Golfing in the Hills

Knox County is nestled among rolling hills in Ohio, which are full of golf courses—many of which are frequented by students. “We are fortunate to have so many great public courses in our area and Central Ohio,” Kenyon Head Golf Coach Grant Wallace said. 

While all the courses that are subsequently reviewed offer eighteen holes and are a short drive away from campus, each is unique. Golf courses are listed in alphabetical order.

Apple Valley Golf Course

433 Clubhouse Drive • Howard, Ohio 43028

Since Apple Valley opened in 1972, it has been a favorite golfing spot of locals and travelers, who enjoy playing from April through November. The par 72 course has four tee boxes to choose from. 

Owner Mark Mickley takes pride in the fact that Apple Valley has been a family owned course for over 40 years. “Since it's our place, we really take a lot of pride and show a lot of self respect making sure it's nice.”

Wallace has taken note, calling it a “friendly family-owned golf course.” Furthermore, he appreciates that the course is in good condition.

Apple Valley has hosted numerous tournaments. In 1977, the Division III NCAA National Championship came to Howard, Ohio. The course also hosts the Division 1 High School Regional Championship and the Ohio Public Links Championship. 

“It's an [advanced] golf course that can be challenging for real low handicap golfers,” Mickley said. “[It’s a] good tournament course.”

However, Apple Valley usually has the course set up so everyone can enjoy a round of golf. Mickley emphasized that the golf course is also good for golfers with a variety of skill-levels. “The good thing about this place is even if you're just an average golfer...the majority of the holes here, you can just kind of run your shots up onto the green, so you don't have to be a great player,” he said. 

Regardless of whether one plays in a league or with a group of friends, golfers can enjoy snacks, drinks or a meal at the clubhouse. With its ability to seat 120 guests, the clubhouse is able to host events. “We're proud of really going to work every day and giving it a real good effort every day,” Mickley said. “We do, I think, a pretty good job with our customer service. I think the whole operation is really a good first class place to come to and you're definitely going to have good conditions.”

Chapel Hill Golf Course

7516 Johnstown Road • Mount Vernon, Ohio 43050

Chapel Hill opened in 1996. There are five tees to choose from on the par 72 course that is open year round. 

They host a variety of leagues and tournaments. Their main event is their Fallen Heroes fundraiser where they raise money for the Ohio Fallen Heroes Memorial organization. 

Their signature feature is called “Golf until you drop.” You pay one flat rate and then you can golf all day with a cart included. Additionally, some drinks and snacks are included in the rate. 

Wallace enjoys being able to golf all day. “The ‘all-inclusive’ rate is fun.”

Interestingly, Chapel Hill’s clubhouse was once the Mount Vernon Bible College’s chapel. The chapel now hosts a pro-shop and snack area. Maddie Friday ’24, who golfs regularly, notes that it is a great place to rest halfway through a golf game. “[It is a] beautiful area to take a break.”

Whether enjoying a single round or playing until you drop, Chapel Hill offers a variety of options for golfers. 

Irish Hills Golf Course

7020 Newark Road • Mount Vernon, Ohio 43050

A par 71 golf course, there are four tees to choose from at Irish Hills. The front nine holes were built in 1928, and the back nine holes were added in 1984.

There is a wide variety of leagues to play at Irish Hills, and they plan on adding more in 2024. Additionally, Irish Hills hosts a few tournaments. They have a platform where people can view the live scores on a smartphone in addition to the TVs in the clubhouse.

“One of our big advantages of what we do well is we leverage technology into the overall experience,” the Director of Irish Hills Billy Barbour said. “We set up the events for most of the tournaments that come in and facilitate the prizes and just the overall experience.”

The clubhouse hosts the pro-shop in addition to a bar where patrons can enjoy a drink, snack or meal. Friday describes the clubhouse as “well-kept and cozy.”

Recently, Irish Hills bought a smoker with which Barbour stated that they can feed a little over 500 people and cook a variety of food, ”anywhere from homemade mac and cheese, fall-off-the-bone pork ribs to filets, anything you can think of, we can make it.”

Irish Hills can host a variety of events from birthday parties to corporate functions. In the offseason, they plan to have events centered around televised sporting events, such as the NFL playoffs. 

Golfers can enjoy the course from April through October. During winter, Barbour does maintenance to ensure that the course is good to go in the spring. 

Barbour hopes that people have revel in the outdoors when playing a round of golf. “We strive to make the course as playable as possible [and] to be enjoyable.”

Vernon View Golf Course

901 Beech Street • Mount Vernon, Ohio 43050

Golfers can enjoy playing at Vernon View from around the start of April to the end of November. Recently renovated in 2021, the par 72 course offers four tees to choose from. 

The Phillips family purchased the course in 2021 and has made significant improvements since then. In addition, all five ponds have been redone and four more have been added. This winter, the Phillips family plans to redo all of the bridges to help with drainage.

Recently, Vernon View added an indoor golf course with Foresight GCHawk, so golfers don’t have to put away their clubs once the weather turns chilly. There are over 350 courses available to choose from in the simulator. 

“You can hang out with everybody in your group the whole time and talk and drink, " said Charlie Phillips. “So, a little more social; some people like it for that.”

Friday has noticed the changes being made to the course. “I am really proud of how Vernon View has improved over the last year and a half,” she said. “They are clearly putting some serious work into the course and it is paying off.”

The course hosts a number of company outings and fundraisers. Additionally, golfers can join one of the many leagues that Vernon View hosts. 

In the clubhouse, golfers can enjoy a bratwurst or hot dog that comes from the family farm. 

Regardless of whether one chooses to golf outside or inside, the Phillips family has put a lot of effort into making golf an enjoyable experience. “It’s a pretty simple course,” Phillips said. “But, it’s a little tricky.”

Fantastic Golf Options Abound in Knox County

Irish Hills Director Billy Barbour appreciates Kenyon students coming out to golf. “It seems like the [students] that are coming out to play are really enjoying the game and they really appreciate the overall experience and the value that they get,” he said. “I just appreciate their business and love seeing the younger generation getting out and enjoying the game. So that's been really cool, and I want to give them a safe place to do it.”