Coldstream Country Club

Dick Wilson is renowned / notorious for creating some of the most muscular golf courses of his day, and this is certainly on display at Coldstream Country Club near Cincinnati.

Everything is big: Although the yardage doesn’t quite reach the extremes of modern championship courses (just under 7,100 yards), the accuracy needed to conquer Coldstream will make up for several hundred yards. The fairways and greens are well-bunkered and, as stated before, these sand hazards are the calling card for the club.

The course is also noted for its large greens, which may sound like relief for the skilled putter, however Wilson even manages to make “large greens” problematic: Many are very long rather than evenly-distributed, which calls on the player not just to hold a line, but to manage the distance of that line as well. Veering left or right of these targets will likely mean a shot from — you guessed it — the aforementioned bunkers.

The par threes seem targeted at those of weak constitution: Bunkering is again the main defense for these short holes, but three involve a forced carry over a fronting pond. Something to wash the encrusted sand off of your golf balls, at least?