Where to Play Now: Columbus Golf Courses for Every Skill Level and Budget

You finally wrangled a sunny Saturday and a foursome with mixed abilities. One friend just bought clubs, another breaks 90, and someone else mostly wants fresh air and an excuse for a breakfast burrito. Here’s how locals actually split up the Columbus golf scene so no one feels overmatched, overcharged, or stuck in a five-hour slog.

Everything below is current and local. We’re talking the exact hours a junior pass works at a city course, the driving range with 70 tee stations, and the public spot that’s cashless and won’t let you walk on weekend mornings. If you know where in town each place sits, what it costs, and the small rules that shape your day, you make better picks and enjoy the round more.

Starting from scratch or coming back to the game

Blacklick Woods Golf Course, Reynoldsburg

If you’re new, start where the entry ramp is wide. Blacklick Woods in Reynoldsburg runs a dedicated Learning Course that is free for Franklin County residents. Nonresidents pay $11 for adults and $9 for juniors and seniors to walk 9 or 18 on this par-29 short layout. It’s first-come, first-served and is closed on Mondays for maintenance, which matters if you were thinking of sneaking out early in the week. The pro shop keeps extended seasonal hours, currently listed as 7:00 a.m.–8:30 p.m., so grabbing a small bucket and working on wedges after work is realistic here.

Ready to test a full-length track without getting punished? On the Blacklick Championship Course, Franklin County residents can play 18 holes for $24 Monday through Thursday. The everyday 9-hole rate is $16 for residents and $20 for nonresidents, with cart fees posted separately at $13 per person for 18 and $10 for 9. That kind of transparent, posted pricing is why Blacklick is often where locals send their friends for a comfortable first 18.

Wilson Road Golf Course, West Side of Columbus

Prefer a quick loop? Wilson Road is Columbus’s executive 9-hole course on the city’s west side, a par-30 with tees as short as 1,000 yards and up to 1,789 yards. It’s the right place to re-learn pace and etiquette without standing on a tee box for 10 minutes waiting on a reachable par 5. City-run courses accept tee times seven days a week, and Wilson pairs that with a Youth on Course window that’s generous: Monday–Thursday any time for Youth on Course members, and on weekends from 2 p.m. to close (not available Fridays or holidays). If you’re teaching a teen to play, those windows are gold.

Airport Golf Course, East Side of Columbus

Airport Golf Course sits along Hamilton Road by John Glenn Columbus International. The draw for beginners is the modernized design and tee options. A 2012 redesign added a family-friendly set of Purple tees around 2,689 yards, which keeps the day moving if you’re not clearing 200 yards yet. Youth on Course members get access here on Monday–Friday from 1 p.m. to close and on weekends after 3 p.m., with holiday play excluded in those discounts. If you’re noise-sensitive, bring earbuds or treat the occasional takeoff as part of the experience.

Breaking 100 and ready for a real round without real pain

Groveport Municipal Golf Course, Groveport

The course many locals mean when they say “Links at Groveport” is the Groveport Municipal Golf Course in Groveport. The published 2026 in-season rates are straightforward: $27 for 18 holes on weekdays if you’re a nonresident, and $42 for 18 holes on weekends and holidays before 1 p.m. (that block is 18-hole play only). After 1 p.m. on weekends, the 18-hole nonresident rate drops to $30 and 9-hole play is allowed. For families, there’s a small but meaningful Saturday perk: kids 14 and under play free after 1 p.m. with a paying adult, limited to two kids per adult. Cart fees are posted as $20 per player for 18 and $12 for 9 if you’d rather ride.

Turnberry Golf Course, Pickerington

On the east side, Turnberry’s links-style setup in Pickerington is friendly off the tee and teaches smart second shots to small, elevated greens. It has a serious practice footprint too with a 70-station driving range, which matters for pre-round routine. Youth on Course is welcomed here from noon to close Monday–Friday and from 3 p.m. to close on weekends and holidays. If you’re building a group that likes a full warm-up, Turnberry’s range is the most practical in the city’s municipal set.

Blacklick Woods Championship Course, Reynoldsburg

Stepping up from the short Learning Course, the Championship Course at Blacklick remains a value play for locals who want a clean fair test. As noted above, $24 covers 18 walking Monday–Thursday for Franklin County residents. Because 9-hole resident and nonresident rates are posted as $16 and $20 respectively, it’s also the spot for a late-day nine that does not blow your budget. The posted cart fees keep costs predictable if you decide to ride.

Ready for a test that still welcomes the public

Champions Golf Course, Northeast Columbus

Set near Easton along Westerville Road, Champions is the municipal layout locals call the city’s toughest. From the tips it plays around 6,536 yards at par 70 with a 125 slope and hilly fairways that ask you to hit shapes, not just stock drives. Champions is also the one city course that does not participate in Youth on Course, so plan on the regular daily-fee structure if you were counting on that junior discount.

Raymond Memorial Golf Course, Northwest Columbus

Raymond sits off Trabue Road on the northwest side and is a piece of Columbus golf history for one quirky reason: two twin par-3 holes run side by side with parallel tees, fairways, and greens. It’s a fun conversation starter when you show a first-timer the card. Youth on Course windows here are Monday–Thursday 10 a.m. to close and not offered Friday–Sunday or holidays. If you want to put a younger player on real greens in the afternoon without a premium time, that Monday through Thursday block is your lane.

Safari Golf Club, Powell

Next to the Columbus Zoo in Powell, Safari posts fixed 2026 rack rates of $55 for 18 holes Monday–Thursday, $65 on Fridays, and $75 for weekends and holidays. A few policies define the day. The course is cashless, so bring a card. On Friday–Sunday and holidays, play is 18 holes riding only until 3 p.m.; 9-hole and walking play are not permitted before midafternoon. Non-playing guests owe a $10 spectator fee and must sign a waiver. If you want a firmer test than a muni without joining a club, Safari’s posted rates and rules let you plan precisely.

Local booking and practice strategies that actually help

City-run courses take tee times seven days a week. For after-work golf, remember that Youth on Course discounts kick in late day and differ by course. The most useful windows in the city set are:

• Wilson Road: Youth on Course any time Monday–Thursday, and 2 p.m. to close on weekends. Not available on Fridays or holidays.
• Airport: Youth on Course 1 p.m. to close Monday–Friday, and 3 p.m. to close on weekends. Not available on holidays.
• Mentel Memorial (Galloway): Youth on Course 1 p.m. to close Monday–Friday, and 3 p.m. to close on weekends and holidays.
• Turnberry (Pickerington): Youth on Course noon to close Monday–Friday, and 3 p.m. to close on weekends and holidays.
• Raymond Memorial: Youth on Course 10 a.m. to close Monday–Thursday. Not available Friday–Sunday or holidays.
• Champions: Youth on Course not available.

For a pre-round tune-up, Turnberry’s 70-station range is the most flexible warm-up bay among the municipal courses, and Blacklick posts clear hours for both the range and the pro shop, currently 7:00 a.m.–8:30 p.m. If you only have time for reps, Blacklick’s Learning Course being free for Franklin County residents means you can hit real approaches instead of just banging balls. Note the Monday closure on the Learning Course and watch for periodic league or First Tee blocks; show up early or late to avoid those windows.

Value hunters who like published numbers will gravitate to Blacklick and Groveport, because both post clear 2026 season rates right on their course pages or city fee schedules. Safari’s rack rates are also posted and stable, with the extra clarity of a cashless policy and a weekend morning riding-only rule that keeps the starter moving. If your group is walking, those policy differences can be the decider on where to book.

Last thing to consider is geography. If your crew lives along the east side, pairing a Blacklick nine with burgers is practical; if you’re up northwest, Raymond is the easy in-and-out for a midday fourball. On the west or southwest edge, Mentel Memorial is close to Grove City and Galloway and sits in the sweet spot for Youth on Course after work. For a day trip with a stout challenge and long views, many locals point a car to Nashport for The Virtues, though its tee-sheet pricing tends to float with demand, which is why this list focuses on courses with posted daily-fee signals you can plan around.

Key things to know before you book

• Want the simplest first round? Blacklick Woods Learning Course is free to walk for Franklin County residents, nonresidents pay $11 adults and $9 juniors/seniors to walk 9 or 18. It is closed Mondays for maintenance.
• Building a family Saturday? At Groveport Municipal, kids 14 and under play free after 1 p.m. with a paying adult (two kids per adult), with $42 nonresident 18-hole weekend/holiday rates before 1 p.m.
• If you plan to walk on a weekend morning, avoid Safari Golf Club where weekend and holiday play is riding only until 3 p.m.; the club is also cashless and charges a $10 spectator fee for non-players.
• Chasing a challenge on city turf? Champions plays 6,536 yards at par 70 from the back tees and does not participate in Youth on Course. Raymond Memorial has twin par-3 holes side by side, and Youth on Course runs Monday–Thursday 10 a.m.–close.
• Need a proper warm-up? Turnberry has a 70-station range. Blacklick’s pro shop hours currently read 7:00 a.m.–8:30 p.m. for easy after-work practice.

Reader Q&A

Where can I walk 9 holes after work without guessing the price?

Blacklick Woods posts everyday 9-hole rates of $16 for Franklin County residents and $20 for nonresidents on the Championship Course, with cart fees listed separately. The pro shop lists 7:00 a.m.–8:30 p.m. hours, so a twilight nine is easy to plan.

Which municipal course is best for a beginner who still wants a full round?

Start at Blacklick’s Learning Course to groove contact, then bump to the Blacklick Championship Course where resident weekday 18 is $24. If you want a different look with plenty of practice time before you tee off, Turnberry in Pickerington has a 70-station range.

We’re a mixed group with a junior golfer. Which courses honor Youth on Course and when?

Wilson Road honors it any time Monday–Thursday and from 2 p.m. on weekends. Airport, Mentel Memorial, and Turnberry offer afternoon access on weekdays and after midafternoon on weekends. Raymond Memorial runs Monday–Thursday 10 a.m.–close. Champions doesn’t participate.

Can I walk Safari Golf Club on Saturday morning if I pay the full rate?

No. Friday–Sunday and holidays, Safari requires 18 holes riding only until 3 p.m. It’s also cashless and charges a $10 spectator fee for non-playing guests. If you want to walk early on a weekend, choose a different course.

Pick by two filters and the choice gets easy: how you plan to play and when you can play. If you want to walk and keep costs predictable, Blacklick and Groveport put the numbers in writing. If you want a stiffer test and firm policies that keep the tee sheet moving, Safari and Champions will feel like a step up.

Published: August 28, 2026