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The secret is out | Copeland Hills Golf Club
Copeland Hills Golf Club
By JON MOFFETT
COLUMBIANA
Copeland Hills Golf Club has been referred to as the best-kept secret in Columbiana County by some of its patrons.
But with the addition of one of the most respected golf minds in the area, the secret is out.
The course, which opened in 1965, welcomes Jeff Meyers as its golf director for the 2010 golf season. Myers has more than 30 years of experience, most recently serving in the same position at Kennsington Golf Club in Canfield.
But the addition of Meyers isn’t the only change.
The club recently hired a golf management agency to help maintain the course and its reputation. The Davey golf management group began course work a few months ago, and Meyers said he has already seen results.
“They are strictly doing the outside maintenance of the golf course, and in the past couple of months, they have just done a fantastic job of getting the golf course back into the shape it should be in,” he said. “The fairways are perfect, and the greens have always been great here.
“The condition of the golf course had gone a little below par. What Davey has done has come in and brought it back to that level. Now we’re working on the other amenities to beautify the course for our customers.”
Those customers said they’ve noticed a difference in the way the course is maintained.
“I’ve played here for the last 20 years,” said Randy Bleakley of Salem. “The fairways are beautiful — they’ve changed them a lot and the greens are well kept. The whole course is just taken better care of than it has been in the past few years.”
Bleakley, 55, said the course has shown improvement on general upkeep and visuals.
“It’s in great shape,” said Bob Phillips, 37, of Beaver Falls, Pa. “This is the first time I’ve been back in about five years, but the place looks good.”
Meyers said the course was in good condition, but needed some landscaping work. He said the course still offers world-class golf for a reasonable price. The 2010 rates have not yet been determined. But Meyers said the rates are “competitive.”
“We have, what I would say, a tour-quality golf course,” Meyers said. “For the good players, you hit every club in your bag. But we also are catering to women and seniors.”
As well as offering golf, the course will offer lessons through Meyers for children. The lessons, which he said should begin late next month or early July, will help teach the game to the next generation of players.
“We want the younger generation to come out and enjoy the game of golf, because they are the future,” he said.
Meyers said the lessons will probably be two or three times a week for about six weeks. Costs will be determined closer to the camp’s opening.
While the younger generation is being encouraged to start, it’s the course that encourages golfers to come back.
“I love the distance of the course, because you get to use every club in your bag,” Bleakley said. “Every hole is a challenge, and the quality here is probably the best-kept secret in the county. This place is beautiful, and a lot of people don’t come here because of the length. But it’s a lot of fun.”
The length of the course is its biggest asset, Meyers said. The course has notoriously long holes, including a whopping 601-yard hole.
“One some of these holes, if you don’t hit it well it’ll make you pay, which is the way the game is supposed to be played,” Meyers said. “This course is designed to reward good shots, and penalize bad ones, which is what you want.”
He added, “If you come and play this golf course more than once, you’ll want to come back because it’s a challenge. We’re making it where it’s a challenge to the good players, but it’s also fun for the casual golfer.”
First-timers to the course were also impressed with the course.
“I like it a lot, I like the length,” said Tyrell Jackson, 23, of Beaver Falls. “Not too many golf courses are like this and it’s one of the better one I’ve played. I love the layout and the narrowness to the course.”
Friend Andrew Hiser, 23 of Ellwood City, Pa., said it was difficult, but fun.
“It’s long. It’s good for the most part, but it’s tough for me,” he said. “But I like it a lot.”
Asked if the length of the course played into his golf game, Jackson smiled.
“Nothing plays into my game,” he said.