Tanglewood National Golf Club facts for kids
Tanglewood National Golf Club is a fun public golf course located in Bainbridge Township, Geauga County, Ohio. It's part of the Tanglewood Lake neighborhood.
This golf club used to be a private place called Tanglewood Country Club. But in 2007, it faced some tough times when a main road to the club was closed for three years. This made it hard for people to visit, and the business struggled.
On June 6, 2009, a person named Marc Strauss bought the club at an auction. He paid $950,000 for it, which was less than half of what it was worth! After that, it became known as Tanglewood National Golf Club starting July 1, 2009. Today, the people who live in the Tanglewood Lake area are working to buy the golf club themselves.
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The Golf Course: A Closer Look
The Tanglewood golf course has 18 holes and was designed by William F. Mitchell, a well-known golf course architect, in 1966. It officially opened for players in 1967.
This beautiful course covers about 132 acres (or 0.53 square kilometers). It's known for its tree-lined paths, 46 sand traps (called bunkers), and water features like a creek that runs through the course.
A cool fact about the course is its record! The lowest score ever shot here is 67, by a golfer named Jubal Jerik.
Tanglewood used to be known as the toughest course in Northeastern Ohio because of its high "slope rating" of 144. This rating tells golfers how difficult a course is for average players.
Famous Tournaments at Tanglewood
Tanglewood has hosted some really big golf tournaments! These include:
- The last Cleveland Open for the PGA Tour in 1972.
- The LPGA Babe Zaharias Classic, which featured top women golfers.
- The Ohio Open golf championship.
Even Fuzzy Zoeller, a professional golfer and U.S. Open winner, once said that Tanglewood could be a U.S. Open course. He said, "Set the tees on the blues, grow the rough and you've got an open course." This means if they made it longer and the grass around the fairways thicker, it would be challenging enough for a major championship!
In 1972, the PGA's Cleveland Open was held at Tanglewood Country Club. The winner was David Graham, who finished with a score of 6 strokes under par. He won a prize of $30,000! Graham won in a sudden-death playoff against Bruce Devlin, meaning they kept playing until one person won a hole.
Who Owned Tanglewood?
Over the years, Tanglewood has had a few different owners:
- Dennis Romanini: 1981-2008
- Huntington Bank: 2008-2009
- Marc Strauss: 2009-2012
- Tanglewood Lake Homeowners Association: 2012–Present
The Clubhouse and Facilities
The Tanglewood Country Club Clubhouse is a large building, about 27,000 square feet in size. It has gone through a big makeover!
The first part of the renovation included replacing the roof, all the windows, and doors. The outside of the building was updated with split rock sandstone, giving it a new look. The entrance area, called the Porte Cochere, was also redesigned to match the new style.
Inside, the floors were replaced, and the conference room was redesigned. Two new bathrooms were added, and the main ballroom, which can hold 200 guests, was remodeled. There's also a West Room for 80 guests, and together they can host up to 300 people. The old Pavilion Restaurant is now another ballroom that can fit up to 70 guests.
The swimming pool was removed, and that area is being relandscaped. The parking lot is also being made bigger, and the driving range (where golfers practice their swings) is being enlarged.
The Pro Shop and Bagroom
The Bagroom used to be located just below the Golf Shop. This is where members would store their golf bags. It also had facilities for washing towels and cleaning golf range balls. It was connected to the Cart Barn, where the golf carts were kept. This building is part of the future renovation plans.
Today, the Pro Shop is located inside the Clubhouse. It's a great place to find golf clubs, clothing for both men and women, and other golf accessories. There's also a snack shop inside the Pro Shop where you can grab a bite to eat or a drink.
Past Events at Tanglewood
Tanglewood has been a popular spot for many different events and charity golf outings over the years, including:
- The PGA Cleveland Open in 1972.
- The LPGA Babe Zaharias Classic.
- The Ohio Open Golf Championship in 1981.
- The Nestle/Bernie Kosar Charity Classic.
- The Marymont Cavs Charity Golf Classic.
- The NFL Alumni Golf Outing.
