Thursday, May 17, 2001
Fox Run landscape a demanding challenge
By Carey Hoffman
Enquirer contributor
In his movie role as Dirty Harry, Clint Eastwood once said, “A good man must know his limitations.” Eastwood, an avid golfer himself, could have used the same phrase with regard to the Fox Run course in Kenton County. At Fox Run, either have a handle on your game, or be prepared for the consequences.
Fox Run is characterized by hills, ravines and flat highland areas.
(Craig Ruttle photos)
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Fox Run is long, tough, wooded and hilly. Its slope rating of 143 from the back tees is the second-highest among Kentucky courses.
Taken in context, it's easy to praise Fox Run as an outstanding test of golf.
Fox Run opened in 1993 as the third of three courses in the county-operated Golf Courses at Kenton County complex. The county had a basic 18 in the original Pioneer course and a popular follow-up in its Willows course.
Tom Mackie, general manager of the Golf Courses of Kenton County, said the goal was to go high-end with a third 18. The property was shown to designer Arthur Hills, who figured he could build another Shaker Run.
“It all just fit in,” Mackie said. “To be perfectly honest, it was a little higher-end than we were thinking about and cost a little more money. But in return, we got an Arthur Hills course, a course from one of the top five golf architects there is, with all bent-grass fairways, tees and greens.”
Hills works within the character of the land, and that is his great triumph with Fox Run.
The 12th hole.
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The land is dominated by deep, wooded gorges and chasms. Somehow, he routed a course that not only is feasible but fascinating.
The most severe hills became demanding par-3s, which force you to hit the greens or risk trying to chip from off-balance stances.
Ravines on four par-4s are directly in front of the tee boxes and require carrying the ball 200-plus yards to reach the fairways. Miss carrying the gaps, and double-bogey or worse quickly comes into play.
The par-5s, on the other hand, are built on flat, highland sections of Fox Run. Clearly, if any scoring is to be done, it's here.
The first nine is more open in character, particularly the final four holes, which resemble their brethren on the bordering Willows course. The second nine starts off with consecutive par-4s fraught with danger around the edges.
No.17 is probably the most wooded hole at Fox Run. It's a wooded, 403-yard, downhill par-4 that demands an accurate ball into the fairway followed by a mid-iron into a narrow green guarded by tall grass to the high side and a creek off to the right. Red foxes, deer and even bobcats call the course home.
The most common complaint about Fox Run concerns No.18, a par-5 that requires carrying a sizable lake on the second shot. The fairway target off the tee is not generous, which Mackie said was one of the few compromises needed when Hills built the course. Originally, plans called for extending a fairway to the left where there are now a pair of bunkers, but there was too much rock underneath the hillside.
Should the course sound too severe, take heart. Mackie said the most important factor is to pick the right tees out of the four sets available. Mackie said some regulars shuttle between the middle two gold and gray tees, depending on the hole ahead.
To move Fox Run toward its original target of 22,000-25,000 rounds a year, new rates are in effect this year. The regular $44 rate is discounted to $38 Mondays through Thursdays and after 2p.m. on weekends.
Also, carts are being allowed this year for the first time.
Cincinnati.com golf guide
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Fox Run landscape a demanding challenge
