The Ohio State University Golf Club - Scarlet

The Ohio State University Golf Club Scarlet Course traces its origins to 1931 when Alister MacKenzie, the legendary architect of Augusta National and Cypress Point, was commissioned to design 36 holes for the university. MacKenzie completed his plans, but the Great Depression delayed construction significantly. The Scarlet Course and nine holes of its shorter sibling, the Gray Course, were not completed until 1938, several years after MacKenzie's death in 1934.

The Scarlet Course stands as one of MacKenzie's few designs in the Midwest and shares architectural DNA with Augusta National, featuring the same philosophy of strategic width, bold bunkering, and imaginatively contoured greens. The course served as the home of Ohio State's legendary golf program, which has produced champions including Jack Nicklaus, who played collegiate golf at Ohio State.

In 2006, Jack Nicklaus and his Nicklaus Design firm undertook a comprehensive renovation of the Scarlet Course, restoring MacKenzie's original design intent while modernizing the layout for championship play. The renovation was completed in 2014 and the course has since hosted Nationwide Tour events, reinforcing its status as one of the finest university golf courses in America.

The OSU Scarlet Course delivers a world-class architectural experience at university-course pricing. MacKenzie's strategic design philosophy is evident throughout, with wide fairways that offer multiple angles of attack and greens that reward precise iron play. The Nicklaus renovation has brought the course to championship condition while honoring the original design.

The course is the home of Ohio State's men's and women's golf teams, and the atmosphere carries the spirit of Buckeye athletics. Conditions are typically excellent, and the layout provides a demanding test at over 7,400 yards from the back tees while remaining playable from the forward tees.

The key to scoring on the Scarlet Course is understanding MacKenzie's green complexes. Many greens feature false fronts, subtle tiers, and dramatic contours that punish poorly placed approach shots. Study the pin positions and aim for the correct quadrant of the green rather than firing at every pin.

The course plays through relatively flat terrain with Olentangy Creek creating strategic hazards on several holes. Club selection should account for the Midwest conditions, which can vary dramatically between seasons. Play to your strengths off the tee, as the wide fairways forgive slight misses while the greens demand precision.