Using WPA funds, the city of Cleveland opened Seneca Golf Course on August 1, 1940 to provide "fine, low-cost, pay-as-you-play golfing" to westsiders. Only nine holes were opened with the purpose of gaining revenue to buy equipment to complete the other 27 holes the following year. Using a Parkland Design, where not a lot of earth was moved to create land features, both 18-hole courses have tree-lined fairways along gently rolling terrain and small greens.
The #8 hole on the A course is 605 yards. When built in the early 1940s that length of hole was quite rare. Legend has it that there are only two players known to have reached that hole in two shots. The original B course includes two enormous par fives of 582 yards (#3) and 572 yards (#15) as well as numerous long and difficult par fours. The B course also features three ponds that have proved very formidable water hazards.