Eagle Sticks Golf Club near Zanesville, OH

[iacas]

On May 4 I'll be playing Eagle Sticks Golf Club near Zanesville, OH for a review along with one other person (who runs a central Ohio set of websites).

Has anyone played there? Do you have any initial thoughts? Things to look for?

We may also have space for another player. Is anyone interested? I'll post updates on that here.

[Clubchucker]

On May 4 I'll be playing

PLEASE either post a follow up reply after you've played or at least PM me with what you find out about Eagle Sticks. Reason being, our "guys annual golf trip" is being played there this year, with one round at Longaberger. Very interested on hearing your report.

[AMGfan]

You know it might be a good idea to have a sticky thread on field reports on courses we play for people who might be vacationing or happen to be in the area...I'd like to get some inside scoop on course layout, course condition, tee time availability, green fees, pace of play, customer service, etc...Sometimes course websites are misleading...

It'd be a good resource to have and having it as a sticky would make it easy to find on the subforum.

[iacas]

PLEASE

Sure thing. We'll have a full review on the site by May 25.

I will also be playing Longaberger later this year as well and going to a Dave Pelz one-day clinic there as well.

You know it might be a good idea to have a sticky thread on field reports on courses we play for people who might be vacationing or happen to be in the area...I'd like to get some inside scoop on course layout, course condition, tee time availability, green fees, pace of play, customer service, etc...Sometimes course websites are misleading...

I think if people properly title their posts, it's better to have individual threads - like this one - about particular courses rather than everyone lumping their notes into one thread. Wouldn't you say?

[georgep]

I just played a two-day best ball event at Longaberger and EagleSticks. It was the first time that I'd played EagleSticks.

When you drive up to EagleSticks , at first you're thinking, This can't be the right neighborhood. It sits right across the street from an 84 Lumber, but the course itself is quite a looker and a blast to play. At least, I imagine that it would be on a decent day. My one round there, we had a two-and-a-half-hour rain delay (April 1) and then played a game punctuated by plugged balls and casual water.

It's a short course (6508 from the tips, Par 70) with a lot of elevation changes. In firm conditions, you'll need to worry a lot more about where you're ball's going to run to than how far you carry it off of the elevated tees. For instance, the par 5 number 3 drops off precipitously from the tee to a landing area that slopes off to the right toward a ravine and creek. You'd better be able to hit a draw or the left rough might be a good place to put the tee shot.

I've heard its always in good shape (again, I've only played it once). Even in very early Spring, with one exception the greens were in great shape and pretty fast for having been poured on for the previous 24 hours. The 3rd green had an invasion of Poa and may need a little more air than it's getting -- it was completely different from all the other greens. I carp on this because it contributed to me missing one of my few birdie putts of the day.

I'd kind of describe EagleSticks as an Augusta Junior. It has the same sort of rolling topography and greens. Its upkeep, while not quite Augusta-like, is really up there for a $50 (weekend) public.

And since you brought it up ... Longaberger was always my favorite course in Ohio, right up until I played NCR last year. Don't get me wrong, Longaberger is still an awesome course, though the manicure level seems to have fallen a bit with the basket company's financial health. Nevertheless, it is a beautiful course, and they've dropped the rack rate from $125 to $99 (though I'm not sure you get a souvenir towel anymore). It's much longer (7243 yds. Par 72) than EagleSticks, with, for the most part, less severe contours on the greens. We played it March 31, and it was in pretty good shape already.

Longaberger features a number of holes that would serve as "Signature" holes on most courses -- Nos. 4, 9, 11, 16, and 18 come to mind. But number #8 is the one Longaberger considers its signature hole, and it's the one that will probably haunt you. From the tee, you have a choice of playing to either side of a stand of tall trees. To the right is an enormous fairway on the side of a steep hillside. Shots up there will run forever curling down toward the green that sits on a peninsula of land jutting into a pond. The other route forces you to fire a drive directly at the water to a landing area that appears very small. I suspect that the smart play is to take the high road from the upper tees and the low from the lower sets. You'll see what I mean when you play it. Enjoy them both!

[iacas]

Great info above. Thanks. I'm looking forward to it now for sure!

[iacas]

PLEASE

Full review is

now online .

[Norm66]

I'm going to get to play Eagle Sticks June 23rd. I've been poring over the review... I can't wait. This will be the first really nice course I've played. I'll be sure and bring a lot of balls with me.

Since it wasn't mentioned in the review, can you shed a little light on the GPS units on the carts and how they work? I've never had the chance to use them.

[iacas]

Since it wasn't mentioned in the review, can you shed a little light on the GPS units on the carts and how they work? I've never had the chance to use them.

They tell you the yardage to the pin. That's about it.

I think you can move the cursor around, but honestly, I didn't use them. I just used my range finder.