A putter's paradise in Pataskala

Anyone who has played Cumberland Trail in Pataskala comes away from the experience impressed with its greens. One usually has to play at a private country club to play on greens as fast and true as they are at Cumberland Trail, and to be able to do so for less than $50 a round makes it a true value.

But the course is more than just its great putting greens. It also has an interesting layout that offers a variety of challenges. Oldgolfdawg played at Cumberland Trail extensively in 2006 and purchased a package of 50 rounds at the course in 2007. During that time, he developed an appreciation for the importance of hitting a well-placed drive on No. 12, a 529-yard par 5 that carries a 2 handicap. That appreciation is why No. 12 is being added to his Elegant Eighteen list.

From the Gold tees, where Cumberland Trail plays 6,805 yards long with a course rating of 72.20 and a slope rating of 125, No. 12 is not intimidating in terms of length. But if you get off on the wrong foot on the hole, it can quickly become a trail of tears. From the tee box, the golfer is confronted with a marsh area along the right side that gradually crowds the fairway until it recedes about 160 yards out. From there, the fairway widens to the right. Carrying the marsh off the tee box is no big deal, but it plays with your mind and tightens the muscles. The left side of the fairway from off the tee box is high rough that eventually turns into a wooded area of trees that catches a lot of drives that are pulled or hooked out of fear of the marsh area.

If one hits a solid tee shot of 230 to 240 yards on a fairly straight line, it will put them in good position for their second shot. Bigger hitters have to take into account a good-sized sand trap near the right edge of the fairway about 250 yards from the tee.

The second shot must carry a waste area that is flanked by a group of trees on the left and a thick wooded area to the right that runs all along the fairway once you get past the waste area. If your drive is in the center of the fairway or just off to the right of center, a nice fade shot over the waste area and through its gap with a low iron or fairway wood will set up a good third shot opportunity. If your drive is hit more to the left of center of the fairway, you risk the chance your ball will kick left and end up with a bad angle to hit your second shot from, possibly blocked by the group of trees flanking the left side of the waste area.

A large sand trap protects the entire left front of a large green at No. 12. The green generally slopes from back to front and has several areas of undulation. When the pin is placed in the back left of the green, the hole plays tougher because there is less margin for error. Pins placed on the right side of the green create a green-light situation.

If you've never played Cumberland Trail, you owe it to yourself to give it a try and to check out its greens. A stretch of holes on the back nine, Nos. 12-14, were always viewed as roadblocks to Oldgolfdawg's hopes of breaking 80. The eighth hole on the front nine, a 432-yard par 4, also took a bite out of his hide more times than he would like to recall.

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