Ridgewood Golf Course has been part of Parma, Ohio’s civic identity since July 4, 1925. Owned
by the City of Parma—which formally purchased the property in 1969—the public course is
stepping into its centennial with a thoroughly modern face: a new clubhouse and event center
that respect history while serving today’s golfer and the broader community.
The PGA Professional Behind the Rebirth
At the center of it all is David Chuba, PGA, who became Ridgewood’s General Manager in 2014
after a wide-ranging career that included Walnut Run, Fowler’s Mill, Hickory Heights, and The
Links at Firestone Farms, along with a stint at Dick’s Sporting Goods. A native of Sharpsville,
Pennsylvania, Chuba earned his bachelor’s degree in English from Allegheny College, initially
planning on law school. His path accelerated early—he graduated high school at 16 and started
college at 17—but golf had already taken hold long before that.
Chuba first picked up a club at 2½ years old, encouraged by a sports-minded father whose
baseball career ended after being drafted into the Korean War. The game became a family
thread, and Chuba developed into a standout player, becoming a two-time All-American at
Allegheny. He earned his PGA membership in 1992 and is a balanced professional, equally
comfortable with instruction and management. His first professional post was at Sharon Country
Club (PA).
Today, the now 59-year-old Chuba makes an 84-mile each-way commute from Sharpsville to
Parma. He is married to LeeAnn, and together they have three children—Stephen, Matthew, and
Rebecca—and a granddaughter, Luna. Health challenges, including a quintuple heart attack five
years ago, have sharpened his appreciation for the role Ridgewood plays in his life and in
Parma’s civic fabric. As he puts it, “I think I was meant to be here.”
A Public Course with National Pedigree
Ridgewood’s legacy is substantial. The course hosted the 1927 USGA Public Links
Championship and counts rounds by Arnold Palmer, Babe Zaharias, Patty Berg, and Ben Hogan
among its lore. Chuba, a lifelong Palmer admirer, pursued—and received—direct confirmation
from Palmer that he played Ridgewood while stationed in Cleveland with the Coast Guard. The
two spoke briefly by phone; Palmer requested two Ridgewood flags to sign (one for Chuba, one
for the course) and asked that the story be documented. It’s the sort of detail Chuba treasures, a
thread that ties a civic course to the broader tapestry of American golf.
To ensure those stories endure, Ridgewood’s clubhouse monitors will present curated historical
content—dates, images, and championship notes—so that every new visitor can connect with the
course’s past.
The Clubhouse, Reimagined for Community
After nearly a century of service, Ridgewood’s original clubhouse gave way to a new $12.3
million, 11,400-square-foot facility designed for golfers and non-golfers alike. The complex
includes:
● An event center with seating for 180+ and flexible partitions for multiple gatherings
● A bridal suite and country-club-style views of the golf course
● Six simulator bays named for golf greats
● The Flamingo Pub bar/lounge
● Expansive patios, covered porches, and a porte-cochère for arrivals
● A pace-of-play-friendly drive-thru snack barn near the turn
● QR code ordering on holes 7, 8, and 9, so food is ready at the turn
Parma Mayor Tim DeGeeter praised the project as perfectly scaled for the city—“the right
porridge for Parma”—and city officials noted it was completed on time and under budget. Golf
operations also benefited from a routing refinement that brings a signature finishing scene to the
clubhouse while improving access mid-round. The result is a public facility intentionally
built as a year-round community hub—weddings, corporate events, simulator leagues, and civic
celebrations all under one roof.
Centennial Year: Tradition Meets Today
As Ridgewood turns 100 in 2025, the course is leaning into both heritage and access. Chuba’s
own path mirrors Ridgewood’s resilience. When the chance to steward Ridgewood arrived, he
returned to the heart of green-grass golf. Through it all, he’s sustained a daily commitment—168
miles round-trip—that reflects both vocation and affection.
Ridgewood’s renewal proves what can happen when a City-owned public course invests in the
future while honoring the past. With a comprehensive set of amenities, a clear community
mission, and a PGA Professional who never lost sight of why golf matters, Parma has
reintroduced Ridgewood to the region—ready for its second century.