Triple Crown Country Club

Overview: Triple Crown Country Club is a private 18-hole course in Union, just south of Cincinnati. Gene Bates's design uses the gently rolling landscape of Northern Kentucky, with tree-lined corridors, water hazards and a mixture of holes that ask for different types of shots. The course sits within the Triple Crown community, but its playing character is more than a residential setting: the official hole descriptions emphasise strategic decisions from the first tee, including a short par three where a lake and a ridged putting surface make distance control important.

History: Triple Crown opened in 1990 under the direction of Gene Bates, who had previously served as Vice President of Design and Construction Services for Jack Nicklaus Design. The course became a regular venue for high-level Kentucky and regional golf, including the Kentucky Open, the Kentucky Amateur and the U.S. Senior Amateur. Its connection with Bates is especially strong in Northern Kentucky, where he also worked on nearby courses and helped shape a recognisable local design legacy.

Did You Know? Gene Bates assisted with the design of Valhalla Golf Club and Muirfield Village Golf Club during his years with Jack Nicklaus Design. Triple Crown therefore carries a direct link to two major American golf properties, even though its own identity is rooted in the rolling landscape and horse-racing culture of Northern Kentucky.