As flowers begin to bloom, the sunshine lasts longer each day and the sky becomes bluer, golfers come out of their long hibernation to hit the green and tee off.
For Oxford residents, that means heading down to Indian Ridge Golf Course.
The club, which can be found in the southern part of Oxford along U.S. 27, is a very popular spot for both Miami University students and area residents. The course has 18 holes, offering a difficult yet fun experience for golfers regardless of their level. Tee times generally cost anywhere from $20-$35, depending on the day and time of the week. While not always necessary, reservations are recommended and can be made on the club’s website or by calling (513) 524-4653.
“Spring golf is very dependent on Mother Nature; If it’s nice out, golf in this area is generally busy because everyone has been inside most of the winter,” said Andy Anderson, PGA professional and general manager of Indian Ridge Golf Course. “It’s always nice for it to get here, but if the weather is bad, so is golf.”
Miami sophomore Samson Mingione agreed.
“I definitely think that for a lot of golfers, including myself, we see the beginning of spring as our green light to begin golfing,” Mingione said. “It is like there is some sort of mental block that doesn’t allow us to go until that season starts. After that, it’s fair game.”
“It is such a good feeling to go out on the green for the first time every year, because you know that you are that much closer to nonstop sunny skies for months at a time,” Mingione said.
First year Danny Rudolph, another regular at the Indian Ridge Golf Club, said he is also a firm believer that spring means it’s time to dust off your golf clubs.
“When I first heard about Indian Ridge last October, April could not get here soon enough,” Rudolph said. “I just started playing golf last summer, but when I found out there was a golf course near campus, it didn’t matter how bad I was, I just wanted to play. And there is no better time for that than during the spring.”
Rudolph said starting then, which is also at the same time as the world-famous Masters Tournament, creates a feeling of strength within the golf community, knowing that as you swing your club, some of the best golfers in the whole world are doing the same.
“It is kind of fun to imagine yourself playing with dudes like Rory Mcllroy and Bryson DeChambeau, since they are playing at the same time,” Rudolph said. “It is almost like if you look a few hundred yards away, you can see them playing too.”
So far, attendance at Indian Ridge Golf Course has been down. But to Anderson, that is because of one thing: the weather.
“We had a much better spring last year than we have had this year, all weather-related,” Anderson said.
Thankfully, the weather has been very nice of late, which should hopefully mean an uptake in golf play.
