MarkMolyneux

It’s early in the season but the golf is good! Greens rolled reasonably fast and true. Bunkers were well kept. You go to Bacon Park for the history, the solid design and the friendly, accommodating staff. Recommended without reservation!

Bacon Park has its late 1920s Donald Ross pedigree. It is a municipal course that truly does what it is able to grow the game. The staff could not have been nicer. The pro shop is set up with reasonably priced merchandise and the snack bar adequate. There is a nice range and short game area. The putting green was closed on the day I visited and it apparently will need some work before reopening. The par threes are uniformly good. The par fours are of reasonable distance, and the routing encourages players to move the ball left and right with or against a shifting wind Because of the creative routing. As might be expected at any Ross course, It is hard to trust the edges of the greens. It is quite easy to miss a green because of the false fronts or the edges that slope down into closely mown chipping areas. This course was recommended To me, buy a golf, professional in Virginia. My visit was very satisfying and yes, I would go back again!

Credit for this course design goes Bob Cupp & Sam Snead. Cupp Is renowned for his work on Lowcountry courses. This is a quality design… a Troon property. If I am not mistaken, that is connected to the Westin hotel along the Savannah river. Practice facilities are nothing short of amazing from the two ended 400 yard driving range and the short game area nearby to the spacious and suddenly contoured putting green directly in front of the pro shop. there is a nice mix of dog legs and straightaway holes. distances on the Par threes are nicely varied. Tees and greens are very well-maintained. Watch out for the snakes and gators. I saw no snakes, but at least five alligators just chillin’ By the ponds Throughout the course. Pace of play was good. We finished in about three hours 50 minutes. Except for the Westin., Most of the hotel properties are on the other side of the Savannah river, but there is a convenient, free ferry That discharges passengers at the Westin, leaving a walk of about 3/10 of a mile to the course. I would recommend this course to all of my friends who enjoy a scenic, challenging, round of golf.

Stay left off the first tee and stay below the hole on most every green! I found this parkland style course to play much like a links. Fairways were cut tightly. Ground conditions were firm and fast. Many of the greens can be approached with bump and run plays. Great practice facilities… turf range, large practice green and a nice short game facility. The people in the shop were welcoming and proud of their facility. Friendly starter. Played with 3 good guys. RR is a former buy.com tournament site.

Royal New Kent came at the start of my two week golf trip through Maryland, Virginia, North & South Carolina. Partly because of the weather (winds at 15-20 MPH) but mostly because of the design's inherent challenges, it was the most difficult course that I played. I rated everything 5 stars and please don't think that's just me being ebullient. This is a great golf course and a reasonable approximation of an Irish links. If I had one critique, it would be to put a warning at the second tee that there's a very reachable hazard up top off the tee. This is unlike other Strantz courses that I've played... in a good way. If you happen to be in town, you MUST play Stonehouse as well! Number 18 is as tough a finishing hole as I've seen.

I just checked my stats from my round at Sleepy Hollow. First thing that I noticed was there's a 19th hole to account for. Next, I saw that on average, I was 90 yards closer to the pins on the front than I was to the pins n th back... and that's allowing for an extra hole on the back and a shot at the par 3 14th that almost went in (< 1 foot... I'll upload the image). Sleepy Hollow was beautifully conditioned. The greens were very true so I only needed 32 putts to get around. I played the blue tees with my single digit handicap. Got birdies at 5, 7, and 8. Took a couple bogeys too. Three is a neat par 3 playing down toward a lake. Number 4 is also a hole that tempts but I hit 7 iron and wedge to that green. Then after the ninth, I walked through the hollow and a broad vista of holes with very different character were presented! 10 & 11 involved almost 1000 yards and 11 sets up like it might be a long relatively straight par 4... except it goes 90 degrees left about 220 out and then there's elevation to the green. At 12, I hit 7 iron from 166 to just a few inches. Been playing this game for 60 years and I've never had an ace. I wouldn't have seen it even if it went in because I hit my tee ball directly into the setting sun. The 18th is a nice hole that drops maybe 40 feet to a green that's about 160 out but hit at least one less club. Then there's the sign for the 19 (not a short beer hole but a legit par 4 that plays over 400 yards). Turf conditions were dry and firm so maybe the drives got some help but the finisher is a solid hole. My only wish is that they'd put slope and rating on the scorecard so I can report a score. Recommend this course... especially the "back 10".

Played at Winter Run today as one of my benefits from Victory Golf Pass. Drove about 70 miles from Philly to play. The check in was pretty well organized Tee times ran as scheduled. It's golf in the times of COVID-19 so there were some adjustments. People were cordial. Conditions and weather were really nice. Many of the courses are getting dry but the fairways and greens were very playable. Loved the sand in the bunkers! Don't know what they call that consistency but it was great to be able to control the ball around greens. 5 sets of tees; I played from about 6200. Odd V shaped range such that you hit down either leg but not right up the middle as that wound up in the woods. Solid design requiring some length, the ability to play left to right and right to left. Nice elevation changes! Best hole without a doubt was 17, an excellent short par 5. I played driver, 8 iron and 9 iron but there must be dozens of ways to get home so long as you play intelligently.

I collect golf courses the way I once collected baseball cards! Today was course number 823 at Links at St. Anne's in Middletown, Delaware. That's about an hour south of Philadelphia. Development of this course was apparently begun "back in the days of Tiger-related golf expansion" but the project went dormant... apparently until last year. L@SA is part of a fairly large, upscale development. The clubhouse is structurally complete though much of it wasn't open today (early in the season). Though the shop isn't fully stocked, my greeting in the shop could not have been more cordial or helpful. The course has 15 holes complete with the three additional holes to come on line this spring. The new holes can be seen behind the current #2 though the routing is temporary. We played the white tees at something like 6000. The back tees weren't open yet but they'll probably go another 600 yards longer. The course is fairly flat with an abundance of water and it's mostly devoid of trees. The bunkering is strategic. The greens putt nicely but there are rough spots occasionally in some parts of the fairway... and more than just occasionally in the rough. There will be high grasses as another defense, come summertime. I got paired with a good player and a nice guy, Matt. His guidance on the lines to be taken off some tees and how to avoid some lurking water that couldn't be seen off the tee. This is Allen Liddicoat's (Wilmington based real estate developer and golf course designer) 3rd project (Frog Hollow and Back Creek) design. He has a sense of what should happen on a links style design. I see a bright future for this course. The course should be judged for what it is (very young and early in the season). I'll be back!

First off by way of clarification and full disclosure, I just took advantage of PVGC's 2 years of play for $298 but that said, I've played here off and on since 1994. This course was built in the mid-1980s on a challenging piece of real estate. There are substantial ups and downs that make for a real workout if you walk. There are not (yet) paths all around the layout. That's good news if you're a purist who hates asphalt scraped golf balls. That's bad news since carts can get onto spots that are wet and create damage. Pickering is one of four courses build in the general area by a designer, John Thompson. He also did Spring Hollow, which is just about 8 miles further out from the city, and Moccasin Run, and Furnace Bay in Maryland. The par 3s are well done. The 4s also vary in length and shot demands. Number 18 is a bit of a bear because of its length and constant climb. I enjoy the par 5s but I'd expect that some might find #8 with it's 90 degree turn a bit contrived. Number 17 is also a two or three shot proposition that some will get down to the bottom off the tee (and love) or wind up on the downhill or worse (and hate). Practice facilities are nice with a large putting green, a full range, and a short game area that could use some TLC. They seem interested in working cooperatively with players to improve conditions. The tees do get worn. Let's put sand boxes on those tees and move the tees regularly. I'd also recommend bottles with divot mix on every cart. Clubhouse is pretty Spartan but the people I've met are nice. For the record, I've played 800+ golf courses. This isn't Pine Valley or Aronomink but it's a good time. It can play 5100 from the forward tees or 6500 from the tips. Slope and rating (from the tips) 127 & 71.5. Lastly let me comment about some of the views! Those can be magnificent, overlooking Phoenixville, Royersford, Kimberton, and a bunch of other very attractive communities.

Played a fun round with three very friendly and accommodating gentlemen on a beautiful spring day. I realized that this was my first round at Golden Pheasant since 1979. I had set up the round on golfnow the night before. The place was quite busy but pace of play was excellent. I played a course that was somewhat shorter than what I'm accustomed to but I still found the track to be challenging and fun. #17 is a very interesting short 4. The par 3s play nicely. BUrgers and dogs at the turn were grilled outside and delish! Pro shop staff and starter were very cordial. I don't live too close (CC Philadelphia) but I'll go back now! Thanks to my playing partners and our hosts at Golden Pheasant. Great day!

Played last weekend after getting shut out b/c of an outing a few days prior. Staff was very nice. Drive from Philly in about 75 minutes. Paired up with two great guys. This course is very well maintained. Lots of sand; not too much water. Played shorter than the advertised 6091 with generous landing areas. Greens were medium speed, large. And increasingly complex as distance from the cup increased. Very smooth and consistent. Nice range & large putting green. Wish they had beer! Reasonable value.

I've played a lot of golf out of my home base, Philly. To be honest, I'd never heard much (and had never seen) Hopewell Valley. It's in a part of Jersey that makes one wonder how Jersey can possibly be the most densely populated state. The 45 minute drive to HVGC is just about the same as my travel time to Lederach, where I play most of my golf. I called Friday and left a message I'd like to come out as a single on Saturday. PJ called back that evening with a warm invite. The course is old style. Even without reference to the 1927 on their scorecard, this place has that feel of an older course that was probably designed by a Scot, who made very economic use of the land. It never feels "tight" or crowded. It'd be hard to put a ball OB anywhere. The greens, like most Jersey topography, aren't all that complicated. It was a wet January weekend so I was one of maybe 20 players yesterday. I played in under 3 hours, walking. One hole (17) had a temp green, which seemed odd since it's at arguably the highest point on the course with no obvious shading or ventilation problems. The par 3 holes are the most visually appealing and among the more challenging. From the white (figuring the tees to align with the signs and ball cleaners as there were no tee markers), the 6200 played more like 6400 yesterday. There's a fair bit of water(creek, streams, ponds) but not much of those hazards play. A nice, short par 3 over a pond and a second shot on a par 5 but the creek plays more as a border to the facility and the streams are more often hidden in the shrubbery. Conditions were cited as an issue in a previous review but I have to say the conditions (including green speeds) were surprisingly good for January. The clubhouse seemed cozy. Mens locker was nicely done with what appeared to be new lockers and a rest area with a wide screen plus a poker table. I'd go back at this price in a heartbeat. Suggesting a price point for in season play would depend on June conditions. One last note for anyone who fantasizes about fishing in the middle of a round of golf... I bet the creek is loaded with trout!

River Winds is a nice track, set in a large housing development where housing never intrudes. Traffic (except for ships on the river and planes into PHL) doesn't really cross your mind either. This is what you might think of as "links style" and wind swept. There are 4 solid par 3s and the island green shortie at 17 will be truly memorable once they commit to cleaning up the muddy green surround... low tide reveals a lot more than I need to see. The par 5s are likewise, well designed though they lack somewhat for drama without any real risk-reward propositions. The par 4s are generally strong and in several instance (5, 6, 9, 11, 16, and 18) truly memorable. A couple things could be done to sharpen this already challenging (73.8/135 from the tips) course: clean up 17 and let it be the beautiful hole it should be, take down more trees along the river's edge to make those riverside view amazing, get a range... maybe where the soccer fields exist, bring the putting green and short game area in to the clubhouse where we all wait to be sent out to the 1st tee. One other thought: the gap between gold tees at 5639 and white tees at 6576 is a bit daunting. I know there are 5 sets of tees but nothing around 6000-6100? Those are all tweaks and suggestions; not serious disappointments. For what you get, this is a great value and a very nice golf experience.

Flanders Valley is in that part of New Jersey where prices tend to be steeper (expected) than the topography is actually varied, even including some hills that border on mountainous (unexpected). I arrived as a single and got paired with three very nice guys, including appropriately enough, Bob Sr., who was wearing his US Marines First Division on Veterans Day. I found the course to be relatively flat since it was set in the Valley. This time of , it is important that they put some effort into clearing the leaves, which they did. The golf itself at least on this 18 (they have another 18) seemed pretty vanilla. Number 9 & 18 were a truly pretty golf holes but little else seemed exciting. Shot values were solid/reasonable. The shop staff and the starter/marshalls were very nice. The golf now fee covered golf only so carts were another $18. Nice putting green but no range for a 36 hole facility (unless I missed it). Very pretty 2 hour drive from Philly.

Inniscrone probably came online about the same time as Hartefeld National. Both were intended to be private clubs but there seems not to be the population density in the immediate area that would be required to support two private clubs so Inniscrone opened up for public players. This is a fortunate piece of real estate for golf design. The designer, Hanse, is talented and will be featured as the designer of the next Olympic course. There is a nice variety of golf holes including short one-shot propositions like number five and longer par holes 3 like the eighth. Similarly, there are good, short fours (number three for example) and excellent long 4s (like 9, 12 and 17). The par 5s are pretty, sweeping affairs and I like the medial bunker off 15 tee in particular. I also like how they kept the course mostly clear of distractions like housing and traffic. Even the parking lot is remote, though convenient since players pick up their carts (or they are transported by cart from the parking area. If this review appears twice, I apologize but my initial attempt seemed to drift away.

I arrived as a single and the pro told me that Lenny (another golfnow customer) had gone out not too long ago. Caught up with Lenny around hole #4... nice guy and thanks for the tips on our way around the course. As some others have noted, this course sits in a gated, seniors development. Finding my way in was a bit of a challenge but once there, I found the proshop pretty easily. There seem to be a few gated developments with private golf courses nearby. Seems as though not too many residents take advantage of the course. The cart paths were in pretty bad shape but not bone-jarring. The range was okay... like a "B". The wind was up but even so, the housing was pretty well removed from the target lines. #3 is an outstanding cape hole that requires a flight of about 260 from the back (black) tees. The card doesn't list distances from the tips but I suspect maybe another 200 yards or so over the 6000-6100. The nines are not balanced but nobody said they had to be (2800 - 3200). Greens putted very smoothly. Sand was in good shape. The final five or six holes are very well done. About an hour drive from Philly and a drive that's well worth making. Staff were very cordial and welcoming. I wish more private clubs would make their places available if only on a limited basis! Exclusivity has it's rewards but in the current market, this is a good way to make a place known and to defray costs. Wind was a great challenge... oh! And we played in 2:45 without any big rush.

My first time in Obx and my first experience with CoastaL North Carolina golf. .NagS Head made a great first impression. in season cheaper on weekends than on weekdays. for a lot of players, driver stays in the bag as often as not. great turf conditions. quick greens and scenic course especially the water holes! unfortunately, some of the real estate comes into play.. staff could not have been nicer!

Played with brothers (Dan & Derrick) and a friend (Zach). I've traveled from CC Philadelphia a few dozen times to Galen Hall to play. There's a lot of golf challenge and a ton of history here. Alex Findlay laid out the original 9 circa 1912 then Tillinghast came in 10-15 years later to revise and expand the track to 18. There are a couple questionable holes like #2 which disappears over a ridge and #18 that climbs back to the clubhouse but the overall experience is surprisingly good. Anyone (Pete Dye?) who plays GH comes away talking about the moat hole at 15 but the 4th (another one shot proposition) is also a superior golf hole. This was a playground of the wealthy Philadelphia Main Liners in the 1920s. Tillinghast wrote extensively about his work here and elsehere. I've played maybe 30 of his designs/redesigns. This isn't Baltusrol or Winged Foot but as a public course, it fits into a class with Cedar Crest in Dallas, Shawnee on the Delaware, or Bethpage Blue. Conditions are invariably good. Staff is about as nice as can possibly be. The restaurant is outstanding.. Give me a course that's 100+ years old every time. That's golf! No disrespect to the 21st Century architectural genius today (Coore & Crenshaw, Doak, Dye, Strantz) but a century has a way of weeding out weak sisters. My advice... if you see a Golden Age club for reasonable money and it has a name like Tillinghast, Ross, Thomas, Findlay, or Wilson attached, play it! You won't be sorry.

Skippy is a local standard dating from circa 1960. #13 is just a bear, a downhill par 4 with so many things that can go wrong. It's just difficult to block those negative thoughts out. There's been a lot of rain lately so the rough is healthy but the greens could use a bit of mowing. Several of the bunkers were flooded or washed out but that happens. The design is mostly vanilla but it's still necessary to hit the shots. At some point, they should reconcile the yardages on the card and on the signs around the course. I suspect that the tips are shy of 6000 yards and even the scorecard says so. This is the cheaper option compared to Lederach or Centre Square. Pace of play... where does the time go? I'm pretty sure it was 5 hours plus. People need to be more self aware on that point.

Went back to Garrisons Lake yesterday. It was probably the closest course open after all the snow in the past month. I had played here years ago driving down from SW Philadelphia and I didn't have a clear recollection of many holes... some of the 4s are a little repetitious but the fives are nice and the back side features a couple stylish 3s. This is a legitimate golf course with plenty of length. Easily walkable though I rode with three very nice guys, whom I met at the course. The shop / clubhouse is Spartan but clean and very well organized. The operation itself is well organized. The pro could not have been any more accommodating. He even walked me out to the putting green to introduce me to the players I'd be with. Pace of play was compromised by the cart paths only (a legit rule this time of year). Fairways and greens (bunkers too) were winterized but in good shape. I didn't have time for eats and I don't believe they were set up for eats yet. It's very early in the season and I wish GLGC best for the 2014 campaign. They are working hard on a course that will come around with the weather but their customer service is a genuine strength. Price was fair and booking was simple.