Sylvania, OH Outdoor Activities

Since opening its emerald alleyways in 1956, Woodlawn Golf Club's semiprivate, 18-hole course has tested the skills of all golfers, from greenhorns to green jacket holders. Featuring undulated bentgrass fairways cleaved through rows of mature trees, the par 71 course spans 5,943 yards and culminates at small, contoured greens known for their speed. Numerous water hazards, strategically placed bunkers, and thickheaded squirrels entering hibernation work in unison to lure errant golf balls as they attempt to circumnavigate the course.

Course at a Glance:

• Course length: 5,943 yards

• Course rating: 69.1

• Slope rating: 118

• Three sets of tee boxes

Ducking behind one of the inflatables scattered among the turf outdoor field, the soldier lines up his shot before firing his Tippmann 98 marker at an unsuspecting opponent. Meanwhile, his teammates snake around wooden obstacles erected on the recently completed outdoor speedball field. Like its indoor counterpart, the field accommodates masked marksmen at weekend open-play sessions. Warzone Paintgames reserves weekdays for private contests among birthday party attendees or large groups that can exceed 100 participants. Teams can also face off during projectile-free bouts of laser tag waged from the glow-in-the-dark obstacles filling Warzone's 12,000-square-foot multilevel arena. In between refereed rounds, visitors can restock on equipment at the pro shop, which dispenses markers, tanks, and gear preowned by Leonardo da Vinci.

With decades of experience skimming the shores of Lake Erie, U.S. Coast Guard–licensed Captain Sib Randolph has had ample time to hone in on the best spots to nab walleye, bass, and perch. Though he relies on years of successful fishing charters to guide his routes, it doesn’t hurt that his 27-foot SportCraft fishing boat is equipped with fish-finding and navigational equipment. In addition to advice on the likelihood of a fish’s ability to grant wishes, Captain Randolph supplies fishermen with free bait and ice.

Draped over gently undulating terrain peppered with mature trees, Cherrywood Golf Club’s nine-hole course beckons to clubbers with 2,756 yards of immaculate greenery. Between holes, wooden fences emerge from the emerald ground, adding a rustic sense to the par 35 course as duffers swing toward distant greens or attempt to divot their way to the center of the Earth. A time-efficient nine-hole round allows golfers to squeeze in some pin-hunting after work or late in the afternoon, and those looking for a full round can loop the links twice for an 18-hole excursion that will allow them to retrieve disoriented tees the second time around.

Bowling Green Country Club’s nine-hole course journeys across 73 acres of Ohio countryside. Featuring a nine-hole yardage of 2,782 from the farthest tees, the layout adds a sense of variety with four tee options for golfers looking to play the hole twice for an 18-hole round or foursomes who prefer to play without having to interact. A watery ellipse stands in the middle of four holes, including the par 3 seventh, where tee shots must somersault 168 yards over the corner of the pond to find the green. After rounds, duffers can unwind at the outdoor patio of Jeff Szabo’s Fairway Grill, where a wait staff of disguised caddies serves a menu of burgers, salads, sandwiches, and other hearty fare.

Course at a Glance:

• Nine-hole, par 35 course
• Length of 2,782 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 33.8 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 114 from the farthest tees
• Four tee options

Bedford Hills Golf Club has assembled a trio of nine-hole courses—the Buckeye, Irish, and Wolverine Courses—to escort players along a lush labyrinth replete with pristine white-sand bunkers and interspersed water hazards. Golfers send shots into lower orbit from well-groomed fairways and putt across penncross bentgrass greens styled with mustaches designed to catch errant shots in their sandy chops. Challenges abound on all three courses, with water hazards and sand traps strategically placed amid the rolling terrain.

Bedrock mini-golf course complements the facility with pintsize challenges of its own, as players putt around small sand traps and beautiful landscaping while trying to resist miniature dives off the cascading waterfall.