History
Belonging to Kenwood Country Club is being part of a long heritage of tradition and excellence. The overall atmosphere is family oriented and offers a variety of activities and amenities that will be attractive to all family members. The camaraderie of the membership and friendliness of the many longtime employees ensure that each visit to the club is a pleasant homecoming.
During the summer of 1929, after a long decade of unparalleled stock market advances, a group of 11 members of the downtown Cincinnati Club eagerly decided to create a golfing country club. The committee considered several tracts of land and called in Mr. Donald Ross, an outstanding golf architect with a national reputation, to review and give a written report as to his first choice in location. The committee, led by Edward J. Hoff, Kenwood’s first president, soon acquired 341 acres of farmland northeast of the city. Soon after the initial purchase an additional amount of land was added to the club’s present course, which totals 482 acres.
One of the nation’s leading golf course architects of that era, Mr. William H. Diddel of Indianapolis, was soon engaged to lay out the original 36 holes. Mr. W. Taylor Boyd accompanied him to Cincinnati to supervise the work and stayed on to become one of only 4 golf course superintendents in our club’s history.
The inaugural tee shot was taken by President Hoff on August 2, 1930 alongside two other golfers and no one shot over 100 that day.
There are over 3,800 country clubs in the United States. Kenwood Country Club is one of only 39 clubs that is over 90 years of age and has 36 holes. Kenwood is one of only 20 of that group that has hosted a major national tournament. These tournaments include:
- 1933 U.S. Amateur won by George Dunlap Jr.
- 1954 Western Open won by Lloyd Mangrum
- 1963 U.S. Women’s Open Championship won by Mary Mills
- 2022 Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G won by Ally Ewing
- 2023 Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G won by Minjee Lee
Kenwood's amenities include two 18-hole championship golf courses, clay and hard tennis courts, platform tennis courts, state-of-the-art fitness facility, a heated zero-entry and competition-size swimming pool with diving well, award winning dining facilities and social activities for all ages. Providing activities and amenities that cater to all members is our goal and providing them with excellence is our passion.
