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Rating Index Rating
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4.3
218 Reviews (218)
5 Stars
68
4 Stars
98
3 Stars
34
2 Stars
11
1 Stars
7
Conditions
4.1
Value
4.3
Layout
4.5
Friendliness
4.6
Pace
3.6
Amenities
4.0
89.3%
Recommend this course
180 out of 218 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.4
10 Reviews (10)
5 Stars
5
4 Stars
4
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.7
Value
4.7
Layout
4.6
Pace
3.3
Amenities
3.9
StaffFriendliness
4.7
100.0%
Recommend this course
10 out of 10 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.4
15 Reviews (15)
5 Stars
8
4 Stars
5
3 Stars
2
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Conditions
4.4
Value
4.6
Layout
4.6
Pace
3.5
Amenities
3.9
StaffFriendliness
4.5
93.3%
Recommend this course
14 out of 15 reviews
Read Reviews
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AI summaries based on real golfer reviews
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Course Highlights
Consistently friendly staff and well-maintained conditions make Kenton a reliable choice for golfers seeking a quality round. The open course layout delivers strong value for money that keeps players coming back.

About

Holes 18
Type Public/Municipal
Par 71
Length 5966 yards
Slope 115
Rating 68.2
Book a Tee Time at
The Pioneer Golf Course - Kenton County Golf
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Course Details

Year Built 1968
Golf Season Year round
Architect Taylor Boyd

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Walking Allowed Yes
Dress code Proper golf attire.

Accolades

  • Golf Advisor: Top Courses in Kentucky (2016 #20)
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Reviews

4.3
218 Reviews (218)
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Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Very impressed

I’ve been playing Kenton county for years and today reminded me of the condition it was in 20 years ago. Pioneer course is very fair, wide open so you can hit off the fairway and still have a playable shot which really kept pace of play up. You still gotta hit it well off the Tee but you don’t have to be perfect to have a good time. Me and another golfer walked 18 in 4 hours. Greens were pretty good and consistent. The only complaint I have is the tee boxes were marked with white, yellow and red(women) Markers but the distance shown at the box was different colors which made it difficult to know what the distance really was off the tee. Bring a gps app on your phone until they get this fixed.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Default User Avatar
Commented on 07/15/2020

Thank you for the review! We have created an updated scorecard which now contains both courses and also launched an app which contains a GPS feature and other offers. We look forward to seeing you up here again. -KC Team

Played On
Reviews 7
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 8
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Walked

One minor problem

Don't have a big problem with course conditions, etc, but it would be nice to inform people that course is walking only before you arrive at course - ended up walking 9 only, back nine too hilly to walk.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Difficulty Fairly Easy
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 10
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great practice round course

Somewhat forgiving. Not to long, some challenging holes but good for all levels of play

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Default User Avatar
Commented on 07/15/2020

We appreciate the review and hope to see you up here soon.- KC Team

Played On
Reviews 8
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Shameful maintenance of a nice public ciurse

Same torn up cart paths as last year....not a ball washer to be found on any hole...hole marker signs laying in the mud. Terrible what this private company running the golf courses of Kenton County has done to it.

Conditions Poor
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 8
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Pioneer Course conditions

Given the good amount of play the last few months, The Pioneer’s tee boxes, fairways and greens were in great shape. As with all courses at Kenton County, the cart paths are trashed. It’s smoother to drive in the grass than on the torn up cart paths. Spend some money to fix them!

Conditions Fair
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 3
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Wet weather
Used cart

Will be back again and again!

Very nice course. Staff is extremely professional, courtesy, and helpful.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Extremely Easy
Played On
Reviews 27
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
3.0
Previously Played

Thumbs Down

I don’t know where to start....burnt fairways, every bunker is unplayable and considered “grounds under repair”, rough is 4” high and it takes forever to find a ball just off the fairway, and every tee box is like concrete....the green are in good shape and rolling fast, but so hard that it’s impossible to hold a ball when it lands....overall they’ve completely let this course go and I won’t be back this year....save your money and play elsewhere

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 7
Handicap Don't know
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Traps need work

All of the sand traps were in poor condition, weedy and compacted. The fairways were in good shape, the greens were fair.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Improving

I have generally liked this course over the past few years, but last year it was not well maintained. The fairways and greens were good, but the rough made it almost unplayable. First time playing this year and it was much better. If you were off the short grass, you could at least find your ball. Hope they continue to keep it manageable. It is a good course with challenges to keep you interested. The staff is always friendly.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing

Course in great shape

Played front 9 for the first time. Course was very wet due to recent storms and bunkers were full of water and weeds, but the tee boxes, fairways and greens were in great shape.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
1.0
Previously Played

Not good

Many greens are un puttable hopefully that will improve bare spots everywhere

Conditions Poor
Value Poor
Layout Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Fun round of golf

The pioneer is a fairly open golf course that gave me the chance to work of some new things. There were still some challenging holes that made me work. Sand was understandably in bad shape given the rain we have had. A few of the greens were in rough shape but it is the end of a season. We some of the only golfers out on a Thursday late morning which helped make the round run.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 5
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
2.0
Previously Played
Used cart

Pace slowed by NARROW fairways and TALL TALL rough

Course is in terrible condition. Fairways have been narrowed to Less than 15 to 20 yards on all. This slows up play tremendously because, golfers, just 3 to 5 yards off the fairway are trying to find their balls in ankle high rough. Excuse for not cutting rough.....too wet....BUT YOU CUT THE FAIRWAYS

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Course needs some serious TLC

I typically don’t like to leave negative feedback but the shape of the course was just mind boggling. The first two greens look no short from being the sandlot. They had a segment of the green where it was decent, but of course that’s where the pin was located. More can be reviewed, however the greens were just unnecceptable. The course used to be decent and it’s just now a complete dissapointment.

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 18
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
3.0
First Time Playing

Grandson’s First

Taking my grandson to his first regular course was a small disappointment. I had played there many times but have not recently been there. It seemed that the fairways have disappeared with lots of weeds and crab grass. The rough was impossible being uncut and swallowed the ball. Greens were bad on some holes. My grandson and I enjoyed ourselves despite complaints. Last was the cost which seemed high.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Not good at all.

Hadn’t played this course in years but went back when my son-in-law visited. Greens were awful; some so bad they only mowed a small patch to put the flag. Fairways were extremely tight - maybe 15 yards, with the rough(first cut) being maybe 3 inches long. Spent most of the day looking for balls barely out of fairway. Cart paths were terrible. Used to be a fun course - I would not go back.

Conditions Poor
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 15
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Deteriorating

The course conditions are getting worse and worse. Its unfortunate.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 6
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Previously Played
Hot weather
Walked

disappointed

Course was starting to burn out due to stretch of hot weather. Crabgrass in most fairways. Two greens had only about 300 square feet of grass on them so you basically had to pick up. Maintenance guy watering #10 sat in his cart just off the fringe and was a distraction with his radio blaring. Don't anticipate going back again this year.

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Fairly Easy
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