Golf lovers, this one’s for you.
National Golf Lover’s Day is a good excuse to grab the clubs, work on your swing and spend a few hours on the green. At Safari Golf Club, located across the street from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, there are plenty of ways to celebrate.
And around here, even the course holes have a wildlife connection.
18 Holes, 140 Acres and a Few Familiar Species
Safari Golf Club’s 18-hole, par-72 course stretches across 140 acres and offers a challenge for golfers of different skill levels. The course includes five holes designed by renowned course architect Dr. Michael Hurdzan.
As you make your way around the course, you may notice names including the Cheetah, Giraffe, Rhino, Monarch Butterfly and Hellbender. Each of Safari Golf Club’s 18 holes is named for an animal species connected to conservation work supported by the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and The Wilds.
Some names even have a connection to the hole itself. Hole 2, the Giraffe, is the longest hole on the course. Hole 14, the Monarch Butterfly, sits near Safari Golf Club’s butterfly waystation. And Hole 18, the Hellbender, is located near a small creek.
A Place to Practice Your Game
Sometimes a great day of golf is about working on the shots that will make the next round better.
Safari Golf Club’s practice facilities include putting and chipping greens along with a 50,000-square-foot grass tee and six target greens. Whether you want to spend some time with the driver or work on your short game, there’s plenty of room to practice.
Golfers looking for personalized help can also schedule private instruction. Safari Golf Club’s resident instructors include General Manager and PGA Master Golf Professional Ty Day, who offers individual lessons.
Bring the Whole Group
Golf is also pretty good at turning a workday into something people actually look forward to putting on the calendar.
Safari Golf Club hosts golf outings for corporate groups, fundraisers, organizations and groups of friends, with options available for groups of varying sizes. The Safari team can assist with details including tournament setup, personalized scorecards, cart signs, sponsor signage, scoring and more.
The 3,600-square-foot Events Center also provides an indoor, climate-controlled option for business meetings, celebrations and other gatherings. The space includes audiovisual capabilities and can be paired with a day on the course for groups looking to combine business with a little time outside.
Where the Green Goes Beyond the Fairway
The connection between Safari Golf Club and wildlife runs deeper than the names on the scorecard.
Revenue from Safari Golf Club supports conservation efforts at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, The Wilds, throughout Ohio and around the world. In addition, $1 from each golf rate is dedicated to supporting animal conservation.
Conservation also happens right on the course.
Safari Golf Club has been designated a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary through the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses. Six acres have been designated as native areas where native plants can thrive with reduced use of chemicals and pesticides. The course uses electric golf carts, maintains artificial nesting sites for bluebirds and purple martins, and provides habitat for monarch butterflies as certified Monarch Waystation #10909, known as “Gunner’s Run.”
Those efforts mean a round at Safari Golf Club can support wildlife both close to home and around the world.
Read about our Conservation and Sustainability Efforts
Celebrate With a Round
National Golf Lover’s Day may give you the reason, but you don’t need a special day on the calendar to tee up.
Play 18 holes. Spend an afternoon at the practice facility. Schedule a lesson. Plan an outing with coworkers or friends. Or simply enjoy a course where golf and conservation share the same 140 acres.
Learn more about Safari Golf Club, explore tee times and discover how your game supports conservation.
