Bowling Green

Accommodations:

Best Western Falcon Plaza

Location:

Bowling Green. Best Western Falcon Plaza, located in Bowling Green, is in the heart of the action.  I chose this property because all three courses are within 20-25 minutes of the hotel, plus I think this college town is one heck of a fun place to hang out.  The amenities include: complimentary continental plus breakfast, business center, whirlpool/hot tub facility and free daily newspaper.  This is also the only AAA 3 diamond rate motel in town.  Package based on double occupancy.  Includes green fees, cart and taxes.

SPECIAL GOLF NOTE:                                                                                                      This is an opportunity to play three Arthur Hills courses and challenge one of the most sought after architects in the business.  There is one of his first courses located in Toledo and a more recent one just across the border in Michigan that can be added to this package.

Stone Ridge Golf Club
"A private club experience is now available to the public golfer", says renowned architect Arthur Hills, when he talks about Stone Ridge Golf Club, located in Bowling Green.  The course features eighteen beautiful holes integrating the best in links style with six scenic lakes.  Strategic bunkering and a superb use of the natural terrain make the Stone Ridge experience one to remember.  This course is located in a housing development, but with the mounding Hills employed, you are sheltered a bit.  After its opening in 1998, this track received rave reviews and they continue.  The greens are relatively small in size and have moderate undulation.  With water coming in to play on 9 holes, you will be challenged.  In fact starting with #9 and continuing to the 13^th, you should take caution.  The par 3 thirteenth is a pretty little 163-yard treat with nothing but water between you and the green.  The finishing hole is one you need to avoid the water and find the fairway, since the lake runs the entire length of the hole on the left side.  A hook here makes a big splash.

Black Hawk Run Golf Club
On 350 acres of beautiful rolling farm and forest land one of the most sought after golf architects, Arthur Hills designed Red Hawk Run Golf Club.  Located just outside Findlay, you will find the 6^th Best New Affordable Golf Course of 2001, according to Golf Digest Magazine. Between stands of mature hardwoods and nestled between three secluded ponds and a strategically flowing creek, this course is a challenging 18-hole, par 72, "upscale public" course with five sets of tees that allow any golfer to play overall lengths ranging from over 7,000 yards from the back tees down to 5,000 yards from the forward markers. Red Hawk Lake and Eagle Lake will haunt you and six of the holes will challenge you to navigate across a menacing creek.  This Arthur Hills treasure is the newest of the three courses.  The greens are a little hard, so you may want to consider running a few of your pitches on the undulating putting surfaces.  Overall, you will experience a little links action as well as a parkland feel.  Most of all, you will know you’ve play one heck of great course.

Maumee Bay Resort
In the day and age of states building outstanding golf courses for their citizens and guests, Ohio has a phenomenal one just ten minutes away from Toledo. Arthur Hills has outdone himself with this 1990 treasure.  It is truly a "Scottish Links" style golf course with low, rolling mounds, bent grass fairways, greens and tees, numerous sand bunkers and ponds.  Most of all, it is located only a driver and a fairway wood from Lake Erie.  Let me tell you when the wind blows, you are in for a treat.  Since the fairway terrain is rolling, you will experience many uneven lies. Which should be fun compared to the thirteen holes where water hazards come into play.  Hills starts you off with an nice long par 4 and then challenges you with one of his typical short par 4’s that features bunkers on both sides of the landing area.  Then the fun begins with water coming into play for the next 4 holes.  I must say my favorite is the par 5 fourteenth with water on the right for your tee shot, then on the left for your second and approach shots plus if you’re long there’s water behind the green.  What I like the most about the course is there are no houses to be seen for miles.