
Willow Run Course
Willow Run Golf Course

About this course
Willow Run Golf Course sits in Pataskala, a small city east of Columbus in central Ohio's Licking County. Designed by Jack Kidwell and opened in the 1970s, the course represents the work of an architect who developed numerous public and semi-private facilities across Ohio and the broader Midwest during that era. Kidwell's designs typically emphasized playability for everyday golfers while incorporating the natural terrain available on each site. The course occupies rolling farmland characteristic of this part of Ohio, where gentle elevation changes and mature tree lines frame many holes. Water features come into play on several holes, reflecting the "Willow Run" name and the presence of streams or drainage corridors that shape the routing. The layout serves primarily as a daily-fee facility accessible to Columbus-area golfers seeking affordable rounds in a suburban setting. Willow Run functions as a neighborhood course where local leagues, outings, and casual play dominate the tee sheet. The design offers straightforward golf without severe hazards or extreme length, making it suitable for players across skill levels. Like many municipal and public courses in Ohio's smaller communities, it provides recreational golf within a modest operational framework, maintaining its role as a community amenity rather than a destination layout.
Quick facts
- Location
- Pataskala, OH, USA
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 1964
- Holes
- 18
- Designer
- Jack Kidwell
- Par
- 71
- Length
- 6,139 yards
- Difficulty
- 69/120
- Course Vaults score
- 5.5
Getting there
The journey to Willow Run Golf Course begins at John Glenn Columbus International Airport, a straightforward twenty-five-minute drive east into the rolling farmland beyond Columbus's suburban edge. The route follows Interstate 70 through Pataskala, where the landscape opens into gentle Ohio countryside - modest hills, patchwork fields, and the kind of unhurried rural quiet that defines much of central Ohio golf. As you turn off the highway, the transition is immediate: the hum of the interstate fades, replaced by two-lane roads and the first glimpse of Willow Run's tree-lined fairways, a welcoming retreat tucked into the heartland.

FAQ
Common questions about Willow Run
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Willow Run has a Course Vaults score of 5.5 out of 10 based on 6 logged golfers.
Willow Run was designed by Jack Kidwell.
Yes. Willow Run is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Willow Run is 71.
Willow Run plays 6,139 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Willow Run is 120.


