Fazio Course at Firestone Country Club
Designer: Tom Fazio
The Firestone Fazio Course (formerly known as the West Course) is a links-style course built in 1989 and redesigned by Tom Fazio Architects in 2021. A par 70 playing just under 7,000 yards from the back tees, the opening nine winds around the perimeter of the South Course, while the closing nine moves west and climbs in elevation. The Fazio Course is the current home of the Ohio Senior Open.
The Fazio Course features wide open undulating fairways and large, subtly breaking greens. Few trees restrict tee shots, though ample bunkers frame sightlines, demanding accuracy and distance control to stay out of the sand. No matter your skill level, each round on Fazio is sure to delight, from the scenic, elevated vistas to each strategically designed hole.
How to Play the Fazio Course
- Opening Nine: The first nine holes wind around the perimeter of the South Course, with wide fairways allowing for more forgiving tee shots. Focus on accuracy and distance control to stay out of the bunkers.
- Fourth Hole: A short par 4 that tempts long hitters to drive the green. Most players should lay back with a fairway wood or hybrid to avoid the large bunkers in front of the green.
- Closing Nine: The back nine climbs in elevation, offering scenic views and challenging elevation changes. The 18th hole, a straightaway par 4, demands accuracy to avoid the small creek near the green.
Key Challenges
- Bunkers: Ample bunkers frame the fairways and greens, demanding accuracy and careful shot planning to avoid the sand.
- Elevation Changes: The back nine features significant elevation changes, which require thoughtful club selection and shot execution.
- Greens: Large with subtle breaks, the greens require precise putting and good distance control.
- Fairways: Wide and undulating, the fairways allow for strategic play and positioning, making it important to plan your shots carefully.
Fazio Course at Firestone Country Club
# 1 / Hole 1
Par: 4
Handicaps:
Men's 5
Women's 5
Yardage by Tee:
Gold Tee 444
Blue Tee 425
Hybrid Tee 379
White Tee 379
Red Tee 350
Slope:
Gold 73.5/128 | Blue 71.4/123 | Hybrid 69.9/120 | White 69.1/118 | Red 69.9/119
Pro Tips
Playing 380 yards from the Member Tees, this Par 4 is straight out with a wide landing area. A fairway bunker sits on the left side of the fairway and high fescue far left. The right side of the fairway is lined with thicker rough and a few tall trees. The approach into the green may not seem like it but is slightly an uphill shot. The large green is protected by two large bunkers: one left and one right. The green itself slopes back to front and subtly right to left
# 2 / Hole 2
Par: 4
Handicaps:
Men's 9
Women's 9
Yardage by Tee:
Gold Tee 392
Blue Tee 373
Hybrid Tee 373
White Tee 329
Red Tee 306
Slope:
Gold 73.5/128 | Blue 71.4/123 | Hybrid 69.9/120 | White 69.1/118 | Red 69.9/119
Pro Tips
The Par 4 2nd plays 330 yards and is an uphill dogleg right. Through the fairway and up the left side is a thick wooded area. While tall trees guard the right side and protect the dog leg from easily being cut off. A bunker sits in the right rough forcing a tee shot to be played out left. Club selection for the approach to the very large green will depend on pin location. The green slopes back to front with a severe false front that can leave touch chip shots.
# 3 / Hole 3
Par: 3
Handicaps:
Men's 13
Women's 13
Yardage by Tee:
Gold Tee 211
Blue Tee 202
Hybrid Tee 184
White Tee 184
Red Tee 149
Slope:
Gold 73.5/128 | Blue 71.4/123 | Hybrid 69.9/120 | White 69.1/118 | Red 69.9/119
Pro Tips
This Par 3 plays 185 yards into a two-tiered green that is well protected by tightly mowed runoffs, a bunker, high fescue long and left as well as a severe false front. Being on the correct tier with the pin is important for good chance to prevent a high number.
# 4 / Hole 4
Par: 4
Handicaps:
Men's 15
Women's 15
Yardage by Tee:
Gold Tee 324
Blue Tee 317
Hybrid Tee 317
White Tee 277
Red Tee 231
Slope:
Gold 73.5/128 | Blue 71.4/123 | Hybrid 69.9/120 | White 69.1/118 | Red 69.9/119
Pro Tips
This short Par 4 plays only 280 yards from the Member Tees. The elevated green is straight out and protected by two bunkers short and two separate false fronts. The fairway narrows the closer you get to the green. Rough, high fescue line the right side. While rough, a bunker and trees with O.B stakes line the left side up to the green. This hole is drivable for the longer hitters, but risk not holding the green and leaving a tough touchy chip. The green itself is very wide but not deep. The green slopes back to front and left to right. A drive down the right center provides a great angle into the narrow green.
# 5 / Hole 5
Par: 4
Handicaps:
Men's 11
Women's 11
Yardage by Tee:
Gold Tee 356
Blue Tee 337
Hybrid Tee 337
White Tee 316
Red Tee 287
Slope:
Gold 73.5/128 | Blue 71.4/123 | Hybrid 69.9/120 | White 69.1/118 | Red 69.9/119
Pro Tips
Another short Par 4 playing 316 yards. This hole is scoreable with a good drive. The large fairway provides a large landing area down the right side of the hole. There are two bunkers down on the left side along with a few tall trees that force you to play out to the right. The green has a flat area in the front and back of the green. The middle of the green has a strong slope running from the back to the front. This long green is 43 yards long; be sure to know where the pin location is to reduce putt totals.
# 6 / Hole 6
Par: 4
Handicaps:
Men's 1
Women's 1
Yardage by Tee:
Gold Tee 467
Blue Tee 438
Hybrid Tee 399
White Tee 399
Red Tee 338
Slope:
Gold 73.5/128 | Blue 71.4/123 | Hybrid 69.9/120 | White 69.1/118 | Red 69.9/119
Pro Tips
The #6 uphill Par 4 is the number one handicap on the course. Playing 400 yards and uphill, the hole is straight away and has a tight fairway. Rough lines both sides of the fairway. A flared tee shot to the right can bring the high fescue and pine trees into play. Two bunkers sit on the right and left of the fairway around 80 yards from the green as well as one left greenside bunker. This large green slopes back-front and left-right with a hard false front. A well struck second shot in needed to reach this large green.
# 7 / Hole 7
Par: 3
Handicaps:
Men's 17
Women's 17
Yardage by Tee:
Gold Tee 191
Blue Tee 166
Hybrid Tee 166
White Tee 131
Red Tee 106
Slope:
Gold 73.5/128 | Blue 71.4/123 | Hybrid 69.9/120 | White 69.1/118 | Red 69.9/119
Pro Tips
The second Par 3 on the front 9 is only 131 yards from the Member White Tees. The green plays around 5 to 7 yards downhill. Deep of the green is not the place to be as tall pines sit at the bottom of the hill behind the green. Two bunkers sit at the side and front of the green. The green slopes back to front and right to left subtly.
# 8 / Hole 8
Par: 4
Handicaps:
Men's 3
Women's 3
Yardage by Tee:
Gold Tee 484
Blue Tee 461
Hybrid Tee 413
White Tee 413
Red Tee 361
Slope:
Gold 73.5/128 | Blue 71.4/123 | Hybrid 69.9/120 | White 69.1/118 | Red 69.9/119
Pro Tips
This long dogleg right Par 4 plays 415 yards and is uphill. A bunker sits on the left and right side of the fairway at 258 yards and 280 yards out respectively. To the right of the fairway is a steep hillside with patches of thick, rough and tall trees. The trees extend up to the right of the green. The green itself is guarded by a large bunker short left of the putting surface. This green complex stretches 49 yards and can make the hole play very different based on pin location. The green slopes left to right when looking at it from the fairway.
# 9 / Hole 9
Par: 5
Handicaps:
Men's 7
Women's 7
Yardage by Tee:
Gold Tee 625
Blue Tee 594
Hybrid Tee 544
White Tee 544
Red Tee 419
Slope:
Gold 73.5/128 | Blue 71.4/123 | Hybrid 69.9/120 | White 69.1/118 | Red 69.9/119
Pro Tips
The lone Par 5 on the front nine plays 544 yards from the Member Tees. The hole straight forward. With no bunkers until the green, rough and very few trees line the sides of the fairway. The winding fairway narrows as you approach the green. A large bunker guards the front of the green and a false front guards the front left side. This green is sloped back to front with a lot of pull towards the front right portion of the green.
# 10 / Hole 10
Par: 4
Handicaps:
Men's 4
Women's 4
Yardage by Tee:
Gold Tee 426
Blue Tee 385
Hybrid Tee 385
White Tee 356
Red Tee 343
Slope:
Gold 73.5/128 | Blue 71.4/123 | Hybrid 69.9/120 | White 69.1/118 | Red 69.9/119
Pro Tips
This 356-yard Par 4 is straight away with a tough green complex. A bunker sits 250 yards out on the right side of the fairway while only thick, rough lining the left side. An ideal tee shot is down the left edge of the right fairway bunker to maximize roll with the sloping fairway and to have the best angle into split sloped green. A bunker sits short of the green right next to a steep tightly mowed green runoff. The green itself is not long but it is wide. Split from the middle; the right-side breaks left-right and the left side breaks right-left. Chipping from behind the green is an improbable up and down, keep the ball below the hole. The green has a ridge down in the middle and most putts will offer a good amount of break.
# 11 / Hole 11
Par: 4
Handicaps:
Men's 8
Women's 8
Yardage by Tee:
Gold Tee 448
Blue Tee 421
Hybrid Tee 385
White Tee 385
Red Tee 331
Slope:
Gold 73.5/128 | Blue 71.4/123 | Hybrid 69.9/120 | White 69.1/118 | Red 69.9/119
Pro Tips
The Par 4 11th stretches out to 385 yards from the Members Tee. With a fairway bunker sitting 200 yards from the tee on the right side, an ideal tee shot lands down the left side of the fairway to catch the sloping hill as well as to have the best shot at a birdie. This very long green has two tough greenside bunkers and a few steep run offs to make the approach shot a little tougher. The green has a steep gradual incline for the front half of the green. The back 20 yards of the green then flattens out with a subtle left to right break towards the back corner of the green.
# 12 / Hole 12
Par: 3
Handicaps:
Men's 16
Women's 16
Yardage by Tee:
Gold Tee 170
Blue Tee 145
Hybrid Tee 145
White Tee 143
Red Tee 109
Slope:
Gold 73.5/128 | Blue 71.4/123 | Hybrid 69.9/120 | White 69.1/118 | Red 69.9/119
Pro Tips
This Par 3 plays only 143 yards. With one of the tougher green complexes on the property, the short distance does not make the hole much easier. Landing anywhere right or long of the green will result in the ball bouncing down a very steep hill leaving an improbable up and down. The left side of the green is a steep hillside with thick rough. A bunker guarding the right side of the green makes going directly at a back pin a lot tougher. The long green has several runoffs and wild breaks with a severe false front. The green slopes back to front with a hard run off middle left on the green as well as back left.
# 13 / Hole 13
Par: 5
Handicaps:
Men's 10
Women's 10
Yardage by Tee:
Gold Tee 492
Blue Tee 478
Hybrid Tee 478
White Tee 466
Red Tee 439
Slope:
Gold 73.5/128 | Blue 71.4/123 | Hybrid 69.9/120 | White 69.1/118 | Red 69.9/119
Pro Tips
This Par 5 is only 466 yards from the Members Tee. Longer hitters can reach the green in two strokes, but it will take two great shots. Down the right side of the hole is a fairway bunker only around 220 yards out from the tee. Further down the right side starts a long pond that stretches nearly 120 yards up to the green. Another fairway bunker sits 60 yards short of the green. A shallow greenside bunker guards the left side of the green. This tiered green is split in half from the front to the back. The left side of the green is elevated and runs downhill to the right side of the green. Strong runoffs can collect putts on the front right side of the green as well as back right. Being on the wrong side of the split requires a lot of attention.
# 14 / Hole 14
Par: 3
Handicaps:
Men's 18
Women's 18
Yardage by Tee:
Gold Tee 147
Blue Tee 132
Hybrid Tee 132
White Tee 118
Red Tee 85
Slope:
Gold 73.5/128 | Blue 71.4/123 | Hybrid 69.9/120 | White 69.1/118 | Red 69.9/119
Pro Tips
Another short Par 3 with a large and tough green. Playing only 118 yards, missing this green will have one fighting for a bogey. The elevated green is surrounded by two greenside bunkers as well as steep runoffs over the green as well as short of the green. The green runs back to front. Playing to the middle of the green and taking your medicine is the best way to ensure par.
# 15 / Hole 15
Par: 4
Handicaps:
Men's 6
Women's 6
Yardage by Tee:
Gold Tee 476
Blue Tee 452
Hybrid Tee 392
White Tee 392
Red Tee 356
Slope:
Gold 73.5/128 | Blue 71.4/123 | Hybrid 69.9/120 | White 69.1/118 | Red 69.9/119
Pro Tips
This 392-yard Par 4 is straight out to an elevated green that features a bowl on the left side of the green. An ideal tee shot is down the left side of the fairway to best attack this green. Guarded by two large bunkers short of the green, this green is very tough to hit in regulation. Be sure to be aware of pin location on this hole to best avoid a high number on the scorecard. This hole could potentially test the short game depending on where the second shot ends up.
# 16 / Hole 16
Par: 3
Handicaps:
Men's 14
Women's 14
Yardage by Tee:
Gold Tee 244
Blue Tee 208
Hybrid Tee 178
White Tee 178
Red Tee 158
Slope:
Gold 73.5/128 | Blue 71.4/123 | Hybrid 69.9/120 | White 69.1/118 | Red 69.9/119
Pro Tips
This downhill Par 3 stretches out to 178 yards from the Member Tees. This hole plays around 10 yards shorter than what the card says due to the elevation change. This large green features a greenside bunker as well as a tightly mown fringe hillside on the right side of the green. There is a false front and two runoffs on the back, the green is sloped from front to back and right to left.
# 17 / Hole 17
Par: 5
Handicaps:
Men's 12
Women's 12
Yardage by Tee:
Gold Tee 525
Blue Tee 506
Hybrid Tee 506
White Tee 482
Red Tee 415
Slope:
Gold 73.5/128 | Blue 71.4/123 | Hybrid 69.9/120 | White 69.1/118 | Red 69.9/119
Pro Tips
Hole #17 is another scoreable Par 5 that is reachable in two strokes for the longer of hitters striking two great shots. This Par 5 is straight out with the green being tucked off to the right. An ideal tee shot is down the left side of the fairway in line with the big tree. This will leave the best angle to work with when hitting into the green. Down by the green are three bunkers and tightly mowed fairways on the left side. This green is not easy as it stretches 36 yards long and is not very wide. The green is sloped hard and runs left to right. Be sure to be aware of pace as some putts can runout causing a high number. Pace is important on this green as it is this short par 5’s defense mechanisms
# 18 / Hole 18
Par: 4
Handicaps:
Men's 2
Women's 2
Yardage by Tee:
Gold Tee 482
Blue Tee 429
Hybrid Tee 382
White Tee 382
Red Tee 342
Slope:
Gold 73.5/128 | Blue 71.4/123 | Hybrid 69.9/120 | White 69.1/118 | Red 69.9/119
Pro Tips
The closing hole of the Fazio Course is a 382-yard Par 4 with a narrow fairway and a fairway bunker. An ideal tee shot lands down the left center of the fairway. A steep hillside of rough lines the left side of the fairway and a bunker on the right side. This slightly tiered green is protected by a stream that runs along side it as well as a deep greenside bunker. This green features a small front run off on the left side on one on the back right of the green as well. The 44-yard-long green is sloped left to right.
Experience the Fazio Course
Experience the natural beauty of the Fazio Course by becoming a Member or booking a Stay & Play golf trip to Firestone Country Club. Contact us to learn more about membership, or fill out the form below to start planning your Stay & Play reservation.