City of Mason Golf Center

The City of Mason Golf Center's Grizzly course represents a collaboration between Jack Nicklaus and Desmond Muirhead, combining Nicklaus's strategic design philosophy with Muirhead's more imaginative approach to golf architecture. This municipal facility in Mason, Ohio—a suburb north of Cincinnati—offers public access to a design pedigree typically associated with private clubs. The North/West combination creates one of the facility's 18-hole configurations, as the property features multiple nines that allow for varied routing options. The course occupies relatively flat southwestern Ohio terrain characteristic of the region, where design interest comes primarily from earthwork, water features, and strategic bunkering rather than dramatic natural elevation changes. Nicklaus designs from this era typically emphasize wide fairways that reward accuracy off the tee with preferred angles into well-defended greens, while Muirhead's involvement often introduces more sculptural elements and bold visual statements. The layout serves a broad range of golfers through multiple tee options, reflecting the municipal mission of accessibility. As a public facility, the City of Mason Golf Center functions as a community amenity, hosting local tournaments and league play while remaining open for daily-fee rounds. The Grizzly course provides golfers in the Cincinnati area with exposure to recognizable design names in a straightforward, playable format suited to regular public play rather than championship competition.