Scioto Country Club – Golf Digest

57. Scioto Country Club

Donald Ross (1916)/Michael Hurdzan & Jack Nicklaus (2008)

When Michael Hurdzan was hired in 2005 to rebuild Scioto’s greens to re-establish much of their Donald Ross character, Jack Nicklaus volunteered to assist, since he’d learned the game at Scioto and still remembered the slopes of the putting surfaces he’d played as a boy. Together they recaptured Scioto’s charm. The one green they did not return to a Ross original was the eighth. That green had been relocated in 1957 by landscape architect Marion Packard, who created a new island green for the hole, surrounded by a moat that was blind on the second shot. In 2014, while revising the course in preparation for the 2016 U.S. Senior Open, Hurdzan filled in much of the moat on the hole, so the par 5 could be played fairly as a long par 4 for championship play.

100 Greatest History: Ranked since 1966. Highest ranking: No. 22, 1987-1988. Previous ranking: No. 57

Panelist comments, Scioto Country Club:

“One of the great traditional designs of our time. Redesigns since the original Donald Ross creation hasn’t taken away its character and personality from Ross’ original design.”

“The course is very aesthetically pleasing to the eye, with pushed-up greens that are every well-guarded by impressive bunkering. Impressive, that is, until you’re forced to play out of these penal hazards.”

“A very fair, challenging and old traditional championship golf course. Tight and demanding. Even after two full days and nights of rain the course was in excellent shape to play.”

“Fun, rolling terrain lends itself well for design variety and shot values. The green complexes though were very demanding, especially if playing from undesirable locations. A great history of major Championships adds to the feel and ambience.”

“Charming, fantastic clubhouse is what you’d expect from a country club with this level of history and ambiance. Side note: I thought the Barber Shop in the clubhouse was a unique, old-school member experience.”

100 GREATEST: CLICK TO VIEW OUR ENTIRE 100 GREATEST RANKING

Courtesy of Gary Kellner

Hole No. 1