The hardest golf courses in Stow, Ohio
The hardest 18-hole golf courses within about 25 miles of Stow, Ohio, ranked by USGA slope rating from each course's longest men's tees, with course rating as the tiebreaker. 13 courses have complete, verified tee data.
Also covers Akron, Streetsboro, Brecksville, Ravenna, Hudson and 2 more nearby towns.
Boulder Creek Golf Club and Event Center
Streetsboro, OH, USASlope rating 137, 75.5 course rating, Black tees, 7,425 yds
PublicJoe Salemi
- 4.0Conditions
- 3.8Layout
- 5.0Value
- 4.3Scenery
- 3.5Facilities
Excellent value. Nice attention to detail for a public course (like trimming off the lower branches of trees so you can play around them). I can’t say it’s all pristine, but definitely fun round of golf and worth a the hop from Pittsburgh to give it a whirl.
Written by
@Cass7206
- Challenging
- Driving range
- Must play
Canterbury Golf Club
Beachwood, OH, USASlope rating 135, 72.3 course rating, Blue tees, 6,942 yds
PrivateHerbert Strong
- 4.3Conditions
- 4.8Layout
- 3.4Scenery
- 4.2Facilities
Outstanding course and an amazing club as well. Clubhouse oozes great classic vibes. Staff is awesome. Greens are brutally severe.
Written by
@txmidam94
- Walkable
- Must play
- Fast greens
South
Firestone Country Club
Akron, OH, USASlope rating 134, 76.4 course rating, Blue tees, 7,400 yds
PrivateBertie Way
- 4.5Conditions
- 3.8Layout
- 3.8Scenery
- 4.8Facilities
Narrow, firm, fair. Pristine conditions. Consistent greens. You should walk this course with a caddie and if you hit the ball straight, you can score.
Written by
@playpure
- Driving range
- Restaurant
- Bar
North
Firestone Country Club
Akron, OH, USASlope rating 134, 74.8 course rating, Gold tees, 7,125 yds
PrivateRobert Trent Jones Sr.
- 4.5Conditions
- 4.5Layout
- 3.0Scenery
- 4.8Facilities
The North Course is slept on but absolutely stunning. Challenging but fair and a real treat to walk. Don’t go to Firestone without playing this course and make sure to hit the ball straight!
Written by
@playpure
- Driving range
- Restaurant
- Bar
Sleepy Hollow Golf Course
Brecksville, OH, USASlope rating 133, 73.3 course rating, Black tees, 6,893 yds
PublicStanley Thompson.
- 4.0Conditions
- 4.0Layout
- 5.0Value
- 3.0Scenery
- 3.6Facilities
One of the gems of affordable public golf in America. A Stanley Thompson design that the city is finally taking the time to ensure turf health and architectural characteristics are preserved.
Written by
@Mister J Nasty
- Challenging
- Driving range
- Must play
The Shaker Heights Country Club
Shaker Heights, OH, USA
Slope rating 133, 72.8 course rating, Black tees, 6,701 yds
Pine Hills Golf Club
Hinckley, OH, USA
Slope rating 131, 72.8 course rating, Blue tees, 6,748 yds
Ellsworth Meadows Golf Club
Hudson, OH, USA
Slope rating 130, 72.4 course rating, Black tees, 6,832 yds
(West) Firestone Country Club
Akron, OH, USA
Slope rating 128, 73.5 course rating, Gold tees, 6,904 yds
Windmill Lakes Golf Club
Ravenna, OH, USA
Slope rating 127, 73.4 course rating, Tournament tees, 6,936 yds
Chippewa Golf Club
Doylestown, OH, USA
Slope rating 122, 71.8 course rating, Blue tees, 6,756 yds
Fox Den Golf Course
Stow, OH, USA
Slope rating 122, 70.8 course rating, Blue tees, 6,448 yds
Grantwood Golf Course
Solon, OH, USA
Slope rating 122, 70.7 course rating, Black tees, 6,429 yds
How we rank
This ranking uses published scorecard data from each course’s longest men’s tees, the same tee set for every course. Only 18-hole courses with a yardage for every hole, a total that matches the hole-by-hole sum, and a par between 54 and 80 are included, and the tees must carry a single slope rating (55–155) and course rating. Courses whose scorecard duplicates another course’s are left out until the data is fixed. Courses are ordered by slope rating, then course rating, then Course Vaults score. Only open courses with a published Course Vaults score (at least 5 explicit ratings) are eligible, and a page is published only when at least 5 courses qualify. City pages include courses within about 25 miles of Stow, so nearby suburbs can appear. Rankings refresh about hourly.
FAQ
Boulder Creek Golf Club and Event Center is #1 on Course Vaults in and around Stow, Ohio at Slope 137 (75.5 course rating · Black tees · 7,425 yds). 13 courses qualify for this list.
This ranking uses published scorecard data from each course’s longest men’s tees, the same tee set for every course. Only 18-hole courses with a yardage for every hole, a total that matches the hole-by-hole sum, and a par between 54 and 80 are included, and the tees must carry a single slope rating (55–155) and course rating. Courses whose scorecard duplicates another course’s are left out until the data is fixed. Courses are ordered by slope rating, then course rating, then Course Vaults score. Only open courses with a published Course Vaults score (at least 5 explicit ratings) are eligible, and a page is published only when at least 5 courses qualify. City pages include courses within about 25 miles of Stow, so nearby suburbs can appear. Rankings refresh about hourly.
Slope rating is the USGA measure of how much harder a course plays for a bogey golfer than for a scratch golfer, from 55 to 155 (113 is average). Course rating is the expected score for a scratch golfer from the same tees.
Yes. It includes qualifying courses within about 25 miles of Stow, not only courses whose address is in the city.
This page was last generated Nov 12, 2026, 3:49 AM EST. Scores and eligibility are recomputed about every hour.
