Oglebay Resort

It’s a fun place for a family day out. The snack bar has ice cream, hot dogs, chips, pop, and more. The pool isn’t huge, but it’s nice with kids since they’re easy to keep an eye on. Lifeguards stay attentive and keep swimmers in line. In the shallow end you can use floats and pool noodles, while the deep end has an inflatable slide and a jump platform that are fun but a bit challenging. The outdoor pool is open from 11am to 7pm. Get there early if you want a chair, especially one with an umbrella. Otherwise, you may end up on the grass.

The courses were a mixed experience. Palmer took 4.5 hours, and its conditions were stressed, so I’d give it 4 stars. Jones took 5.75 hours, which gets 0 stars from me. Barefoot, drunk idiots took over Jones and made the round unbearable, ruining what I expected to be a premium golf experience. The rangers couldn’t get the chaos under control, which made it feel like collecting green fees mattered more than providing a premium round. The Palmer Course was 4 stars; the Jones Course was 0. Hotel rooms get 3 stars and need updating. The restaurant earns 5 for great food at reasonable prices, and staff at both the hotel and golf course were terrific, also 5 stars. The area is beautiful and close to Central Ohio, but I can’t justify returning to Oglebay or recommending it as a golf destination. I’m truly disappointed to post this.

For a golf trip, this is a lovely spot. You get beautiful courses and accommodations at the Wilson Lodge, and breakfast in the morning is very nice. Highly recommend.

I played Palmer Monday, then Jones Tuesday, 9/15 and 9/16. The rounds took 5.5 and 6 hours, respectively. What a joke. There was only one ranger, and he didn’t do much. Other irritated golfers and I called the clubhouse to report how slow things were, and we were basically told tough luck.