and out of bounds left that could easily lead to bogey or worse.
The approach requires a deft touch to avoid going long and into the hazard, but is otherwise benign.
Hole 2
Baby You Can Drive My Par
23 Yards
Par 4
Handicap 12
The 2nd hole is another of the easy starting holes where players could realistically pick up a stroke versus par. Players have the choice to play short of the water leaving a simple approach to the green, or hit a longer, but very doable precise shot to the green. The green is well protected with out of bounds wrapping behind so putting well is important.
Hole 3
Begonia Wall
35 Yards
Par 4
Handicap 14
Two water hazards to clear make this a hole that favors the extremely long driver - IF you are willing to take on the prevailing wind in your face to go under par. Otherwise a layup to the second, much larger, water hazard is advisable and will render this hole a fairly simple par. The green has a wall behind it and to the left to catch overly aggressive approach shots. If you're lucky it may even return them closer to the hole. Over the wall and you'll be in the hazard with the Begonias or too far right will have you in the water right of the green.
The approach requires a deft touch to avoid going long and into the hazard, but is otherwise benign.
Hole 4
Red Riding Hood
47 Yards
Par 5
Handicap 7
The 4th traverses over the water (twice) and through a double dog leg in the trees to a well protected green. It is critical to have low ball flight to keep under the branches yet long enough to make the green in 3. Once at the green it is protected on the right by water and behind left by out of bounds. This is a wolf in lamb's clothing!
Hole 5
Rae's Your Score
8 Yards
Par 3
Handicap 1
Such a simple looking hole closely modeled after the 12th at Augusta. Short - just 8 yards. Water off the tee is not in play. But Rae's Creek running just in front of the green most definitely is in play. And a heavy back to front angle of the green with a smooth, fast surface makes holding the green very difficult. And if you miss long, right or left it is a very difficult chip, most probably having to chip back over Rae's Creek for another front approach to the green. This hole is a place where par is a great score, and very likely more than a bogey hole. If you are skilled enough to hold the green on your tee shot, you will make up lots of strokes on the field. Pros playing the Masters have taken 13's on this hole!
Hole 6
Narrow Passage
38 Yards
Par 4
Handicap 8
A testy tee shot has out of bounds all the way down the left side and trees causing problems down the right side. You have the choice to keep the ball flight on a low trajectory through the trees or be very confident in hitting it straight along the out of bounds left. In addition, the drive must be of sufficient length to reach the far side of the dogleg right to have an adequate approach shot to the green.
The approach is also a narrow chute with hazard to the right and an inbounds fence to the left. Over the fence is a real problem because to clear the fence coming back over likely puts you into the hazard. The green is pleasantly and thankfully unprotected by hazards.
Hole 7
Welcome Respite
8 Yards
Par 3
Handicap 13
After running the gauntlet the last few holes, finally a respite. A short, straight drive with no hazards except behind the green. A chip and putt should render birdie, par at worst. Plus you are back at the Clubhouse for food and beverage refills as necessary.
Hole 8
Burning Bush
23 Yards
Par 4
Handicap 4
A moderate distance drive but with good distance control is imperative as there is out of bounds on the far side of the hard right dogleg. The burning bush and then pines create a hazard protecting the right side and force the player not to cheat the dogleg on the right. The left side is wide open for the drive, but it makes the approach through the narrow chute far more difficult. Pick your poison.
Hole 9
Cow Pasture
28 Yards
Par 5
Handicap 15
A short double dogleg par 5 where the biggest challenge is the somewhat narrow chute to hit the drive through overhanging trees, hazard left and out of bounds right. Hit it too high and who knows how many extra strokes you'll take. But simply punch the ball low a moderate distance and you will be set up for an easy fairway stroll as the hole is wide open after the driving chute.
An uncontested second shot should set up an easy approach shot to the green backed by a fence behind and to the right. If the approach goes over the fence, again you will be in trouble as the trajectory will be a problem keeping the ball out of the hazard that closes in on the fairway left of the green.
Hole 10
Satisfaction
22 Yards
Par 4
Handicap 18
A straight drive of moderate length to a tucked green could provide a satisfying start to the back nine. But for some players you can't get no satisfaction because of the out of bounds along the entire left side of the hole and the tree blocking the right side of the hole possibly knocking your ball into the hazard to the right.
Pin placement on the green can also add degrees of difficulty. This hole can go from a very possible birdie to crooked numbers in a hurry.
Hole 11
Easy as Sunday Morning
34 Yards
Par 4
Handicap 2
Care must be taken on this hole. The drive seems easy as Sunday morning, but must be struck well into the prevailing wind to carry the water. The landing area is huge, but you will need to make a choice as to which side to play. Should you choose the wide open right side, you should end up with an easy par approaching the green from the right side (assuming you've covered the water with your drive). The left side is shorter, but is fraught with trouble from water running along the left side of the green and the burning bush immediately in front of the green.
Hole 12
Long and Winding Road
21 Yards
Par 4
Handicap 16
Conjuring the memory of the long and winding "Road Hole" at St. Andrews including the famous bunker, this hole requires two fairly straight-forward shots to a well protected green. Don't forget you'll have to clear the building on the right side of the road hole or pay the consequences.
The green is protected on the right by water and behind by hazard and of course short left by the famous Road Hole Bunker where many Open Championship challengers have lost the tournament. All in all a straightforward hole that should cause the player minimal damage to the scorecard.
Hole 13
Desperado
34 Yards
Par 4
Handicap 9
You'll be out riding fences if you're not careful here. Dead straight. Over the fence. Come back to the hole. Easy. But there is no gate to open if you get too close; your prison will be walking the fence line too close. You better clear the fence if you want your partner to love you - before it's too late...
Hole 14
Sweet Caroline
13 Yards
Par 3
Handicap 5
Good times never seemed so good... as standing on the tee at this short, simple par 3. Hazards right are really not in play and the while the green is somewhat protected by hazard behind, this should be a par on most cards.
Hole 15
Help Me Rhonda Corner
49 Yards
Par 5
Handicap 17
You're going to need some help getting round the corner on this double dogleg. More like a boomerang as the approach shot to the green will somewhat be coming back toward the tee.The drive is threaded through several trees - take your pick which way you want to go - but no matter what direction you choose, you'll have to hit a low driving tee shot. The 2nd is probably another low driving shot over a substantial water hazard.
You'll likely want to hit beyond the green and come back toward the hazard with the approach as the small green nestles right up against the water. To go directly for the green on your second shot would be nearly suicidal. Putting is going to be a challenge to avoid the water as well. Blame Brian Wilson.
Hole 16
The Closer I Get
30 Yards
Par 4
Handicap 11
This hole has a demanding tee shot as you have to keep the drive low under the trees right of the tee, and past the huge pine on the left. Which is a pretty long drive. Tha approach is to a well protected green with water right and hazard left (with the advantage of a short wall to keep your ball in play). If you get too close, it will be the further you fall, you'll be over par in not time at all..
Hole 17
Thriller
7 Yards
Par 3
Handicap 3
Another short par 3 that could rip your heart out. A severe back to front green surrounded by water. This little gem is inspired by the 17th at TPC. The player must hit a precisely controlled shot, usually low to stay on the green. And, the prevailing wind is at your back, but you sometimes get swirls as it is right up next to the clubhouse.
There is the benefit of a short flat back shelf on the green, but then you have to putt down hill with water staring you in the face.
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Hole 18
Bridge Over Troubled Waters
63 Yards
Par 5
Handicap 6
Your time has come to shine; all your dreams of par are on their way. But dreams may die early here. This is a beauty of a hole inspired by the 18th at Pebble Beach with the ocean off to the left and a dogleg left into the green.
To traverse these troubled waters, the player must continually choose between the aggressive play or the more logical play. The drive is either the more logical layup short of a large water hazard crossing the fairway or on the very aggressive side trying to carry the water with a long drive into the prevailing wind. If you choose the logical layup, the 2nd shot becomes the very long shot to be able to get past the dogleg around the burning bushes on the left. This leaves a touchy approach shot that must clear the water running in front of the green but avoid going over out of bounds into the ocean. The aggressive drive, if carried out successfully, allows the player to cut the corner of the dogleg a bit and shorten the approach over the water to the green, thus raising the chances of avoiding penalty strokes.
Off the tee there is another possible choice to be made for those who are not quite right in the head, behind in the tournament and possessing consummate skill. Which means you probably should not try this unless you want to finish last. The hyper aggressive approach is to shorten the hole dramatically by playing along the sea to the green along an absurdly narrow band of short cut rough with the ocean left and water right. This approach actually doglegs right a bit and you still have to cover the large water hazard running across the fairway, or layup. If you're lunatic enough to try this hyper aggressive approach you may as well go all the way and try to carry the drive. The benefit is, if you actually can master both the drive and 2nd shot you will very possibly end up with eagle.
Sorry, no one here is on your side, nor will I lay me down, or comfort you, or take your part. I am however, sailing right behind and will ease your mind - this is after all, the last hole and Mulligans are on their way!
