The Virtues Golf Club

The Virtues Golf Club – Played 2013

• Rankings: Golf Digest Public #51, Golf Magazine Public #55
• Location: One Long Drive, Nashport, Ohio
• Year: 1999
• Architects: Arthur Hills & Spencer Holt
• Course Access: Public
• Walking Rules: Carts Available

Score Card Information:

• Black: 7,243 yards, Par 72, 75.0 Rating/140 Slope
• Gold: 6,856 yards, Par 72, 73.0 Rating/137 Slope
• Blue: 6,498 yards, Par 72, 71.3 Rating/132 Slope
• White: 6,075 yards, Par 72, 69.2 Rating/128 Slope
• Red: 4,985 yards, Par 72, 67.9 Rating/115 Slope

While in the area for the Presidents Cup at Muirfield Village, my wife and I needed someplace to play before heading back home. Since I didn’t have a way on any of the Top 100 tracks in the Columbus area, I took a look at the lists for the top-rated public courses. I decided on The Virtues Golf Club and I was glad I did. The course was associated with The Longaberger Company that is famous for its picnic baskets. In fact, on our route in we saw the headquarters that is shaped just like one of their signature baskets.

We made our way to the course for our pre-8 AM tee time and headed out to an expansive driving range. It was a long way from the clubhouse; I would not recommend walking to this range.

We would just be a twosome today and we headed out to the first tee to begin a new adventure. I decided to play the blue tees which are listed at 6,498 yards.

Hole 1 – 377 yards – Par 4

The first hole is a dogleg right as you can see in the photo below. A good line is a little cut at the tree in the middle of the fairway.

The approach shot is slightly uphill and in this photo, a little obscured by the sun.

The green is relatively flat as seen below.

Hole 2 – 435 yards – Par 4

The second features a stout tee shot and getting the tee ball in position is critical.

The green is relatively small for a long par 4.  It slopes to the left as you can see here.

Hole 3 – 353 yards – Par 4

The third hole continues what is a trend at The Virtues. The course has many doglegs and elevated greens. A nice little draw here is perfect.

Hole 4 – 504 yards – Par 5

The tee shot here is a sharp dogleg left.  You want to keep it up the left side to give yourself the best angle on the second approach shot.

The approach shot features a pond to the right of the green and makes a wedge much more appealing than coming in with a wood or hybrid.

Hole 5 – 180 yards – Par 3

This is a great par 3 with bunkers left that calls for a power fade.  The sun really framed this green.

Hole 6 – 287 yards – Par 4

I am a fan of drivable par 4’s and this one fits the bill.

As you can see in the photo below, you want to hit a little cut into the green to avoid the bunker on the right.

Hole 8 – 420 yards – Par 4

The tee shot at the 8^th hole is a beauty. It plays slightly uphill and then drops down for the approach. I suppose if you are a real bomber you could take a line at the tree seen here.   I just played it out to the right with the normal people.

The approach shot below is from about 200 yards, but it played about a club and a half shorter than the listed yardage.

Hole 9 – 150 yards – Par 3

The tee shot at the ninth is a tester. It’s all carry to a green framed nicely by trees.

The green, as seen below, is very wide. The pond is the same one in the pictures of the eighth hole.

Hole 10 – 474 yards – Par 5

This is a great opportunity to get home in two.  Just bomb one over the bunker and get ready for birdie.  I could definitely be a caddie!

Here is a shot of the green from about 100 yards out.  Note the hazard in front which comes into play when going for it in two.

Hole 11 – 335 yards – Par 4

This hole is a sharp bender to the right.

The approach shot deals with a hazard much like the last.

Hole 12 – 158 yards – Par 3

Another solid hole here, with no trees to focus your aim.  With the wide-open vista, it is crucial to pick a spot and hit it, preferably the telephone poles in the distance.

Hole 13 – 454 yards – Par 4

This tee shot continues the trend seen on the last hole of more openness.  A good line here is at the middle bunker.

The approach shot is slightly uphill and requires you to avoid the large bunker to the left.

Hole 14 – 162 yards – Par 3

This just continues the trend of good par 3’s at The Virtues.  A little variety from the others in that it’s downhill and sloping to the right.

Hole 15 – 404 yards – Par 4

The shot here is best served hitting a draw starting at the right bunkers.

The approach shot at the fifteenth hole illustrates the raised green trend here. You see this a lot at The Virtues.

Hole 16 – 476 yards – Par 5

This is just a good short par 5. In the tee photo, you cannot see the water that runs all the way down the right side of the hole.

The approach shot calls for a cut with the water on the right.

Hole 17 – 390 yards – Par 4

The par 4’s are very solid here and this hole is yet another example.  Bang another power fade here.

The approach shot has a green framed by bunkers with a large hill behind.  Distance control is key here.

Hole 18 – 434 yards – Par 4

The eighteenth is a really good finisher. It plays uphill all the way, so bust it down the middle here.

Below the second shot continues up the steep hill. This shot is from 195 yards out, but club up to account for the slope.

I also liked the clubhouse, seen in the photo below. It was expansive with a large pro shop, restaurant, and locker rooms. It also has meeting rooms for its namesake company.

The Virtues was a good course. It was not very walker-friendly, but that would be my only knock on the place. Since we had a cart, I was really able to appreciate the changes in elevation that the course provided. I also thought the greens ran incredibly smooth for a public track. In addition, the staff was very friendly and welcoming. All in all, it was another successful trip playing a good golf course. The American win in the Presidents Cup capped off a great weekend.