Shawnee Lookout Golf Course

Started on back nine due to outing and moved quickly along. I played from tips and used driver frequently unlike some reviews that recommend not to. I hit a long ball with accuracy and feel the key is in placing the drive. I like the rolling, hilly terrain which gives the course its special character. Fairways had been recently aerated but posed no problems. Greens roll true and are in good shape. Rough is a little less defined than other courses but very manageable. Course knowledge, accuracy and placement is the key to shooting a good round here. Hole 8 a long par 3 requires extreme accuracy in both length and direction to par and is an easy double or triple bogey waiting to happen. Hole 15 a par 5 requires pinpoint placement with two doglegs and many mature trees making cutting the doglegs very unlikely. It is definately a thinking hole which if played strategically par is attainable. Beer cold, food good, staff friendly and ranger with ice and water visits on course is a nice touch. Proshop well stocked with fair pricing. Course is located in a Hamilton County park and requires either a yearly sticker or an additional $3 per visit to enter. No houses in a wooded setting makes for a very private round of golf.

First, you should know that the course sits inside of a county park which has a 3$ admission even if you are paying to play golf with a proof of tee time. So plan that cost in your total price.

To the course itself. Very short. Barely plays to 6,000 yards. Did not even need to even think about hitting driver until hole 16. Tee boxes were very shaggy. Fairways were shaggy. No such thing as a tight lie. Fairways were also very hilly. More than a few times I hit my tee shot to the high side of the fairway only to watch it roll all the way across the shag carpet to the low side rough. Greens were tiny, very undulating, but rolled true and were in great shape. The 2 par 5s were obnoxious to play. The first one plays to about 535 yards, but your tee shot is limited to about 210 yards due to a 90 degree bend right. Second shot is only about 170 due to yet again another 90 degree bend left. The other par 5 has a tee shot of 240 or so yards to a dog leg left with a second shot leaving more than 250. I have shot much better scores at much harder courses based on slope/rating. Overall one of the least exciting and enjoyable rounds I have played in a long time.

If you enjoy courses were you hit landing zone to landing zone, you may like it here, but if you prefer a little more freedom in your game, go somewhere else.

Had a great time there, back nine is very deceptive, try laying up when you think you can make it

This was our first time playing Shawnee Lookout but it will not be our last. It is beautifully maintained, the staff was very friendly and helpful. The best part was the course itself. It is moderately challenging but fun to play and every hole is different. I have already recommended this course to several friends and will continue to do so.

course was in great shape enjoyed playing mid week round

Great views, elevated tees, undulated greens, fairways were plush, my wife and I played in under 4 hours on a Saturday. The staff was awesome. Pay attention to the lay up holes ie., 1 and the two par 5's. Had a great experience!

A goat path. Not a level spot on the course, Length will keep your score down. If you are looking for a different kind of challenge, go for it.

Very hilly and inexpesive course.
Poor condition make all difficult to play.
If you want to play as practice, it is fine.
This does not fit anthing beside that.

Played with my family had a great time played 18 great price !

The course was in great condition, rough 2 to 3 inches, fairways and greens great. I played as a single and after the first 4 holes where i played through a pair of youth and a foursome with 2 men and 2 women, i flew without having to wait. I like this course as it makes you hit other than drive off the tee on several holes and actually about one third of the holes you could use something other than driver. Good course to work on many different shots and clubs.

I had not played this course in over 20 years because I was never happy with the course conditions. I came here on the insistence of a couple of friends thinking I'd see that same course. I'm happy to admit that I was very wrong.
The greens ( with the exception of the 10th which was being aired out ) were in outstanding shape. The look of the course is much nicer that when I remember it. And the staff was top shelf.
My only drawback is the length ( or more precisely the lack of it ). Long hitters can use the driver if you wanted to. But the truth is this course is a more technical course for the intermediate player and a great course for beginner's. It's an overall great value and well worth the money spent. I promise it will not be 20 years before I return~ :)

Took both my kids out to get a quick round of golf in on Sunday. Played in less than 4 hours. It was hot Sunday afternoon, lucky for us a ranger drove around to ensure our drinking water was cold. The course is hilly but manageable and in decent shape. We had a great afternoon.

Shawnee Lookout is a very hilly course and the fairways aren't in the best. But the greens are in great shape and have a lot of break. They will make you a better putter. It's hard to find a course in the city with solid greens that isn't packed. Great deal and as long as the course stays in good shape, we'll be back.

I was impressed with the shap the greens were in; probably the best they have been in the numbe of times I've played this course. It is challenging, with the hills, and a very good golfer I know who plays here every week, and shoots consistently in the 70's, states "if you can play Shawnee, you can play anywhere." Always enjoy my round at Shawnee!

Very friendly and helpful staff. Met some great folks on the course. Course was in very good condition. Bring a lot of balls, patience, and be sure to rent a cart because this course will kick your butt. Not a flat hole on the course and the greens are small and tricky.

Course is in great condition, especially for how many hills it has. It's a challenging course but a great place to go for the money you pay. Staff was very friendly and gladly answers any questions. Overall great experience.

Extremely hilly. Cart almost required. Different then most courses, so unique and fun.
Walking tournament ahead of us made play very slow. We were not told about this, but they did offer a rain check. We just wanted to play, so we sucked it up and waited.
View a map before play. No map on score card. 3 times started going to wrong green due to extreme twisting and blind corner fairways and layout.

The slope rating on this course makes it seem slightly tougher than average, but this is because of the distance. The course itself rolls through the beautiful Ohio River valley and there are very few flat lies, making it one of the more challenging courses I have been on in my brief career as a hacker. You need to play strategic here, not just bring out the boom-stick. Some holes you will want to purposely hit it short to set up your next shot...this starts with hole #1.

You can find some terrific prices during the week here when traffic is light. Weekends are supposedly packed. If you could use a $/Difficulty ratio, this course would rate very high...you get a lot for your money, at least on the weekend.

Just watch that the snack bar is not open during the week, so bring your own refreshments and nourishment.

I will definitely be back.

Far and away one of the most interesting tracts in the Cincy area. The course is characterized by large elevation changes on nearly every hole, giving rise to lots of sidehill lies and shots. The gentleman at the proshop suggested playing the vast majority of the holes exclusively with irons (the course is fairly short,~6,000 yards from the blue tees, although many of the holes play sharply uphill); having played it he's offering some sage advice. The fairways are wide, but missing them generally leaves you out of position in some harrowing fashion. Some of the holes feature doglegs so severe they leave you no alternative but to hit a combination of mid and short irons shorts; this course plays in truly unique fashion. The greens are in beautiful condition and roll completely true....but are generally SLOW. This isn't necessarily a terrible thing, given that the greens do feature a great deal of slope and undulation. All in all, this is a truly memorable tract and not one that should be missed!

This course is not fun. You have 18 flat lies and those are the tee boxes. This is just an awful place to put a golf course.