Detailed description of Manakiki Golf Course
Manakiki Golf Course is a Public 18 hole golf course located 17 miles east of downtown Cleveland in Willoughby, Ohio. Its name is believed to be a Native American word for maple forest and was suggested by the predominance of maples along tree-lined fairways. Manakiki is one of eight courses that are a part of the Cleveland Metroparks system.
The 200 acres on which Manakiki sits were originally the summer estate of Howard Hanna, a Cleveland industrialist. The property was then obtained by a group from the Willowick Club and converted into Manakiki Country Club. The Hanna Mansion was turned into the clubhouse. Designed by Donald J. Ross, the Manakiki golf course opened in 1928.
In 1944, the property owners offered to donate the course to the city of Cleveland. The city graciously declined to offer and it was then sold to Cleveland Metroparks for one dollar, under the condition that it must forever remain a golf course. A plaque in honor of the former owners still stands near the 18th green.
From 1944 through 1960, Manakiki was operated as a private country club. On January 1, 1961, after the country club's lease was not renewed, Manakiki was open for public play.
Manakiki offers many great holes; #8 was considered the most difficult par 4 hole on tour in the '50s when Manakiki hosted the Carling Open. Hole #15 has also been selected as one of Cleveland's best par 3 holes. An electric trolley once carried golfers from the 15th green up the steep slope to the #16 tee. The mirror image canyon holes #10 and #18 are among the finest start and finish to nine holes in the country.
In 1990, a master plan was developed to renovate the golf course and restore much of its original character. The plan included installing water and irrigation systems, building a pond on hole #3, and restoring a pond at hole #15. Tees were rebuilt or restored on holes 6, 8, 9, 13, and 15. A continuous cart path was also constructed to assure that golf carts may operate regardless of weather conditions. In addition, sand bunkers that were taken out will gradually be restored to their original state.
Par for the course is 72. From the back tees, the course plays to 6,625 yards. From the forward tees, the course measures 5,390 yards. The longest hole on the course is # 6, a par-5 that plays to 568 yards. The shortest hole on the course is # 5, a par-3 that plays to 138 yards from the back tees.
Watch out for # 8, a 443 yard par-4 challenge and the #1 handicap hole on the course. The easiest hole at Manakiki is # 12, a 479 yard par-5.
$21 (cart included), played on Sunday, October 2014 at 8am
nice condition for october in ohio ,great layout
$46 (cart included), played on Sunday, August 2012 at 6am
This is an old Donald Ross designed course with an excellent layout.
$36 (cart included), played on Thursday, September 2009 at 2pm
Having played at Manakiki for 25+ years and with it being a Donald Ross course, he would be proud of the renovation work they have done over the last few years. Beautiful.
$16 (cart not included), played on Saturday, October 2008 at 4pm
If you haven't playe Manakiki in the last several years make it a point to do so. Greens are in great shape, renovations to holes 10 and 18 have cleared the hills bordering the fairways and also have reworked the fairways; new tees were added on 11,12 and 15; and they have extended the green on #14 to match Donald Ross' original shape.
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$31 (cart included), played on Tuesday, May 2019 at 12:30 PM
The rain had stopped at 11am so I decided to take advantage and get to this Gem of greater Cleveland Metroparks golf courses. This Donald Ross 1929 design that plays from 6,643yd / 71.8 / 129 down to 5,230yd / 69.4 / 115 Par 36/36 (4 tees) has a rich history of hosting three (3) USGA Amateur Championship Qualifiers. This came to no surprise to me as I stood on the first tee box to the narrow canyon fairway leading 390yds to the elevated and protected slick green. With the rain soaked fairways giving up no extra roll, this was going to be a long afternoon. This rolling layout has well placed hills/traps placed to keep those shorter drives from getting extra distance on the many 400yd Par 4's. With the yardage sticks down the middle giving targets to the rolling landscape. Even with the early rain, the firm greens were rolling 9-10 and not holding those long iron shots very well. Many of these elevated greens had very steep fronts ready to reject any shots coming up short. The #3 471yd Par 5 protects its yardage with one tough 2nd shot to a narrow area 150yds from the green with a pond covering the righthand side. The #8 443yd Par 4 is Hcp 1 and will reject any shot short of the green and throwing it 30yds down the hill for your next chip. This was the common trait of almost every hole on this course and to think it was built 90 years ago and still demanding your best to score. Conditions here will rival most Country Clubs and challenge the best golfers to bring their "A" game. I played from the Gold tees (3,094/3,079) and with the wet conditions had all that I could handle with my new full carry driver distances. This is a must play for the 1929 Donald Ross designed layout for $35 Senior price. Enjoyed working my way around this gorgeous layout shooting 41/41 w/33 putts, looking forward to returning on a drier day.