I’ll admit it, when someone first mentioned a golf weekend in Coshocton, Ohio, I had to pull up a map. But after two nights based out of the Roscoe Boutique Motel, two very different rounds of golf, and a wine flight with a river view, I left wondering why this corner of east-central Ohio isn’t on more golfers’ radar.
Coshocton sits where the Walhonding and Tuscarawas Rivers meet, “union of waters,” as the name translates from the original Lenape. That geography shapes everything about the trip, from the rolling terrain the courses are routed through to the riverside patio where you’ll want to end your evenings.
Day One: Settling In
We checked into the Roscoe Boutique Motel in the late afternoon, and it’s the kind of home base we appreciate on a golf trip: no fuss, no corporate sameness, just a clean, well-kept boutique property tucked at the edge of Historic Roscoe Village. Our room came with a coffee maker, a mini-fridge, and free Wi-Fi, which covers the essentials, and the location does the rest of the work: we were steps from the canal-town shops and restaurants of Roscoe Village without ever needing to get back in the car. If you’re the type who likes to wander after a long travel day, this is your spot.
For dinner, we made the short drive out to West Lafayette for Raven’s Glenn Winery & Restaurant, and it’s worth building your evening around. The restaurant and tasting room sit right on the banks of the Tuscarawas River, and we grabbed a table where we could watch the water while watching others work through a wine flight; their sweet wines have won medals at competitions from San Diego to San Francisco. According to others at the table, the dry reds held their own just as well. The kitchen leans Italian, casual but well executed, and between the food, the wine, and that river view, it’s easy to see why locals treat this place as the anchor of the Three Rivers Wine Trail.
Day Two: Hickory Flats
Morning started with breakfast at Indian Bear Cork and Coffee, a hybrid coffee shop, deli, and specialty wine-and-beer shop that turned out to be the perfect low-key launch pad for a golf day. Coffee in one hand, pastry in the other, I was on the road to Hickory Flats Golf Course in under twenty minutes.
Hickory Flats is a classic in every sense; it’s an 18-hole, par-72 layout that’s been welcoming golfers since it opened in 1968, designed by Kidwell and Hurdzan, Inc. The course plays 6,628 yards from the blue tees, with a 70.4 rating and 109 slope, and it’s open year-round, weather permitting, which tells you something about how well it’s cared for. Golf Digest readers voted Hickory Flats as one of the Best Places to Play back in 2009, and it’s remained the home of the Mid-Ohio Golf Association Amateur Tournament ever since. This is a course that’s used to being tested by good players and holding up just fine.
I found the white tees at 6,330 yards (70.4 rating aside, this set gave me more than enough room to work with) to offer a good challenge and still let me leave with a little dignity intact. The layout has that mature, established feel you only get from a course pushing sixty years old — trees that have had decades to fill in, greens that have settled into their character, and a routing that rewards shot-making over sheer length. If you’re a golfer who likes a course that plays a little like a history lesson, Hickory Flats delivers. Then it was back to the Roscoe and the warm, comfortable bed.
Day Three: River Greens
After another coffee-shop breakfast to fuel up, I pointed the car toward West Lafayette again, this time for River Greens Golf Course, a semi-private facility that plays like it takes its private-club aspirations seriously. The original River and Greens nines were designed by Kidwell, with the River nine opening in 1966 and the Greens nine following a year later in 1967. A third nine, the Pines, was added in 1994, giving River Greens the flexibility of three distinct 18-hole combinations, each with its own personality.
I played the River/Greens combination, which is the most popular pairing and the one most golfers gravitate toward first. It measures 6,588 yards from the longest tees, with a 71.1 rating and 120 slope, and with four sets of tees available, there’s a combination here for every skill level; none of the three 18-hole routings is going to overwhelm you with length, but choosing the right tees is still the key to a fun day. The Bentgrass greens and Bluegrass fairways were as well-manicured as any course I’ve played that wasn’t gated and guarded — River Greens has a genuinely private-club feel despite its semi-private status.
What struck me most was the honesty of the design. Mature pine and oak trees line the fairways, but flags are visible from nearly every tee box, and there aren’t a lot of hidden surprises waiting to ambush your card. Water comes into play sparingly — you’ll catch glimpses of the Tuscarawas River on a handful of early holes, then won’t see it again until 16, 18, and 27. It’s a course that lets you play aggressively because it shows you exactly what you’re up against.
If you’re bringing a group, it’s worth knowing River Greens runs excellent Stay and Play packages. The Farmhouse sits right next to the 1st tee and sleeps up to eight across four bedrooms (three queens and five twins), with linens, towels, a washer and dryer, a fully equipped kitchen, Wi-Fi, DirecTV, and a deck with a gas grill. Need more room? The River Greens Guest House, near the 19th tee, sleeps sixteen across six bedrooms. Both require a two-night minimum per person; the rates are affordable, and you’ll get a solid discount on golf. Just plan to bring your own food and beverages and settle in.
Why Make the Trip
Coshocton isn’t going to show up on anyone’s list of famous golf destinations, and that’s exactly its appeal. Hickory Flats gives you a proper test of a classic, tournament-tested design, and River Greens offers a private-club experience — manicured, honest, and flexible enough for groups of any size — at a semi-private price point. Add in a boutique motel steps from a genuinely charming canal village, a riverside winery dinner, and a coffee-shop breakfast that beats any Motel buffet, and you’ve got a weekend that punches well above its name recognition. For more information or to request a free visitor packet, go to www.visitcoshocton.com. You’ll find both courses under the “Things To Do” tab.