Saturday, February 26, 2000
County courses ready to tee off
March means it's time to get out clubs
BY LEW MOORES
The Cincinnati Enquirer
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP — Hamilton County Park District golf courses will begin opening for the season on Wednesday, with two more opening on March 15.
“Golfers who have been cooped up all winter are anxious to start playing,” said Tom Kendrick, golf manager for the park district. “As soon as our courses are open, we're very busy.”
Two of the park district's golf facilities are open year-round: Meadow Links & Golf Academy in Winton Woods in Springfield Township, and Little Miami Golf Center in Newtown.
Three 18-hole courses will open Wednesday:
• The Mill Course at Winton Woods, which features five ponds, irrigated fairways and a golf cart path system. For information, call 825-3770.
• Miami Whitewater Forest Golf Course in Crosby Township, which also has a 22-station driving range. For more information, call 367-4627.
• Sharon Woods Golf Course in Sharonville. This is the park district's oldest golf course, opened in 1938. For more information, call 769-4325.
Two courses are opening March 15:
• Shawnee Lookout Golf Course in Miami Township. For more information, call 941-0120.
• The Vineyard at Woodland Mound in Anderson Township, featuring three ponds and 45 white-sand bunkers. For more information, call 474-3007.
Last year more than 340,000 rounds of golf were played at the park district's seven courses, Mr. Kendrick said.
“We're very proud of our facilities,” said Mr. Kendrick. “We feel like we offer one of the finest golf values to the public golfer in the area. especially if the number of rounds is any indication.”
Mr. Kendrick said while golf has always been popular, in the past couple of years it has become increasingly so with the popularity of superstar Tiger Woods.
“It's been enhanced by Tiger Woods,” he said. “He has done so much for raising awareness of the game of golf.”
He said that when Mr. Woods broke large on the scene two years ago, it correlated with attendance increasing in junior programs in the department, those aimed at youths 17 and younger.
“It increased significantly that year,” said Mr. Kendrick. “I have no reason to think it was anything other than Tiger Woods.”
Fees for playing vary at the different courses, as do the hours, he said. Junior and senior citizens also can play at discounted rates.
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