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Shaker Run GC – One of Ohio’s Best Public Courses

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Shaker Run Golf Course, site of the 2005 US Amateur Public Links, is located North of Cincinnati, Ohio in the small  town of Lebanon.

This Public Links Championship was heavily watched; Michelle Wie made it to the final four here before Clay Ogden beat her in a hotly contested match play match. Unfortunately for Michelle Wie, Clay went on to win the championship. Even before Michelle Wie arrived at Shaker Run, this golf course was kown as one of Ohio’s best public golf courses.

In its infancy (1979), Shaker Run was a private club and owned by the ARMCO Steel Company. Eventually ARMCO became AK steel, sold some assets off, the private golf club being one of them (1994). Great for us. Shaker Run actually boasts 27 holes now as there is a third nine designed by Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry in 1997.

If it is your first time here, skip the Meadows nine and play the original 18 holes, which was designed by Arthur Hills. Don’t get me wrong, the Meadows nine is playable but is devoid of any real character. Homes abound on the Meadows nine.  Hills’ creation is the Lakeside and Woodlands nines and is tranquil and serene. Pure golf, and no houses.  As you stand on the first tee, well really the tenth, (but for some reason they were switched around the day that we played here) you instantly think wide open links course. Not really, and well, not at all. This hole is a teaser. The eleventh hole tightens up considerably and you wonder how many trees your ball will seek out during the round. The fairways, save a few, are relatively wide, but errant shots too far offline will be punished here. Not severely, but punishment just the same. I thing that I liked the most about Shaker Run is that there are some great opportunites for birdies and quite a few risk reward shots. Numbers 9, 12, 14, 15, 18 leave you with a ton of options off the tee and for your second shot. Course conditions were pretty good for late April in Ohio, the greens were receptive to a variety of shots. About the only thing that was really disappointing was they don’t allow walking for some odd reason. Even if you paid the cart fee (which is included int he price) walking was not allowed. This course is walkable, there is a stretch of a few holes that runs along a ridge and ravine, but the course is very walkable and would be enjoyable for the walking golfer. Sorry Shaker, you lose some purist points here and that’s too bad. The 9th and 18th holes both play over water and beg you to bite off as much fairway as possible, but don’t be too greedy on these holes, the lake is full of golf balls here. Lets take a look at a few holes at Shaker Run.

Lakeside nine, #2, a short par three over the corner of the lake.

Woodlands #1, looks wide open, but this nine tightens up rather quickly.

One of the best holes on the course, Woodlands #3, with a good drive, you’ll be

just a short sand wedge away on this risk reward par 4. Great hole.

Woodlands #5 is a tough par 3, 190 from the blue tees, 203 from the black.

Not much room for error here. Walk off with a par and its like a birdie here.

You might be able to cut the corner with a lofted fairway wood or the brave

can hit driver with a fade. If so, it’s just a lob wedge into this green. If not

your score will suffer a lot.

Woodlands #8 opens back up, par 3 150 yards from the blue. Wind will

affect your ball on this short par three hole.

Shaker Run is a must play if in the Cincinnati area. It could, quite possibly

be the best golf course in the Southwestern Ohio area, public or private.

Shaker Run by the numbers:

Lakeside/Woodlands

Tees           Yardage       Rating/Slope

Black           6953              74.0/138

Blue             6415              71.2/132

White           5794              68.7/127

Red             5075               68.8/121

 

3 Comments

3 Comments

  1. QueenCityGolfer

    Jun 24, 2008 at 7:58 pm

    Shaker is far and away the best public course in southern Ohio. The only other course in the area worth mentioning in the same sentence is Stonelick Hills, which is somewhat of a masterpiece in it’s own right. It’s interesting that another poster mentioned Windy Knoll in Springfield, because I believe that Shaker and Windy Knoll are the best public courses in the state, of the courses I’ve played. I still haven’t played: Longaberger, Little Mountain, or Avalon Lakes (which could easily be the top 3 in the state), but these two courses are fantastic.

    Shaker is a must play if you’re in the area.

  2. dminn23

    May 13, 2008 at 12:02 am

    If your in the area, its a good idea to travel to Springfield and give Windy Knoll a shot as well. Beautifully manicured and some fantastic, challenging greens.

    I haven’t played Shaker, need to get out there this year. The walking thing is a big disappointment though.

  3. bigwhipper

    May 12, 2008 at 7:09 pm

    love this course! It’s the most beautiful course in southern Ohio.

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Most birdies without breaking par – GolfWRXers discuss

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In our forums, one user is wondering how many birdies other players have had in a round while still failing to break par. @Lalan45, unfortunately, asked the question after a unique experience of their own.

They wrote:

“Today I managed 8 birdies but still shot even par, could have been a round to remember! What’s the most birdies you’ve made in a round and still didn’t break par?”

Our members in the forum shared their own experiences with successful rounds that still resulted in a score over par. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

  • kwcsports: “I’ve had 5 a few times, still shot 80+ haha.”
  • jda: “I played a course for the first time, had 8 birdies, 9 doubles and an eagle. The infamous no-par round. I kept the scorecard. Every shot had a creek that I did not know about, or I was within 8-10 feet for a birdie look. To this day, I have no idea if I should be really jacked up or mad about that performance.”
  • jvincent: “I think my record is either 5 or 6. Probably shot 75.”
  • Instron4204: “3 birdies and shot a 92…man I suck!”

Entire Thread: “Most Birdies Without Breaking Par.”

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Best current stock shaft 2026 – GolfWRXers discuss

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In our forums, one user is asking for thoughts on the best stock shafts offered in 2026. Stock shafts are the shafts included with a club when it’s purchased from retailers or OEMs.

@DTorres asked:

The last couple years has seen a lot of updates and additions to no upcharge stock shafts, which do you think is the best offering in 2026?

Im a bit of a shaft nerd and recently during my Members Testing with the Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond I found the updated Project X Denali Frost Black to be a fantastic stock shaft. I absolutely did not mesh well with the original Denali. Just curious what other people think are the current best Stock shaft offerings out with new models and stock Ventus options and LinQ options popping up here and there.

We were given the option for any stock shafts for our members review. I went with the 70g Black Frost 6.5 because it’s a shaft I don’t have, it’s an updated version of the original Denali and hear little about. I typically use a Diamana WB, GD VF or a HOF Raptor. I’m not saying it was neck and neck with any of those but it was a pleasant surprise I’m not accustomed to in stock shaft offerings.

Our members in the forum have been offering up their own thoughts on the best stock shafts available in 2026. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.

  • rsballer10: “IMO – MCA Ka’ili White Darkwave, Tensei 1k Black/white, UST Lin-Q White. People are free to spend their money however they see fit, but for me personally the shaft catalogs these days have enough options that I don’t see the value of a $400 upcharge. I have never had a problem finding a no upcharge shaft that fits the bend profile and weight that I need. Whether the paint job is good enough or not is above my pay scale.”
  • bcflyguy1: “Project X Titan Black. I’ve had one in 60TX in my Quantum TD Max for several weeks now. Have to give Titlieist their flowers for finding a way to make it available as a featured option; very shrewd bit of business and one that I suspect will be duplicated by the other companies. TT/PX have a certified banger on their hands with Titan.”
  • CTG77: “Undoubtedly, it’s the Tensei 1K RIP shafts from Titleist. The Tensei line gives about 98% of the performance of a Ventus VeloCore+ shaft at a tiny fraction of the cost if you’re looking for a blue or red profile. The white is not an exact match for Ventus Black, but it’s closer to it than the non-VeloCore+ Ventus shafts that come from Callaway or formerly came from TaylorMade.”

Entire Thread: “Best current stock shaft 2026.”

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GolfWRX’s Father’s Day Gift Guide (2026)

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A reminder from your friends at GolfWRX: Father’s Day is June 21. And as we do every year, we’re rounding up the best gifts for dad.

As we say every year, there’s no better golf-related Father’s Day gift than a round of golf with pops. Be it a country club or your favorite muni, take the time to get together to play 18 if you can.

Let’s get to the gifts.

Ghost Golf Qualifier Diamond Polo

We like the new polos that Ghost is offering, as the fabric and fit are so good. These new Qualifier Collection polos breathe well, are lightweight, stretch with your swing, and of course look great. You can wear them on the course, in the office, or just out at a casual event and they will fit right in.

Buy here.

STR8-Strip Grip Tape Remover

If your dad is an equipment aficionado and tinkers with his clubs, this tool works wonders. Removing grip tape has never been easier, just put a little head on the tape and the STR8-Strip peals it right off the shaft without any damage.

Buy here.

Why Golf: Putting Thing

When it comes to practice, it is good to have a purpose. This “Putting Thing” sure does it. We know from personal experience how challenging it can be and how rewarding it is on the practice green. This also provides some competition for your kiddo to see who will unload the dishwasher or do the next chore around the house.

Buy here.

OluKai Lae‘ahi Men’s Breathable Slip-On Shoes

Riding to and from the course in style and comfort is always a good thing. If you’re in a hurry, it’s a nice feature to slide into your shoes and get to the tee time. For the post-game shoe, at your locker or while putting your clubs away in the car. Nice to slide into a shoe that looks good anywhere. Pair that with meeting the family for dinner, no need to change!

Buy here.

Therabody Theragun Relief

A little wellness goes a long way. Keeping loose is a good way to go when it comes to the weekend game or treatment during the week. If there is a little ache or pain, the Theragun is there to help out. Help loosen up the back for a pre-game warm-up or cool-down. 

Buy here.

World Cup golf apparel

Something for the soccer dads. Embrace the World Cup fever this summer on the course with custom gear to support the nation of your choice.

Buy here.

FootJoy Pro SL spikeless golf shoes

Give the old man a break and save his feet with the Footjoy Pro SL Men’s Spikeless Golf Shoes for some added comfort on the course.

Buy here.

Bushnell Wingman 2 GPS speaker

Combine all the hits as well as some game improvement with the Wingman 2 Golf GPS Speaker by getting audible distance readings from 38,000+ courses worldwide through the Wingman 2 remote or speaker.

Buy here.

Personalized Titleist Pro V1 golf balls

The No. 1 ball in golf is a safe bet, and the Pro V1 fits the largest chunk of the bell curve if you don’t know what ball pops plays. Add personalization for a, well, personal touch!

Buy here.

 

  • GolfWRX may earn a commission for purchases made through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.

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