Simsjim

I would treat this place like a gym. If your gym is too far away, you're not gonna workout very often, but if its close, you'll work out whenever you have time. This is exactly how I use this course: after-work rounds. Its perfect for inner-city locals who don't want to drive 45+ minutes to a club in the burbs to play golf after work.

I’m not sure why people's reviews beat this course up so much. My experience was pleasant, and I know I will play here again. They have membership rates that are a crazy value in comparison to to other clubs. IMO these rates reflect an accurate self-appraisal on Billy Casper Golf's part about exactly what they have in FDR - an inner city municipal course attempting to accommodate inner-city golfer's demand.

I’ve played nicer courses, and I’ve played worse as well. I'll say I am high handicap golfer with about 4 seasons behind me - just to level-set. I can see why better golfers could expect more challenges than what this course offers, but I enjoyed myself for a number of reasons. The staff was friendly, the course was easy to navigate, and I was able to save-face with some strategically played rescue shots when things didn’t go right down the middle – which for me is 70% of the time.

I come later in the day, and walk, so I am not subjected to the reportedly troublesome carts and paths that folks tend to complain about. The paths are a bit rough in spots, but as a walker, I am blissfully unaffected by this. I prefer to walk.

Also if we think about the history of this course - it was opened in the 1940's when there wasn't golf carts anyway. It’s evident by the layout that the course was originally designed for walking. I think Ed Clarey would be pleased if folks walked and enjoyed some of the natural subtleties of his course design instead of smogging past them while making sure your cart bag doesn’t fly off the back.

I recently moved to Philadelphia and this course is practically in my back-yard, so that makes the convenience draw quite strong. I had a wonderfully enjoyable walking round as I watched the sun set over the city.

There are some subtle bits of conditioning that give evidence the Billy Casper Golf is trying hard to make this course as pleasant as possible. Things like a few holes with false fronts clipped into the grass etc. Certainly players cant expect lush, maniucred conditions at a municipal course with municipal greens fees. There are a few trouble spots for sure, but overall the place doesnt feel like its being neglected. The fairways are clipped, the greens are in surprising shape in most cases.

Finally, they are a host club to the First Tee program - a youth development program that teaches core values through golf.

In summary - not a destination course, but a place for locals to work on game improvement frequently.

I’ll start by saying I scored a last minute bargain on the greens fee for this course, and if I hadn’t my review would be harsher. A rare Friday afternoon surprise. The pro in the shop was very friendly and when I told him I’d rather play as a single he obliged but warned there were two foursomes ahead. This is all fine with me because I can be a slow player. So instead of being paired up with three others – who were not yet checked-in, off I went.

At the first hole there was a very friendly deuce that played and let me hit through, then we ended up joining up at the second. This is the prelude of the entire round. They got frustrated with the pace of play at the sixth and I merged with a threesome (that were drinking and swinging wildly.) I tooled w them for a few holes until another single came up behind us around 11 or 12 while waiting for the foursome in front to get off the green. I stayed back and played along with the single. Musical golf partners…lol. He too got tired of the pace and peeled off around 14. At this point the guys in front of us were hacking shots, drinking, cursing and throwing clubs.. So I would agree fully with other reviewers about the pace of play being the biggest caution at this place. One of the funnier moments were some kids in the surrounding houses blowing an air-horn as folks were swinging at one of the longer par tees. Comic relief in this tragic time warp. My tee time was at 1:24 and I finished my round at 6:20 (without a half-way house meal break).

The course layout is okay with some interesting holes. The tees, as others have said, are in awful shape. The pro told me they just sprayed them for weevils or some other pest, so a lot of them were sparsely grassed at best, and sandy. Fairways were decent. There was a lot of major storm damage that the course was naturally still trying to repair. Cart paths and the like were torn up by the severe storm, so its spotty. What few water coolers they had were empty.

I’d say early morning/twilight or bargain basement tee time deals may be the only way check out this place. Still, better than a few of the munis i've been on, but not by much.

I will say that I got a GolfNow steep discount on a Sunday afternoon tee time, and without that discount, what the course delivered would have fallen short of expectations. Like others have said, there are some patchy spots and burnout (but it IS August) - all of which are forgivable for $35 - but maybe not for the rack rate of $65. The course offers beautiful views. I am a fairly new golfer, and the course was challenging. At the tee, you often had to decide between a bigger risk muscle shot or more accurate shorter shots. Sometimes the risky shots were rewarded with fantastic approach shot lies, sometimes not. A lot of bunkers, to which on this day, my ball was magnetically attracted (lol). A lot of doglegs and carries. Big challenging greens. Pace of play was amazing for a Sunday afternoon - I encountered TWO other golfers my entire round. Pace Cavite emptor- it was a humid 90+ degree Sunday afternoon - so the smarter golfers were all having lunch by the time I was teeing off..lol.. Well placed water jugs and portas, silent electric carts. Again, all in all a great experience for the money. I am fortunate to live in an area with so many golf courses. There is a much more popular course VERY close to this one, but I liked the no-pressure pace of play here, so for that, the generally slightly neglected conditions were forgivable.

I saw an article in the Philadelphia Golf Assocation rag about this course and was travelling to Scranton so decided to give it a try, and I am delighted that I did. I got out very early as a single with a 7:30 tee time (with a required cart) and the pace was fantastic. I am a pretty slow golfer so not being pressured from behind is a real plus for me. I think I was on the 10th or 11th hole when a twosome finally started to catch up with me. This place is gem. Nice greens, Nice fairways, the clubhouse is practically new and it is stunning with great views of the course and decent lunch food. Word has it the restaurant is great, but only the Pub was open when I was there. The course layout is a bit long between more than a few of the holes, so I would recommend a cart. I hope this place survives as a public. It was a private that closed, and then reopened as a public. If you have a chance to hit this place - do it.

I have played this course a few times. As the previous reviewer said, it IS at the back of an apartment complex but it IS its own separate facility/club. It is a Golf and Tennis Club with a pool and a fitness center, as well as the “Executive” 18-hole golf course. The club management has recently decided to go semi-private with the course, offering daily greens fee rates, as well as different levels of memberships, greens value packs, etc. The use of the term Executive has no official standard, but IMO, it can be defined as a course with shorter yardage as to allow quicker play – because an Executive supposedly has less time to enjoy golf.

Anyway, the course is a very under the radar, quiet, no frills course, but I really like it. This course has a primitive internet presence, no online tee times etc. The pace of play is excellent as there are very few folks on the course. The best way to describe the course would be that it’s a miniaturized 18 hole course. If you love hitting big, this isn’t the place for you. If you like precision, you will thrive here. I tend to lose balls here because of hazards, narrow fairways, high rough and carries, but I am an 18 handicapper that hasn’t been playing long. It’s all walk, no motorized carts, which for me, adds to the experience. If you like super-manicured perfect tees, fairways and greens, this isn’t the place for you. If you have the ability to justify and balance conditions versus fees, and forgive some of the shortfalls, you may really enjoy this course. I would say its far better than many munis, but not as manicured as many more expensive 18 hole daily fee courses. There are more than a few interesting carries and hazards, and just a couple of opportunities to pull out the 3 wood. A lot of iron work. The course is a bit shaggy – high cut fairways with a variety of grasses, woods and shrubbery creeping into them, long rough, overhanging tree branches that make you think about loft, and some patchy greens, etc. But still for some reason I really enjoy the ‘personality’ of the course.

I met with the manager casually- he’s new this year and VERY hands on – he was on a riding mower at the start of our conversation - and his team is really trying to get the course in better shape. The club itself is in a period of transition, and it will be very interesting to see what happens. I have seriously contemplated becoming a member, if only because it’s located 5 minutes from my house and would be a great place for after work rounds.

If you live in the area, I recommend giving it a try(during the week). It wouldn’t be a place I would drive more than 15 minutes to play though.

If u live in Abington and want to practice your short game and putting, this place is perfect. Quick / cheap and lit up at night. Bring a couple of very high irons and a putter. Things to watch for are goose droppings - bring a small towel to clean your ball. You'll need to be comfortable sharing the course with complete novices. I used to chip here as a kid, and oddly, i still enjoy it.