HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- In general, when summertime rolls around, people like to have a good time outdoors. That enjoyment of outdoor activities includes nighttime activities, which is why so many bars look to add a patio and communities now hold regular outdoor movie nights in the park.
At StoneWater Golf Club’s The Yard, a family atmosphere can be found each and every Friday and Saturday night, weather permitting. The Yard is a portion of the golf course, specifically the 10th tee. The women who operate StoneWater -- sisters Lindsey (business development and marketing director), Kathryn (executive chef) and Whitney (general manager) Neidus -- had been thinking for a while of a way to best utilize the patio at the 10th tee, located behind the course’s main building, which is home to the Rustic Grill restaurant.
In 2021 they came upon just the right idea and got to work creating The Yard. The idea was: What’s better than dropping in on a neighbor’s or good friend’s backyard summertime party?
“We named it The Yard because it was in the back yard of the restaurant and the venue,” said Lindsey Neidus, “and the idea was that you’re going to a neighbor’s yard. There are no reservations (needed), you just show up. A lot of people run into people that they know or that they haven’t seen in a long time. It’s super communal. Kids are all over the place. People bring their dogs.
“When we came up with the idea that was the hope we had (that people would see The Yard as a backyard party opportunity), and to see it come to fruition has been great.”
The Yard is only open from 5-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights, through fall. The venue supplies all the things people could want for a fun backyard party. A live band performs each night beginning at 7. A full bar is available. A fire pit warms cool evenings. Children who don’t want to hang out at their parents’ table can climb a slight hill onto the course’s chipping green, where the bunker becomes a nice, large sandbox for play.
As for food, The Yard welcomes a different food truck each night, while other fare, such as smash burgers, ribs, pasta and foods for sharing, can be ordered and brought to your table from the Rustic Grill.
“And we have a whole list of kiddie cocktails we make, like one we call the Fruity Loopy,” Neidus said, “and it’s our house-made fruit punch with a strawberry puree and lemonade. It’s so delicious. And we have all the novelty frozen treats.
“We have signature adult cocktails. We work with Duck Island, from the west side. They batch and they keg cocktails, so we have their sangria on tap here. Something else we started this year, we’ve had local breweries or wineries come down and they do tastings and (offer) free samples. They set up at a table for four hours and you can sample their beers or wines, then purchase them at the bar.”
For a full list of drinks available at The Yard, visit here.
For a full schedule of upcoming entertainment and food specials, visit here.
The Yard, Neidus said, didn’t take long to catch on with those seeking a relaxing night out.
“It was kind of hot from the start, to be honest,” she said. “I think that last year, coming out of COVID, people really wanted an outdoor space.”
The success came so swift that, for this, The Yard’s second year, the seating area was extended beyond the original brick patio that formerly made up its space, more tables were purchased, and large games, such as Connect 4, cornhole, tic-tac-toe and Jenga, were added. Also new this year is a trolley that loops around the parking lot throughout the night taking customers to and from their cars.
“For years, we wondered what we could do with this space because it’s so cool,” Neidus said. “But it had to be managed the right way. We couldn’t just open it every day. That wouldn’t really work.”
In the end, the Neiduses hit upon an idea that didn’t miss the mark. After all, who doesn’t enjoy a backyard gathering?
The Yard is located at StoneWater Golf Club, 1 Club Drive in Highland Heights. The Yard is open to all --golf club membership is not necessary.
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