Kenton Country Golf Courses

The Willows is a public course designed by Dr. Michael Hurdzan and located at Kenton Country Golf Courses in Independence, Kentucky, just south of the Ohio River and within the greater Cincinnati metropolitan area. Hurdzan, a golf course architect with a doctorate in turfgrass science, has built a reputation for environmentally conscious designs that balance playability across skill levels with strategic interest. His work often emphasizes natural landforms and sustainable maintenance practices. The course occupies rolling terrain typical of northern Kentucky's landscape, where elevation changes and mature tree corridors shape the routing. Hurdzan's design philosophy generally favors strategic options over penal hazards, allowing multiple routes to greens while rewarding well-executed shots. Water features and bunkering provide definition without overwhelming the layout, and green complexes tend to incorporate subtle contours that require thoughtful approach play. As part of the Kenton County park system's golf facilities, The Willows serves a broad public audience and reflects the accessible character common to municipal operations in the region. The course provides a straightforward test of golf within a parkland setting, where tree-lined fairways and modest elevation shifts create visual variety and demand accurate shotmaking. The facility operates within the recreational framework typical of county-run courses, offering a playable design from a respected architect without the exclusivity or premium pricing of private clubs.