A sleeping giant


Tucked into the rural lands of Columbiana County is a beast of a course in Copeland Hills rolling out to more than 7,000 yards. Its par 4 No. 10 is as formidable a test as any on the course.

Staring from the tee, its graceful straightaway lulls you into a sense of ease. But thick rough and a right- and left-side treelines from start to finish tells the savvy hitter that there’s no ease here.

A good drive still leaves you almost 220 yards out. If you bomb a drive, you still face 180 to 200 or more yards to an elevated green.

The green is the killer. It starts with no easy roll-ups; it’s all carry. Then a front bunker guards the right three-fourths of the green — pushing your approach to the left, where a leftside bunker punishes you if you cheat too much.

Add in a steep back right-to-front left green construct — and as club pro Jeff Meyers said — “Take your par and be happy.”