EagleSticks is a tradition for Columbus golfers
Columbus golfers have no shortage of nearby public golf courses. That is part of what makes Central Ohio such a strong golf market. You can find convenient tee times in almost every direction, from city courses to suburban daily-fee options.
But convenience is not always the only goal.
Sometimes golfers are looking for a round that feels different. A course with more movement. A drive that feels like the start of a golf trip. A place where the first tee shot, the views, the approach shots, the greens, and the post-round conversation all feel a little more memorable.
That is why EagleSticks Golf Club is worth the drive from Columbus.
EagleSticks is located in Zanesville, Ohio, east of Columbus. The drive is simple: head east on I-70 toward Zanesville, and in roughly an hour from much of the Columbus area, you can be standing on the first tee of one of Ohio’s most distinctive public golf courses.
For golfers who want more than the closest available tee time, EagleSticks is a Central Ohio golf destination worth planning around.
A Straightforward Drive East from Columbus
One of the best things about planning a round at EagleSticks from Columbus is how easy the drive feels.
This is not a complicated back-road trip. For most Columbus-area golfers, the route is a straight shot east on I-70 toward Zanesville. That makes EagleSticks especially appealing for golfers coming from Downtown Columbus, the east side, New Albany, Pickerington, Reynoldsburg, Granville, Newark, Lancaster, and other Central Ohio communities.
That matters because a golf course can be “worth the drive” only if the drive still feels reasonable.
EagleSticks hits that balance. It is far enough from Columbus to feel like a golf getaway, but close enough to work as a day trip, a Saturday round, a buddy trip stop, or a group golf outing.
Designed by Dr. Michael Hurdzan
EagleSticks was designed by Dr. Michael Hurdzan, one of the most respected names in modern golf course architecture. The course was built across rolling land near Zanesville, with elevation changes, scenic views, and the kind of movement that gives the property its character.
That design pedigree matters.
Hurdzan is also one of the architects connected to Erin Hills in Wisconsin, the course that hosted the 2017 U.S. Open. EagleSticks is not Erin Hills, and it does not need to be. It is its own Ohio golf experience. But knowing the course came from the mind of a designer associated with major championship golf gives golfers a useful lens for understanding what they are about to play.
This is not a flat, forgettable layout.
It is a course shaped around land movement, strategy, angles, and fun.
Elevation Changes That Define the Experience
The elevation changes are one of the main reasons EagleSticks feels different from many public golf courses near Columbus.
From the tee, the ball can seem to hang in the air forever. Some drives feel like they fly for miles. Approach shots ask golfers to think about slope, lie, distance control, and where the ball will finish. Around the greens, the movement creates fun putting moments, awkward stances, and decisions that golfers remember long after the round.
That is the heart of the “worth the drive” argument.
You are not just driving east from Columbus to play another round. You are driving to play golf that feels different from the first tee through the final hole.
The Views Are Part of the Round
At EagleSticks, the views are not just background scenery. They are part of the way the course plays.
Elevated tees create anticipation. Downhill holes make golfers think about carry, roll, and risk. Greens set into the landscape create approach shots that are more interesting than simply hitting a number. The land gives the course a sense of movement that golfers can feel, not just see.
That is also why EagleSticks works so well as a course to preview before you play. Golfers can use the EagleSticks hole-by-hole guide to get familiar with the layout before making the drive from Columbus.
That matters for first-time visitors. When a course has this much movement, a little advance knowledge can make the day more enjoyable.
Hole 4 Shows What Makes EagleSticks Different
A good example of the EagleSticks experience is Hole 4.
This is the kind of hole that helps explain why golfers remember the course. The land moves. The view matters. The tee shot feels different. The hole gives players a sense that they are playing through a property with personality, not just moving from one flat fairway to the next.
For Columbus golfers deciding whether the drive is worth it, that is the point. EagleSticks offers shots, views, and golf moments that feel distinct.
A Course Golfers Talk About
EagleSticks has been part of the Central Ohio golf conversation for a long time.
A GolfPass travel article called EagleSticks worth the “trot” from Columbus and highlighted the course as a golf experience east of the city.
Golfers have said similar things in their own words. A Reddit discussion about EagleSticks includes golfers talking about the course’s design, reputation, and whether it is worth the drive from Columbus. The fact that golfers discuss EagleSticks this way is useful because “worth the drive” is not just a marketing phrase. It is the kind of phrase golfers use when a course gives them something to remember.
EagleSticks also has golfer feedback on platforms like Yelp, where visitors have shared their experiences with the course and facility.
A Public Golf Course with Recognition Behind It
EagleSticks has also earned recognition from golfers and golf media over time. GolfPass lists EagleSticks’ accolades, including repeated appearances among Golf Advisor’s Top Courses in Ohio, as well as recognition among the Top 25 Friendliest Courses in the U.S. and Top 25 Value Courses in the U.S.
That combination is important.
A course can be scenic but not friendly. It can be interesting but overpriced. It can be challenging but frustrating. EagleSticks’ reputation is built on something more balanced: a memorable public golf experience, a friendly feel, and value that makes the drive easier to justify.
For Columbus golfers comparing public golf options, that history helps explain why EagleSticks belongs in the conversation.
The Fun Is in the Variety
EagleSticks is not simply about elevation for the sake of elevation. The fun comes from how the land creates variety.
Some holes invite a bold tee shot. Others reward patience. Some approaches ask for precision. Others give golfers room to use slopes and contours. The greens create enough movement to keep putting interesting, and the course gives golfers plenty to talk about after the round.
That variety is what separates a memorable golf course from a convenient one.
A convenient course can satisfy the need to play.
A memorable course gives golfers a reason to come back.
EagleSticks does both, but its strength is the experience. For Columbus golfers, that is what makes the drive worth considering.
More Than a Tee Time
A round at EagleSticks can also become more than 18 holes.
Golfers can book a tee time online, use the hole-by-hole course guide before they arrive, enjoy food and drinks at Mac’s Sports Grill, or build a short golf getaway around the course with stay-and-play packages.
That makes EagleSticks a strong fit for Saturday rounds with friends, Columbus-area golfers looking for a public golf day trip, buddy trips, group golf outings, charity golf events, company golf days, and golfers who want a more scenic public course near Central Ohio.
For weddings, banquets, and larger gatherings, EagleSticks also offers weddings and events, making the property useful beyond daily public golf.
See the Course Before You Make the Drive
For golfers who want a better feel for EagleSticks before booking, video can help. This EagleSticks Golf Club video gives golfers another way to see the course, setting, and elevation before making the drive from Columbus.
That kind of preview matters because EagleSticks is not being positioned as simply another nearby tee time. It is being positioned as a golf experience worth planning.
Who Should Make the Drive?
EagleSticks is probably not the right answer for every golf day.
If you have two hours after work and need the closest possible tee time, you will probably choose a course closer to home.
But if you want a more intentional golf day, EagleSticks makes sense.
It is a good fit for Columbus golfers who want to play a course with real elevation changes, experience a Michael Hurdzan design, enjoy a round that feels different from their normal routine, make a simple drive east on I-70, plan a group golf day or buddy trip, combine golf with food, drinks, or a short getaway, and play a public course with a history of golfer recognition.
That is the real answer to the worth-the-drive question.
EagleSticks is worth the drive when the goal is not just to play golf, but to make the round feel like something you planned, anticipated, and remembered.
Plan Your Round from Columbus
If you are searching for golf courses near Columbus, Ohio, EagleSticks should be considered differently than the course closest to your house.
It is not trying to win on convenience alone.
It wins when the golfer wants more from the day.
The drive east on I-70 is simple. The course has the kind of elevation changes that make shots more fun. The design carries the influence of one of golf’s respected architects. The views, strategy, and setting give Columbus golfers a reason to leave the most familiar local options behind for a day.
If you want a routine round, stay close.
If you want a public golf experience that feels like a short Central Ohio golf getaway, make the drive to EagleSticks.
Ready to Play EagleSticks?
EagleSticks Golf Club is located in Zanesville, Ohio, east of Columbus, and serves golfers from Columbus, Zanesville, Newark, Granville, Lancaster, New Albany, Pickerington, Reynoldsburg, and across Central Ohio.
Book your tee time online, preview the course, or explore stay-and-play options before your visit.
Make the drive. Play the round. Experience EagleSticks.
