From Longaberger to Virtues
Originally built as Longaberger Golf Club, the course changed hands and rebranded as Virtues in 2016. Many still reference its trophy-winning past and the famous basket factory down the road when they tee it up here.
Golf Course Review & Scouting Report
Virtues Golf Club
Nashport, Ohio
Established
1999
Architect
Arthur Hills (with Spencer Holt listed on some sources)
Access
Public
Par
Par 72
Length
4,985 – 7,243 yds
Green Fees
$$
The verdict
A regionally elite public gem
Virtues Golf Club offers serious challenge, dramatic scenery, and strong course conditioning, backed by Arthur Hills’ architectural pedigree. It’s a must-play for Ohio golf travelers and a bucket-list round for regional public-course fans.
Course DNA
Difficulty
86
Scenery78
Conditioning82
Shot Variety84
Walkability67
Green Complexity80
Wow Factor76
Design Quality80
At a glance
Quick facts
Original name
Longaberger Golf Club
Designed by
Arthur Hills (with Spencer Holt listed)
Tee range
Five sets from 4,985 to 7,243 yards
TV exposure
Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf match
Top course accolades
Best New Upscale Public 2000 (Golf Digest)
Major elevation changes
Up to 100 feet between holes
Clubhouse setting
Overlooks No. 18 green and surrounding valleys
The design
The architecture
Virtues Golf Club is a sprawling, bold parkland design that makes the most of its rolling terrain. Arthur Hills routed holes across ridgetops and into valleys, creating dramatic elevation changes and varied vistas while maintaining a strategic focus that rewards well-placed shots. Players face a mix of forced carries, bunkered landing zones, and receptive greens that encourage risk/reward thinking. Water hazards and mature wooded corridors frame many holes, but openness on key shots provides choices. The layout’s natural transitions, memorable par threes, and fair but challenging angles make it one of the Midwest’s most compelling modern publics.
Arthur Hills considered the site among his best, carefully preserving mature trees, and making full use of elevation to create a varied and natural parkland test.
Defining features
- Natural elevation changes frame shot choices
- Challenging bunkering and water hazards
- Mix of tree-lined and open holes
- Strong blend of risk/reward par 5s
- Greens positioned for dramatic effect
- Strategic use of valleys and ridge lines
Hole by hole
Signature holes
Hole 2
The Early Gauntlet
PAR
4
YARDAGE
474
A formidable par 4 that sets the tone early, demanding a precise tee shot and a lengthy approach into a well-protected green. With some of the toughest land on the property, you must embrace the challenge from the start.
Play it smart
Favor position over brute force; keep the ball in play and aim for a smart angle into the green.
Where it bites
Miss the fairway and you’ll face brutal recovery; bunkers and elevation changes punish the careless.
Course management
Shots to think about
Tee shot on Hole 2
Don’t overreach—find the short grass and accept a longer approach; par here is a great result.
Approach to Hole 4’s green
If you can’t reach in two, lay up to your ideal number and avoid the water left.
Long iron on Hole 8
Aim for the heart of the green with more club than you think—don’t flirt with trouble short or left.
Drive on Hole 16
Commit to your shape, favoring the side with a better angle—long and wild adds a shot.
Second shot on Hole 18
Get accurate yardage and judge your risk; only go for it if you have a perfect lie.
Sidehill lie in the fairway
Play to the safer side of the green; don’t chase pins when footing is uncertain.
On the day
What to expect
Conditions
Consistently excellent, with fast and true greens, tidy bunkers, and well-groomed fairways.
Pace
Generally very good for a public resort-style layout.
Vibe
Upscale and welcoming—serious golf without the country club stuffiness.
Dress code
Standard golf attire expected; collared shirts recommended.
Before you tee off
Your game plan
01
Pack for the Hills
You’ll walk plenty of elevation changes—bring good shoes and plan for some climbs.
02
Book Early for Prime Times
Peak tee slots fill up fast during summer and weekends; securing advance times or using GolfNow deals pays off.
03
Practice High-Iron Shots
Get comfortable hitting uphill and downhill approaches, as many holes feature major elevation shifts.
The lore
How it came to be
- 1999
Course opens as Longaberger Golf Club
- 1999
Hosts Shell's Wonderful World of Golf (Pepper vs. Webb)
- 2000
Named Golf Digest's Best New Upscale Public Course
- 2003
Debuts in Golf Digest’s America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses
- 2016
Rebranded as Virtues Golf Club under new ownership
- 2025
Hosts Virtues Intercollegiate
- 2026
Hosts Ohio Amateur Championship
Stories & legends
What makes it special
Shell’s Wonderful Moment
Shortly after opening, Virtues hosted a Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf match featuring Dottie Pepper and Karrie Webb, giving the public its first big TV look at Ohio’s new golf star.
A Designer’s Masterpiece
Arthur Hills himself called the site one of the most beautiful he’d ever worked. The ridge-and-valley routing remains a masterclass in maximizing topography while keeping the course walkable—if you’re up for a workout.
Challenging the Champions
Each year, college and state amateur championships descend on Virtues, testing the next wave of talent across its brawny corridors and exacting par 4s.
For the group chat
Fun facts
1
Virtues debuted on national TV with a Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf match in its first year.
2
The course was originally built by the famous Longaberger basket company.
3
Elevation changes approach 100 feet, offering sweeping views and dramatic shot demands.
4
Regularly ranked as Ohio’s top or top-three public-access course since its inception.
5
Known for generous tee choices—accommodates big hitters and newer golfers alike.
Build the trip
If you’re making a central Ohio golf trip out of it
CourseAccessWhy it's on the listTrip
Denison Golf Club
Public
Classic college-course feel by Donald Ross in nearby Granville
Chapel Hill Golf Course
Public
Playable daily-fee course with good scenery in nearby Mount Vernon
Moundbuilders Country Club
Private
Top local private, strong golden-age design if you can access
EagleSticks Golf Club
Public
Fun public option with elevation and creative holes in Zanesville
Newark or Granville for short commutes; east-side Columbus for more amenities
Course DNA
If You Like Virtues Golf Club
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Strong DNA Match7.8
Fieldstone Golf Club
Wilmington, DelawareWhy it matches: What links these two? A comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character — a familiar feeling, expressed in Fieldstone Golf Club's own setting.
Strong DNA Match9.5
Pine Valley Golf Club
Pine Hill, New JerseyWhy it matches: What links these two? A comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character — a familiar feeling, expressed in Pine Valley Golf Club's own setting.
Strong DNA Match7.6
Cobblestone Golf Club
Blythewood, South CarolinaWhy it matches: Cobblestone Golf Club is a natural next stop after Virtues Golf Club: it a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character.
Community Sentiment
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