Congress Lake

Congress Lake Country Club promotes the range of amenities it offers families in northern Ohio, but it doesn’t shirk the hard truths. As its website notes: “Families are important, but so is golf.” Fortunately the club has a Donald Ross route to satisfy this essential need.

The course plays much the same way as when Ross left it during 1926, to just 6,600 yards from the back tees. That said, well-bunkered greens will make those short yards anything but easy. The case-and-point comes from the closer, a rare par three final hole. Playing 165 yards, the green is surrounded by seven bunkers, ensuring that anything a hair off in any direction will result in a tough save. Granted, we don’t envy those who miss more than a hair in any direction, as they will inevitably need to chip over these bunkers to get up-and-down. Those wracked by nerves on this tee shot may even hit one into the Congress Lake outlet, which runs in front of the teebox and into the club’s title lake.

The body of water also plays an intimidating role on the No. 7 hole, where it pools both in front and to the left of the green, making accuracy the key word on the approach to this 360-yard par four (“patience” is another key word for bombers when coming off this tee).