GAHANNA MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE

The mounded fairways and strategic bunkering here deliver surprising bite for a Columbus-area muni, with the back nine's elevation changes creating genuine shot-making challenges that most public tracks can't match. What sets this layout apart is how architect Geoffrey Cornish used the rolling central Ohio terrain to create genuine risk-reward opportunities, particularly on the par-5 13th where bold players can cut the dogleg over mature oaks. At under $40 for weekend play, it's the kind of honest golf that reminds you why municipal courses built character in generations of golfers.