Thursday, July 19, 2001
Golf Course Spotlight: Weatherwax
Middletown jewel wears its years well
By Carey Hoffman
Enquirer contributor
The triumph behind Weatherwax Golf Course is a tale of then and now.
Then was 1972, when a little-known course architect named Arthur Hills created just the fourth design of his career, a massive, 36-hole project for Middletown that he still considers one of the most memorable experiences of his life.
Now enough time has passed to find perspective. Thanks to a $2.25 million renovation that ended in 1998, Weatherwax is in its best condition ever. It feels contemporary and deserves to be considered one of the master works on a roster of more than 150 designs by Hills, now one of the game's best-known designers.
Before the public golf boom of the 1990s, Golf Digest considered Weatherwax one of the top 75 public courses in the nation. It may never regain that kind of ranking, but this is a facility that, even with the major advances in course construction over 30 years, can stand up to any public venue in Greater Cincinnati.
The course's four nine-hole tracts — Woodside, Meadows, Valley View and Highlands — perfectly suit the rolling, scenic 375-acre site in the hills west of Middletown.
The city had spent almost 10 years pursuing the project and desired a top-notch public facility.
“Seeing the course come into being was a thrilling experience,” Hills said. “The digging of the lakes through the middle of the property and the beauty of the holes as they came into being made every visit something to look forward to.”
Hills put in two large lakes, which he used to great effect on six bordering holes on the Valley View and Highlands nines. Woodside was made treacherous by its routing along the woods and hills on the property's southern perimeter; Meadows had another lake that added a severe twist to the two closing holes on that nine.
With only 70 bunkers, there wasn't a lot of sand, but much of it came in the form of sprawling greenside bunkers that gobbled up wayward approach shots.
Hills considered his biggest challenge designing the eight holes that led into and away from the clubhouse for each nine. Dave Tieman, Weatherwax's director of golf the past seven years, calls that another facet of Hills' genius at Weatherwax.
“I think the best characteristic is what he did with the layout of the holes and how they played to par,” Tieman said. “Our pace of play is normally pretty good out there, and a lot of that comes from how he set up the course with the par-3s and the par-5s.”
The restoration of the course began in 1996 and was overseen by Hills. Tees were rebuilt and bunkers leveled to make them easier to maintain, but the biggest change cosmetically was a switch from bluegrass fairways to bent grass.
What seemed like Weatherwax's weakest point — a lack of definition for the holes in the middle of the property — ceased to be an issue. Those holes became more fully realized.
Smaller touches such as complete cart paths around all 36 holes continue to be added, and the staff is vigi lant about course conditions.
“I'm picky about things,” Tieman said, “but my superintendent, Dean Gerdeman, he's extremely picky.” Conditions when we played last weekend were as universally good as any course we've seen the past two seasons.
In particular, the greens were outstanding. They were fast and true, with a stimpmeter reading that Tieman estimates between 11 and 12. “The greens are probably the biggest compliment we get,” Tieman said. “You get country club players from Cincinnati out here, and the greens are the same quality they are seeing back on their home course.”
Check out our Tristate golf guide for a directory and features on local courses, tournament coverage and other news.
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Golf Course Spotlight: Weatherwax
