Are you someone that enjoys historical, beautiful, and challenging golf courses? Then the golf courses in Mentor, Ohio will be right up your alley! Each has their own character and after playing here for years, you come to appreciate the unique characteristics that set them apart. Whether you’re a professional or new to the game, you can have a good time at any of these courses near Mentor.
Golf Courses Near Mentor Ohio
- Little Mountain Country Club
Let’s start off the list with the writer’s personal favorite, I have been a member at Little Mountain for many years and I have seen the highs and lows of this golf course. This is a challenging track. While there is a great balance of tight fairways and fairways big enough to land a plane on, the challenge comes in the layout itself. There was a lot of thought put into the hazards and fairways bunkers. While the rough isn’t too hard to get, the fairway bunkers are deep and too far from the green to use a sand wedge. This course is designed to test your course management skills and golf strategy.
The 17th hole Par 5 is gorgeous. This one is wide open if your miss is a nasty slice like mine. The view from the tee box out over Lake Erie is incredible. This can be a tough hole too which makes hitting the green in 2 all the more rewarding.
- Black Brook Golf Course & Practice Center
On the other hand, we have Black Brook Golf Course, which has been around for almost 100 years. This has a classic layout and is an easier course to score well on. You can tell while playing Black Brook how much pride goes into maintaining this course. Bunkers are always raked, greens are always cut beautifully and as a result, the parking lot is always full. Many of the holes here are newbie-friendly with bailouts on both the right and left side of the fairway. The back nine plays harder than the front as the fairways get a bit tighter and the greens a bit smaller. Overall, you should get a relaxed feel from Black Brook and if you don’t have time to squeeze in a round, check out the practice facility or grab a lesson from one of the pros.
Hole number 5 here is always fun (for right-handers). It’s a par 4 with a steep drop-off right after the tee box. The hole is tight down the left side and opens up to the right after about 100 yards. Most approach shots will be in the clear as the trees don’t hang too far into the course. The green slopes back to front enough that smart players land their ball short of the pin for an uphill put.
- St. Denis Golf Course
While it is located just outside of Mentor, Ohio, St. Denis Golf Course is a bit of a hidden gem. You get a links-style feel with wide fairways and rolling hills. The whole course feels a bit more open because of this. While there are only a few holes with a dense tree population, there is enough tall grass to help you lose a few golf balls.
Hole number 8 is a mid-range par 3 over water with a wide, welcoming green. This hole can punish you slightly if you do miss the green as there is a steep hill on the left and right sides of the green. Another one of my favorite holes is number 2 where you have a blind shot off the tee box. You have to choose to hit the top of the hill and leave a longer shot in or take a chance at hitting over the hill for a wedge into the green after a slight dogleg left. St. Denis also has practice range and one of the larger practice greens in the area.
- Lost Nation Golf Course
The front 9 at Lost Nation may be the most welcoming course on the list for beginners. The back 9 feels like a different part of the world compared to the front. While overall this is an easier track, the back 9 makes you hit some shots that are bound to be rusty in your arsenal at best. Lost Nation will be the more budget-friendly of the courses mentioned here today and it should win the value pick every time. The course may not be perfect but its in great shape and is plenty fun for the money.
Hole 15 on the back 9 rightfully owns the “hardest hole on the course” tag. While the tee shot seems pretty open, a good drive hit too straight over the middle will outrun the fairway which doglegs left. Depending on your positioning from the tee box you will have one of your long irons into the green. Any fat hits here will almost always end in a lost ball as the fairway drops downhill quickly before being choked out by a lush creek running through the hole. After the creek, the hole comes back up with roughly the same elevation which punishes players who lay up short of the green.
- Powderhorn Golf Course
The shortest course on the list is not without its own challenging shots. Powderhorn is another quick drive from mentor but it is a staple in the hearts of golfers in Northeast Ohio. While not always consistent, the small greens can be lightning-fast here. While some fairways can seem quite inviting, the hills provide cover to the trouble that lays around every corner. If you are a seasoned golfer you can play driver, or wedge golf here although that is not recommended. Accuracy is important at this course as there are many tricky landing zones where you can easily miss and block yourself out of your next shot.
18 is a straightforward drivable par 4 that can convince even mediocre golfers to go for the green. The green is protected by bunkers and hills all the way around. The trees lining either side of the fairway are unforgiving and they don’t often give a “members bounce”. There is plenty fighting to put a bogey or worse on your score card but with a great shot off the tee box, the dream of making your eagle putt is alive and well.
Conclusion
You can find any type of golf you’re looking for in Mentor, Ohio. From the tough layout and great views at Little Mountain to the beginner-friendly nature of Black Brook, you are bound to have a good time. If you have never teed it up at Mentor, Ohio golf courses, this is your sign to give it a shot. You wont regret it!
