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Golf Center at Kings Island


shark6495
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Hey all

I tried searching on here and came under empty (and if this needs to be moved to a different forum, I apologize).

 

I’m looking for some info, pictures, aerials of the Golf Center when it opened and to find out how the course was changed. I know the Bruin course was alternated around 2010 and officially closed in fall of 2017.

 

When did the houses get built on the course?

 

It’s a gorgeous course and a unique Nicklaus and Muirhead course. It’s a shame it’s being slowly eroded.

 

 

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Sorry to be vague, but I know that it was intended to be part of the park complex during the early planning and development. I do not know if it opened in ‘72 with the park. It definitely existed in the 80’s when Linder bought the park. I think he either sold it immediately or held onto it after selling the park to Paramont. I can’t remember.

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Grizzly is still great and FWIW, I think the golf center still makes the area a cohesive entertainment area of sorts. Every time I've played there has been accompanied by a trip to the park. 


Is that the original grizzly course from the 70s or is it a hybrid of sorts? I know the south course has been turned into an academy and the Bruin is gone.

Also the original grizzly course when it opened, were you always playing in amongst the housing or did that happen when they sold some land for housing?


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3 minutes ago, shark6495 said:

 


Is that the original grizzly course from the 70s or is it a hybrid of sorts? I know the south course has been turned into an academy and the Bruin is gone.

Also the original grizzly course when it opened, were you always playing in amongst the housing or did that happen when they sold some land for housing?


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I am honestly not sure. When I look on the map, there seems to be extra holes that are not played. Some is amid the housing, and some is not-but the houses all look to be relatively new. At the very least, I know that #18 is how it always was--picturesque par 5 with water guarding the green.

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I have always wanted to play over there, but the realities of working it in during a KI trip haven't allowed it.

Interesting how two different Jack Nicklaus golf developments that happened at around the same time and about 100 miles apart (Muirfield Golf Village) turned out so differently.

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34 minutes ago, KIfan73 said:

Interesting how two different Jack Nicklaus golf developments that happened at around the same time and about 100 miles apart (Muifield Golf Village) turned out so differently.

Indeed. They aren't hosting PGA tourneys that's for sure. I'm not sure what the other courses are like in Dublin, but the area around KI has several other VERY nice/exclusive courses within residential areas. Almost seems like other developers picked up on the idea but made them even more out of the way and attractive. Interesting how the ATP tennis tourney has really taken off even though the whole KI area never caught on as a multi-faceted resort destination. If nothing else, the course is well-maintained, fairly popular, and allow locals (like myself) a bit of that resort experience. On Father's Day, I teed off 1st thing in the AM and by lunchtime was meeting up with my wife and kids at the park. 

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I am honestly not sure. When I look on the map, there seems to be extra holes that are not played. Some is amid the housing, and some is not-but the houses all look to be relatively new. At the very least, I know that #18 is how it always was--picturesque par 5 with water guarding the green.


For sure. I can’t find any old over head photos to really compare. I played last week for the first time and it’s amazing. Nicklaus and Muirhead designed a beauty and you can see in some of the holes the planned beauty of it all.

I did well and kept everything below the dreaded no doubles on any hole (8 on par 4, 10 on par 5, etc).....
Then we got to 18 and we had to play till we were done. Well I tin cupped it and managed to get a 15 on 18....


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1 hour ago, HandsUp said:

Indeed. They aren't hosting PGA tourneys that's for sure. I'm not sure what the other courses are like in Dublin, but the area around KI has several other VERY nice/exclusive courses within residential areas. Almost seems like other developers picked up on the idea but made them even more out of the way and attractive. Interesting how the ATP tennis tourney has really taken off even though the whole KI area never caught on as a multi-faceted resort destination. If nothing else, the course is well-maintained, fairly popular, and allow locals (like myself) a bit of that resort experience. On Father's Day, I teed off 1st thing in the AM and by lunchtime was meeting up with my wife and kids at the park. 

The Dublin/Columbus area has some very exclusive courses at a much higher initiation fee than courses in Greater Cincinnati, and with much more expensive homes around them.  Some of these courses in Dublin/Columbus area have an initiation fee of $100,000+ in addition to annual dues, food minimums, assessments, etc.  Some of those courses you don't inquire about joining, if you are someone important with money they invite you to join.  Their exclusive courses weather economic turns better than the courses here. 

Some of our courses that had initiation fees of $25,000+ have dropped to a fraction of that, if they even have one now.  Kenwood, Coldstream, and Carmargo have held their own, but they are the exception.  No initiation fee at Four Bridges around the corner from KI.  Several courses around KI no longer exist.  The golf industry is struggling, except for the high end ones with members with lots of disposable income.

You really cannot compare the Mason course to Muirfield - one was built as a public course and another as an exclusive membership country club.  There was a rumor floating around the golfing community that Nicklaus paid to have his name removed from the name of the Golf Complex because the course wasn't up to the challenge of his later courses and he didn't want people thinking his courses were easy.  Having played many Nicklaus courses, I can see why the rumor was either started or true.  I'm not in anyway diminishing the course maintenance or upkeep or appearance, but the layout is easy for better golfers - relatively flat and open and the nuance undulations seen in other Nicklaus courses are not there.  The course was too easy for the pro's and is why it could never keep a pro tour there.  The PGA, LPGA, and Senior tour all had a little run there and was probably one of the easiest layouts on their tour...

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You make a lot of good points, and thanks for the interesting information!  I believe Muirfield is Jack's "baby".  It was the result of his wanting to bring an Augusta-like experience to the area where he grew up (lucky for those of us close to it), and definitely had a different mission statement than the Kings Island course.  

Oh, how I would like to have a time machine to visit the Kings Island "resort" of the early 70's...go to Kings Island, stay in the Kings Island Inn, and be able to visit the golf complex, the latter two at their peak.

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^The golf complex was incredible at it's peak.  Most being honest would say at it's prime that it rivaled or beat many of the established country clubs in the area in terms of condition.  Was certainly better than any public/muni course at the time.  Plus it was Jack's course and he brought a PGA tour event here.  It was unlike anything we had at the time here with a resort-type feel, but it would never have competed with a Belterra-type resort of today, but a lot has changed since then too.

But yeah, Muirfield is Jack's baby and the lengths/expense he goes through every year to modify the course is incredible.  I play it near the end of every golf season and get to see what changes the pro's will be seeing in the Memorial the next year - sometimes drastic, but a lot of times cosmetic.  The course is just phenomenal and it's tee boxes are so well groomed they are better than a lot of other course's greens.  You could literally practice putting on them LOL.  And the greens...just wow!

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Oh, wow you get to play Muirfield?  That would be a dream come true!  I go up every year and just drool...LOL.  Thanks again for the info!
 


I just looked up a few charity options and you can play Muirfield for about a $150 donation .... that’s not bad for what you get....


I can see how this course (Golf Center) is easy (I’ve walked the memorial) compared to others. But it does look nice. My favorite hole might be the par 3 over the water.


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23 minutes ago, shark6495 said:

 

 


I just looked up a few charity options and you can play Muirfield for about a $150 donation .... that’s not bad for what you get....


I can see how this course (Golf Center) is easy (I’ve walked the memorial) compared to others. But it does look nice. My favorite hole might be the par 3 over the water.


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Keep in mind that Muirfield has two golf courses - Muirfield Village Golf Club where the Memorial Tournament is played and the Country Club at Muirfield Village where the "above average joe's" belong LOL.  I suspect that upon closer examination that the charity events are held at the Country Club at Muirfield Village.  Muirfield Village Golf Club does not host many events, but if you can find a charity event that you can play it for $150, that is an incredible deal for that course.  I can tell you that it costs a lot more than that for a member to bring a guest to play...and the course frowns upon golf carts (the only time I ever saw a foursome with a golf cart, they also had caddies and the carts were not allowed off the cart path), so then you have to throw the caddie fee in which is minimum $100 per bag depending on who you get for a caddie.

The Golf Center started out with the course being done right from a building standpoint with the right soil and seed (Nicklaus is known for that), so the City of Mason had a great course to start with when they took it over and it is encouraging to see them maintain it and it does usually look nice.  They got some heat for taking it over as it was losing money, but they did it as an investment in the city.  But that land is certainly worth more than a golf course at this point and could be sold for development rights.

That par 3 over water is a great hole and at a distance that begins to become a challenge to most golfers.  My favorite is the 9th hole (or 18th depending on the way you play the course LOL).  I love the par 5 with the potential for the Tin Cup moment!

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Keep in mind that Muirfield has two golf courses - Muirfield Village Golf Club where the Memorial Tournament is played and the Country Club at Muirfield Village where the "above average joe's" belong LOL.  I suspect that upon closer examination that the charity events are held at the Country Club at Muirfield Village.  Muirfield Village Golf Club does not host many events, but if you can find a charity event that you can play it for $150, that is an incredible deal for that course.  I can tell you that it costs a lot more than that for a member to bring a guest to play...and the course frowns upon golf carts (the only time I ever saw a foursome with a golf cart, they also had caddies and the carts were not allowed off the cart path), so then you have to throw the caddie fee in which is minimum $100 per bag depending on who you get for a caddie.
The Golf Center started out with the course being done right from a building standpoint with the right soil and seed (Nicklaus is known for that), so the City of Mason had a great course to start with when they took it over and it is encouraging to see them maintain it and it does usually look nice.  They got some heat for taking it over as it was losing money, but they did it as an investment in the city.  But that land is certainly worth more than a golf course at this point and could be sold for development rights.
That par 3 over water is a great hole and at a distance that begins to become a challenge to most golfers.  My favorite is the 9th hole (or 18th depending on the way you play the course LOL).  I love the par 5 with the potential for the Tin Cup moment!

Upon closer inspection... it is the country club...d’oh.... I did find a Muirfield one where it’s $2,000 a person or a team event for $9500 so that may be closer.


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8 hours ago, disco2000 said:

The Golf Center started out with the course being done right from a building standpoint with the right soil and seed (Nicklaus is known for that), so the City of Mason had a great course to start with when they took it over and it is encouraging to see them maintain it and it does usually look nice.  They got some heat for taking it over as it was losing money, but they did it as an investment in the city.  But that land is certainly worth more than a golf course at this point and could be sold for development rights.

I have checked The Golf Center's website a few times over the years, and noticed a little while back that it looked like the city had taken it over, which I thought was an interesting move.  It must still be a course that people feel is too important to be bulldozed over (which happened to one of our local courses last year, what a terrible sight!).

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