Kings Mill Golf Club

Home
United States
Waldo, OH
Kings Mill Golf Club

18 Hole Golf Course with Beautiful Views of Marion County near Waldo, Ohio. In 1960 John and Jean Russell purchased 160 acres of farmland known as Kingsmill.

the front nine of the golf course was built in 1965 and opened on memorial Day 1966. Designed by Jack Kidwell, the front nine was added to with an additional nine holes designed by John Russell and Ted Cox. This opened in 1973. The original clubhouse now occupies the bar. A two-story addition was built in 1971. Since then many changes have taken place with the golf course and the clubhouse. Kingsmill is a family owned and operated business.

05/30/2026

Today marks the 60th anniversary of Kings Mill Golf Course being open! In honor of that read our final article in our 60th anniversary series which highlight this courses past, present, and future!

We'd also like to highlight the chance to win a 7 day membership in honor of our anniversary for the 2027 golf season! The raffle will be held in October. Tickets cost $5.00/ticket or $20.00/5! Stop by the clubhouse to buy your tickets!

Shaping The Future: Steve’s Vision at Kings Mill
For current golf course superintendent Steve, managing Kings Mill is about balancing tradition with constant evolution. His career in turf management began in 1990 at the Mar-O-Del course, followed by a stint in professional landscaping (2007–2011) and country club management (2012–2026) before he brought his multi-decade expertise to Kings Mill.
Like his predecessors, Steve deeply appreciates the land's unique layout.“The layout of the back nine,” Steve notes. “The open and close of it—it’s just different.”
Managing a modern course requires executing major structural upgrades while staying ahead of daily wear. Steve and his crew have already upgraded the course’s mowers and equipment.
Looking ahead, Steve is focusing on several key projects to keep the course in peak condition: Re-doing the drainage installations, Adding a new tee at the 17th hole, Reworking the course's irrigation system, and growing better grass on 10 fairways.
While the physical features of the course demand constant attention, Steve places his highest value on his crew, operating with leadership and deep trust.
“They don’t need direction,” Steve says of his team. “They know what they’re doing.” He also credits his own growth to the exceptional leaders he has worked for over the years, noting that Linda is "one of the best."
Following the legacy of past superintendents, Steve takes great pride in mentoring the younger generation entering the outdoor landscape field. He believes the key to a strong crew is recognizing that a one-size-fits-all approach never works.
“Everyone is different,” he reflects. By adapting his leadership to individual strengths, Steve is ensuring Kings Mill thrives for generations to come.

05/25/2026

Two Careers, One Rhythm: From Band Director to Kingsmill Mower-

Kingsmill golfers enjoy lush, striped fairways and smooth greens shaped by decades of care and innovation. For longtime turf mower Bill Swihart, helping maintain the course became a second career — one that perfectly complemented his first passion: music.

Bill spent his professional life as band director at Marion City Schools, teaching and conducting students for more than three decades. But after hours, he craved physical activity and time outdoors. Music unexpectedly opened that door.

While directing community concert bands in the 1970s, Bill – who plays alto sax and clarinet – met and formed a friendship with Kingsmill course superintendent Greg Lauer, himself a tuba player in a band. Conversations after rehearsals eventually led to an invitation to help at the golf course, and in 1976, Bill joined the maintenance team.

His first job was changing hole locations each morning, a necessity during the era of metal spikes. “The greens looked like elephants had walked across them,” he laughs. When a mower left for another job, Bill stepped into fairway mowing, working sunrise-to- sunset summer days and rushing from school to the course during the academic year.

The work itself has changed dramatically over time.

When Bill began, fairways were cut using aging tractors pulling seven-gang reel mowers, while wooded areas and pond banks were trimmed with a simple 20-inch push mower — one that didn’t even propel itself. Today’s modern hydraulic reel units and
zero-turn mowers can cover more ground faster while producing a cleaner, more consistent cut. What once required days of labor is now accomplished in hours, allowing the Kingsmill crew to focus more attention on conditioning and detail work golfers notice immediately.
Swihart notes other innovations, too. Advances in turf management — from the use of growth regulators to targeted fertilizer and fungicide applications — have made healthier
playing conditions possible throughout the season. And adoption of plastic spikes eliminated much of the damage done to greens and the need to cut new holes each day.

Despite all the technological progress on the course, Bill still sees a familiar connection between his two careers.

“There’s a rhythm to mowing,” he says. “You’re watching patterns, listening to the machines, keeping everything working and consistent — it’s just like conducting a band.”

Today’s Kingsmill golfers enjoy the course in its finest condition yet, the fruits of hard work, innovation, and dedication by Bill and others.

05/23/2026

Unfortunately due to flooding the course will be closed today 5/23/2026

05/22/2026

This is our second article in our 60th anniversary highlight:

A Lifetime Building the Course: Greg Lauer’s Legacy at Kings Mill

-For Greg Lauer, being Kings Mill Golf Course’s first golf course superintendent was never just a job — it was a lifetime shaped by early mornings, hard work, and deep pride in building a course from the ground up. Lauer’s story at Kings Mill began in 1966, when he was barely a teenager. Riding his bicycle 11 miles from Prospect with his brother, he helped his father water tees and
greens for two dollars a night — paid, he remembers fondly, in crisp $2 bills. Soon he was mowing greens, learning equipment, and discovering a passion that would define the next five decades of his life.
At the time, Kings Mill consisted of only nine holes. Lauer later was deeply involved in building the back nine, which opened in the early 1970s. The work was demanding and hands-on. Crews cleared hundreds of trees, gathered thousands of rocks by hand, installed irrigation lines, and seeded fairways themselves. Lauer helped grow in the new holes from bare earth to playable turf — an accomplishment he still considers one of the most rewarding moments of his career.
“That was very rewarding. It took years. And you know things just kept coming one right after another, a new type of job,” Lauer recalls.
In 1973, after a year studying agronomy at The Ohio State University, owner John Russell Sr. offered him the superintendent position. Lauer accepted, beginning what would become a 54-year career managing every aspect of the course.
He quickly learned that superintendent work went far beyond mowing grass. The role required expertise in irrigation systems, turf science, equipment mechanics, staff leadership, and environmental problem-solving. From battling flood damage along the Olentangy River to transitioning from metal spikes to soft spikes — a change that dramatically improved green conditions — Lauer experienced the evolution of modern golf course management firsthand.
Under his leadership, Kings Mill operated with small but dedicated crews, many made up of students working their first jobs. Mentoring young employees became one of his greatest sources of pride. “You had to start people the right way,” he said, believing the lessons learned on the course carried into life beyond it.
After retiring in 2021, Lauer often reflects on quiet evenings walking the course he helped build. Seeing healthy greens, mature fairways, and golfers enjoying the landscape brought a simple satisfaction: the knowledge that decades of unseen work had shaped something lasting.
“It was fun, hard work,” he says. “I loved the people, just loved a lot of the members. So I just kept going, learning everything I could and finished my career there.”

05/18/2026

We are happy to announce that, in honor of our course's 60th anniversary, we are posting the first of five articles highlighting what our course is about and our values! Below is Bekki Kidd and her comments about the course!

-As a former manufacturing supply chain chief, Bekki Kidd excels at making things come together. So when she learned of an opportunity to form Kings Mill’s first ladies golf league, she jumped on it.
It didn’t take long for Kidd and Kings Mill owner Linda Krom to put the idea into action. And forming it at one of only a few woman-owned courses in Ohio makes it extra special for Kidd. The timing is perfect. Women have been a driving force in golf in recent years, accounting for 60% of the growth in on-course participation from 2019 to 2025, according to the National Golf Foundation.
“Women’s golf is really growing,” says Kidd. “Those of us who recently retired spent our time working or raising families, so there wasn't a lot of time for golf. But with the younger generation coming up, were seeing a lot of women play.”
Even though she took up golf just three years ago, Kidd already plays in three women’s leagues, including two at Hidden Valley, the 9-hole executive course in Delaware. Through her relationships there she was able to recruit 30 members for the Kings Mill league.
“Many of the women are interested in playing a longer course where they can use their woods. Plus, Kings Mill is beautiful, beautifully laid out,” Kidd said. “The trees are wonderful and its not too difficult. I like that there aren't too many sand traps!” Kidd’s goals for the league’s first year are all about its members. “The key is have fun, relax, and get to know each other”, she said. “For folks who haven't golfed here, getting to know the course is important, too.”
Kidd looks forward to the new season and having fun, and hopes for memorable shots: “I’m still waiting for it; I haven’t had a hole in one.”

If you're interested in learning more about the Ladies League, Call Kings Mill at (740)-726-2626 or check out the League page on our website.

https://www.kingsmillgolf.com/outings/leagues/

05/06/2026

Due to the rain we will be doing Honor Golf today. You are welcome to come out and enjoy some golf but the course is very wet! ⛳

04/28/2026

Unfortunately due to the weather tomorrow Wednesday the 29th will be honor golf!⛳️

04/19/2026

Unfortunately, due to the weather, we will be continuing Honor Golf tomorrow. We will reopen the clubhouse on Tuesday! ⛳

04/18/2026

Tomorrow we will be doing Honor Golf due to the weather. We will reopen the Clubhouse on Monday! ⛳

04/09/2026

We are happy to announce that we will be fully open for the remainder of the golf season! Call and schedule your tee time today!!

Address

2500 Berringer Road
Waldo, OH
43356

Telephone

(740) 726-2626

Website

http://www.kingsmillgolf.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Kings Mill Golf Club posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Kings Mill Golf Club:

Shortcuts

Want your business to be the top-listed Gym/sports Facility in Waldo?