Golf preview 2024: Latest improvements keep Pine Hills on cutting edge

Pine Hills Golf Club continues to find ways to evolve nearly seven decades after it opened in 1957, as head PGA professional and general manager David Kinnell and his staff aim to maintain a premium experience at the public golf course. Located on the rolling terrain in the northwestern corner of Hinckley Township off West 130th Street, Pine Hills tests golfers of all levels on immaculate fairways and undulating greens. The course offers a diverse mix of picturesque par 3s, long par 5s and exciting par 4s blended seamlessly into the beautiful nature of tree-lined fairways and water features. Kinnell and his staff take pride in their expertly manicured course that holds up well to weather conditions for an enjoyable round on the layout that ranges from 6,752 yards from the back tees with a 72.7 slope rating to 5,180 yards at the forward tees with a 70.8 slope rating. "We're always working on the golf course," Kinnell said. "We're always trying to improve the experience. Our fairways are as good as a lot of the private clubs. You get a good experience when you play here." Most recently, the improvements have focused on multiyear projects that range from replacing all of the cart paths with cement paths that offer a smooth and even ride — the work continues — to renovating the bunkers to help drainage as well as the playing experience. With all the work done in-house and it taking about a week to complete each bunker, the staff put gravel at the bottom of each bunker to avoid standing water after a rainfall and then put all new sand on top. Some of the bunkers were reshaped to modernize them and others that proved unnecessary were filled in. In addition, the staff this season took out a series of trees on No. 14 to open up the view of a lake that provides water for the course. In recent years Pine Hills also opened a 200-yard practice facility and a patio in front of the clubhouse that has become a popular place to sit following rounds in the summer. The course is the star, offering a set of pretty par 3s that require accuracy. The downhill 215-yard No. 4 will penalize a wayward shot with water, sand and trees, while the uphill 194-yard eighth, the tight 185-yard 12th and the over-water 183-yard 16th will punish a short shot. The true gem comes at the end with the 426-yard 18th. Among the most difficult finishing holes in the state, a good tee shot is necessary to set up an approach over a large water hazard with fountains into a green that is well protected by bunkers. "You hear it every time somebody hasn't played here before, but their playing partner has, they point right at No. 18," Kinnell said. "They all say it's the hardest finishing hole in Cleveland, which it pretty much is." A great experience does not stop at the appearance and quality of the course. Pine Hills focuses on making sure everyone can enjoy a round in a timely manner. You also do not have to worry often about an outing closing the course or slowing down a foursome. "We work hard on pace of play," Kinnell said. "You usually get people to play (an 18-hole) round in 4½ hours or less. Most people can't do that at other courses around here and they get good customer service." The facility has a couple of club professionals who offer lessons, a full pro shop that includes club regripping and a clubhouse to handle food and beverage needs. Pine Hills also makes a concerted effort to support the junior golfer. Home to the Brunswick boys and the Highland girls and boys golf teams in the fall, Pine Hills hosts a number of high school events throughout the season, including a Division III sectional and the D-I district tournament that challenges the best teams in Northeast Ohio to earn a berth into the state tournament. "Our board of directors feel that is your future lifeblood of the golf industry," Kinnell said. "We want to expose as many of those juniors to our facility as possible. That way, when they are out of college and on with their lives, they think of Pine Hills when they want to play golf. We feel it's very important for us going forward that they remember that experience they had as juniors." Contact John Urchek at jurchek@medina-gazette.com.