Moraine Course
Dayton, OH, USA
Moraine Country Club, carved into the rolling hills south of Dayton, whispers of a bygone era when golf course architecture prioritized strategic challenge over raw power. Its 1930 design by Alex "Lex" Smith embodies Golden Age principles, rewarding thoughtful approaches and cunning green reads on its parkland layout. Mature trees frame undulating fairways, compelling golfers to carefully consider angles and distances, a stark contrast to the grip-it-and-rip-it philosophy of modern designs. While Moraine hasn't hosted a major professional championship, its meticulously maintained grounds have been the site of numerous state and regional amateur events, fostering a tradition of competitive golf within the Miami Valley. Architect Keith Foster oversaw a careful restoration, ensuring Smith’s original vision continues to test and delight players. The membership at Moraine cherishes the club's unpretentious atmosphere and commitment to traditional golf values. It's a place where the spirit of the game—sportsmanship, camaraderie, and a deep appreciation for course design—takes precedence.
Ranked by CV ratings from golfers who've played this course. Positions are shown worldwide, by country, and by state; the Private column compares member-only and guest-restricted courses.
Best in World
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Best in USA
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Best in OH
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Golfers say Moraine stands out as an underrated gem that rewards strategic thinking off the tee, with wide fairways that demand careful positioning based on pin placements. Most praise the exceptional conditioning, particularly the lightning-fast greens that drain remarkably well even after heavy rain, and the memorable routing over dramatic terrain that blends bold green complexes on flatter holes with subtler contours on hillier ground. Reviewers note the course offers a great walking experience with a young caddie program and delivers variety from risk-reward short par 4s to nuanced greens that create challenging recovery shots. Some find the thick rough unforgiving and mention one par 5 feels awkwardly routed with limited options off the tee, though overall the design continues to improve post-renovation. The consensus places Moraine among Ohio's top tracks and a venue well-suited for competitive play.
8.9
77 players
Moraine continues to be one of the most underrated golf courses in the country. A generally wide course off the tee that requires thought into which side of the fairway to play to based on hole location. Greens are a mix of bold designs on some of the flatter holes, with more subtle internal contouring on the holes with dramatic land. Form and fast conditioning with some of the quickest draining greens - we had a torrential downpour and greens went from pooling water to completely dry in ~20 minutes. A course that I can still remember every hole and green months after playing. Highlights: Par 3 2nd - a turned down version of a redan that can accept a lower right to left ball flight. Par 4 7th - a short, downhill par 4. Somehow made 2 birdies during our day of 36 (once driving the green, once hitting a 5 iron to stay short of bunkers off the tee and get an ideal angle). Saw everything from chances at eagle to quads. Par 4 10th - one of the better and nuanced greens on a flatter hole. Beware of the trough going long, which makes a nearly impossible up and down when there’s a back pin. Only hole that I’d argue needs some rethinking is the Par 5 4th hole. A very narrow landing spot for a driver, but no option to lay up as there’s a massive uphill on the tee shot that requires a carry of ~255 as memory serves. Seems like there may have been a more elegant way to route the hole over that ridge.
The renovation here was spectacular and the course continues to get better with time. Always one of my most favorite rounds of the season.
This place was magic, young caddie program, great walk, fun holes.
Easily in my top 3 in OH, some of the fastest greens and fairways you will ever play on.
Have heard nothing but great things and fortunate to be able to experience first hand. Tough track every way you look at it… Rough was THICK! Don’t miss the fairway. I caught the greens on a slower day, which even then, were plenty quick. Great venue for competitive events.
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FAQ
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Moraine has a Course Vaults score of 8.9 out of 10 based on 46 explicit golfer ratings.
Moraine was designed by Alec "Nipper" Campbell and Keith Foster.
Moraine is listed as private on Course Vaults; guest access is typically restricted.
Par at Moraine is 71.
Moraine plays 7,270 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Moraine is 126.
