So, I finally got around to playing the Scarlet course at Ohio State. Been hearing about it for ages, you know, it’s one of those big-name university courses, and I figured it was time to see what all the fuss was about. My practice, or rather, my attempt to conquer it, started like any other round, I guess.
First off, I had to actually get on the course. Went online, booked a tee time. Wasn’t too much of a hassle, which was a good start. Some of these places, they make you jump through hoops, but this was pretty straightforward. Picked a day, locked it in.
Come the day, I drove over. It’s right there on the OSU campus, so you can’t miss it. Plenty of parking, that’s always a relief. Nothing worse than circling around looking for a spot when you just want to hit some balls.
Walked into the clubhouse. It’s got that older, traditional vibe, you know? Not overly fancy, but it feels like a serious golf place. Found the pro shop, got myself checked in. The folks there were pleasant enough, got me sorted with my green fee and pointed me towards the practice facilities.
I figured I’d better hit a few before taking on the Scarlet. So, I grabbed my clubs and headed to the driving range. It was… a driving range. Nothing spectacular, but it did the job. Hit a small bucket, mostly trying to convince myself my swing was going to show up. Some good, some bad, the usual story. Then, over to the putting green. This is where I started to get a bit nervous. Those greens looked quick and had some serious looking slopes. Rolled a few putts, trying to get the pace. Mostly, I just confirmed that putting was still going to be an adventure.
Alright, showtime. Made my way to the first tee. You always get those little butterflies, right? Especially on a course with a reputation. The starter gave a few pointers, and then it was go time.
Let me tell you, the Scarlet is a proper test of golf. It’s an old Alister MacKenzie design, and you can feel it. It’s not one of these modern courses that are all about tricked-up water hazards and crazy carries everywhere. It’s subtle, but it’ll get you if you’re not careful.
The fairways were reasonably generous, I thought, but if you strayed, the rough was no joke. It would grab your club. And the bunkers… man, those MacKenzie bunkers. They’re deep, and they’re placed exactly where you don’t want to be. I found myself in a couple, and yeah, they definitely cost me a shot or two. Getting out was an achievement in itself.
The greens were just as I suspected from the practice green: fast and undulating. You really had to think about where to land your approach shots. If you were on the wrong side of the hole, a two-putt felt like a victory. I had my fair share of three-putts, believe me. Super frustrating, but that’s the challenge of it, I guess.
I remember a few holes pretty vividly. Some long par 4s that demanded two solid shots. There was this one par 3, over some junk, to a green that looked like a potato chip. Bogey felt pretty good there. It wasn’t a course where you could just blast it and hope for the best. You had to plot your way around.
The conditioning was good. Fairways were well-maintained, greens rolled true, even if they were devilishly fast. No complaints there. It felt like a championship-level course in that respect.
Finished up my round, feeling pretty beat. It was a grind. Returned the cart, took a deep breath. It’s one of those rounds where you know you’ve been challenged. You’re tired, maybe a bit beaten up by the scorecard, but you respect the course.
So, that was my experience with the OSU Scarlet. It’s a tough, classic golf course. If you’re looking for an easy, relaxing day out, this probably ain’t it. But if you appreciate golf course architecture and you want a real test of your game, then yeah, give it a shot. Just make sure you bring your patience, and maybe a few extra balls. Definitely a place I’d say I’ve “practiced” on, in the toughest sense of the word.
