Hardest Public Golf Courses in Ohio
The hardest public golf course in Ohio is Boulder Creek Golf Club in Streetsboro, with a slope of 141 and a course rating of 76.1 from the Tournament tees (7,411 yards). It is a public course, open to all golfers. Next are Westchester Golf Course (slope 140) and Carlisle Golf Club (slope 140).
5 hardest public courses in Ohio, by slope
Every course here has had its public access checked against a named source.
| Rank | Course | City | Access | Slope | Course rating | Tee | Yards | Access checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boulder Creek Golf Club | Streetsboro | Public | 141 | 76.1 | Tournament | 7,411 | Nov 2026 source |
| 2 | Westchester Golf Course | Canal Winchester | Public | 140 | 73.8 | Black | 7,098 | Nov 2026 source |
| 3 | Carlisle Golf Club | Grafton | Public | 140 | 70.9 | White | 6,249 | Nov 2026 source |
| 4 | Avalon Lakes Golf Course | Warren | Semi-private | 139 | 76.5 | Position 5 | 7,531 | Nov 2026 source |
| 5 | The Virtues Golf Club | Nashport | Public | 139 | 75.2 | Black | 7,243 | Nov 2026 source |
How this list is built
Each course is ranked by the highest slope rating from its men's tees. Women's ratings are used only where a course publishes no men's rating. Only regulation 18-hole courses are included; nine-hole courses are left out.
Only courses whose public access Stymie has checked against the club's own site or another named source are listed, and private clubs are left out. That is why this list differs from the hardest golf courses in Ohio, which ranks every rated course.
Courses are checked in order from the highest slope down, and the list stops at the first course whose public access has not been checked yet, so nothing here skips over an unchecked course. Courses that were checked and could not be confirmed as open to the public are left out. 362 golf courses in Ohio have a slope rating on file, and Stymie has checked access for 37 of them so far.
Semi-private courses limit public tee times. Call ahead before you plan a round.
Ohio public course FAQ
What is the hardest public golf course in Ohio?
Of the Ohio courses Stymie has checked for public access, Boulder Creek Golf Club in Streetsboro has the highest slope rating: 141 from the Tournament tees, with a course rating of 76.1. Westchester Golf Course is next at 140. Courses are checked from the highest slope down, so no unchecked course ranks above the ones listed.
Can anyone play Boulder Creek Golf Club?
Yes. Boulder Creek Golf Club is a public course, open to all golfers. Stymie checked its access in Nov 2026 against bouldercreekohio.com. Tee-time policies change, so confirm with the course before you go.
How is difficulty measured?
By slope rating, which measures how much harder a course plays for a bogey golfer than for a scratch golfer. It runs from 55 to 155, and 113 is standard difficulty. Each course is ranked by the highest slope from its men's tees, and only regulation 18-hole courses are included. Course rating, the score a scratch golfer is expected to shoot, is shown alongside.
More Ohio golf
- Hardest golf courses in Ohio, private clubs included
- Easiest public golf courses in Ohio
- Every rated course in Ohio
- All Ohio golf courses