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By Jeff Wallner
White Oak Golf Course has been
battling a bit of an identity crisis.
Despite the usual assumptions, the
18-hole public facility isn’t located in Cincinnati’s well-known
west side suburb of White Oak. And, although Tri-County Highway is
the main thoroughfare bordering the course, it is not anywhere near
Tri-County Mall.
When owner Don Schroer informs
golfers that his course is actually located in the sleepy community
of Sardinia he’s often greeted with a resounding, “Where’s that?”
“I’ve gotten to the point where I
tell people we’re in Mt. Orab, people know about Mt. Orab,” Schroer
says.
Truth is; White Oak’s spacious
fairways and numerous historical landmarks make it one of the more
unique golfing facilities in Southwest Ohio.
The course got its name from White
Oak Creek, a winding waterway which flows through the golf course
eventually dumping into the Ohio River at Higginsport. White Oak,
which is celebrating its 32nd anniversary this year,
resides at the center of a 30-mile radius where 16 golf courses
compete for market dominance.
Schroer purchased the course in
1982 which, at the time, was a nine-hole course with an adjacent
swim club. The land was originally a family-owned dairy farm. A son
and son-in-law, who were avid golfers, converted much of the farm
into a small golf course along with a large swimming pool which has
since been replaced with the current cart barn. In addition to
exposure issues, White Oak, no unlike many area golf courses, is
being challenged by a changing demographic.
“The largest percentage of golfers
are in the 50-65 age group,” Schroer says. “We were depending on the
younger generation to take their place and that hasn’t happened.”
White Oak was expanded to 18-holes
three years ago to help the course become more competitively
stable.
“We were running at capacity for a
nine-hole course,” says Schroer. “There are a lot of golfers who
won’t play a nine-hole course. If I was going to continue to grow,
(expanding) was a necessity. You want the variety of 18 holes.”
Golfers who venture to White Oak
are afforded more than just a competitively balanced golf course.
Amid the largely flat landscape of western Brown County, White Oak
appears like a green oasis complete with rolling hills, mature trees
and strategically positioned waterways.
“We’re never overly crowded
because it’s such a spacious course,” Schroer says. “It’s moderately
difficult, but it’s open enough that you don’t lose too many balls.
We have a lot of people who walk away scratching their heads and
wondering why they didn’t shoot better.”
No. 5 is the only hole where you
have to hit over water. White Oak Creek comes into play on four
holes. Even amid a dry, hot summer, the condition of the course is
impeccable. For this, Schroer credits his superintendent, Tom Poole,
who has spent the past 25 years tending to the course grounds.
“He puts his heart and soul into
it,” Schroer says. “He’s here at the crack of dawn. He’s the
course’s biggest asset.”
The 170 acres provide refuge for a
variety of wildlife including deer, turkeys, groundhogs and even a
bald eagle which first appeared when the course was being built.
White Oak is also teeming with
history; you just have to know where to look.
A small hill adjacent to the fifth
hole is adorned with two white stone monuments. Turns out, they are
graves dating back to the Civil War. A portion of the fence
surrounding the graves still stands. Schroer says the State of Ohio
gave him permission to raze the area during the course’s expansion,
but he refused.
“I didn’t want to do that,” he
says. “Besides, I thought it would make a great conversation piece.”
A wishing well on No. 16 is the
last remaining structure from an apple orchard which was destroyed
by a fire in 1830. Two American Indian burial mounds are also among
the course’s novelties, although Schroer requests that the exact
location of the mounds remain a secret. “We’d have people out here
digging,” he says.
White Oak is known for its ‘Bell Hole’ at No.
16. Foliage shields the golfer from the creek bridge below creating
a precarious situation for pedestrians. So, Schroer installed a
buzzer on the bridge which notifies other golfers that there are
people crossing the bridge. “Everyone knows about the ‘Bell Hole’,”
Schroer says.
The newly-designed course envelopes 60 acres
which, beginning next spring will become a 100-home real estate
development providing sweeping views of White Oak’s sprawling
landscape. Homes will be priced from $250,000 with lots available at
below market value.
“You can live on a golf course anywhere in
Cincinnati, all you have to have is money,” says Schroer. “Our lots
will be more affordable.”
Golfing at White Oak is already
inexpensive with 18-holes ranging from $27 to $32 including a cart,
less than half the price of most courses, Schroer says.
White Oak is hoping to tap into
the population explosion which is currently taking place in the
east-side counties of Clermont, Brown and Highland.
With a newly-enlarged course,
up-scale housing development and increased visibility, Schroer may
find even less time to enjoy the fruits of actually playing.
“The worst thing you want do if
you’re a golfer is to work at a golf course,” he says. |
