Things to Do in Pataskala

The course at High Lands Golf Club challenges visitors with 6,599 yards of tight lies, concealed obstacles, and fairway trees extending their unlucky limbs into players’ sightlines. Tree-lined fairways and immaculate greens yield some scenic vistas for players bashing orbs along the course’s serpentine length. The signature third hole starts players off from an elevated tee shot that must stay out of the out-of-bounds area on the left, but not drift too far right, where clearing the wooded ravine on the second shot would become impossible. The next shot onto the elevated green is made difficult by the black walnut tree guarding the green, making for an altogether difficult run at par. Toward the end of the round, players must face a gauntlet of obstacles on holes 16, 17, and 18 before heading in for the day. Named the “Bermuda Triangle” for the architect’s tendency to incorporate treacherous waterways and affinity for Bermuda shorts, hole 16 challenges golfers with difficult lies, slippery putts, and water hazards that loom large.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Four sets of tees per hole
• Total length of 6,599 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 71.6 from the back tees
• Course slope of 130 from the back tees

A professional golf instructor since 1999, Bobby Steiner augments golfers’ swings and course management skills during private and nine-hole playing lessons. At Little Turtle Golf Club, where Bobby is director of instruction, students can sign up to join a group of up to four players consisting of Mr. Steiner and two other pupils. The troop plays out a nine-hole, three-man scramble while Bobby analyzes and offers advice for each swing, helps formulate short-game strategies, and carefully avoids blocking the suns rays while players sunbath in the bunkers. Each on-course lesson takes approximately two hours to complete, and students should show up early to check in and warm up. During private lessons, players of every skill level receive stroke-shaving instruction on aspects of their full swing and short-game techniques. Though private lessons offer golfers the best opportunity for one-on-one instruction that focuses on improving their unique swing mechanics, people can combine two Groupons to take their lesson together.

After spending years penning a golf instruction column for a number of papers throughout the West and Midwest, Bobby compiled the observations, stories, and people he’d encountered as a teaching professional into a book, titled Munie.

Renowned course architect Pete Dye sculpted Little Turtle Golf Club's 18-hole course from 6,622 yards of Ohio countryside, artfully incorporating the waters of Big Walnut Creek into the par 72 layout. As golfers pass through the course's tree-lined fairways, they can imagine themselves walking in the footsteps and divotsteps of 1992 Masters champion Fred Couples, who holds the Little Turtle course record along with Champions Tour player Rod Spittle, the club's director emeritus of golf. Water hazards come into play on 10 holes throughout the round, often positioned close to greens to make approach shots a daunting task. The club complements its championship course with a practice facility that boasts a full-length driving range and a green with a practice bunker and designated areas for chipping.

Little Turtle Golf Club pairs its par-hunting pursuits with a lively social regimen, which includes holiday events, gatherings for sports fans, and poker nights. The epicenter for all friendly get-togethers, the Grille Room regales guests with a limestone fireplace, a copper bar, and outdoor seating that overlooks the placid waters and amphibious caddies of Lake Turtle.

Course at a Glance:

• Designed by course architect Pete Dye
• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Length of 6,622 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 71.6 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 131 from the farthest tees
• Four tee options
• Scorecard