NEPAGolfer05

I was traveling from Northeast PA to Cincinnati and needed somewhere to play along the way. After a little research I stumbled upon Deer Ridge (located right off I-71) which turned out to be a great option!

The front 9 imo has a little more character/difficulty as it meanders through the woods. The first hole is about as tough an opening hole you'll find anywhere. There's 2 driveable par 4's, 2 and 9, that I thought were a nice change of pace. The par 5s were both enjoyable/practical.

The back 9 has a little of a back and forth feel but is never the less still really nice. The first 3 holes on the back 9, par 4, par 3 and par 5 are excellent. I really liked the par 5 12th.

For $32 on a Friday afternoon I couldn't have done any better. I've played quite a it of public golf in Ohio and I'd put Deer Ridge in the same realm as the Virtues Club and the Quarry Club. The carts were in great shape, the staff was nice and the restaurant was absolutely packed!! This place is the real deal.....

Myself and a friend made the trip to Raspberry Falls from Northern PA in an attempt to find warmer and drier weather. I heard good things about Raspberry Falls from a co-worker so that combined with catching a deal made us make the trip. Overall, Raspberry Falls delivered.

I get some of the comments regarding the course conditions as they certainly were not perfect; more specifically the greens Some of the greens were surprisingly "bad" for May 1st in NOVA. If they can get the greens cleaned up they'll be very little to complain about. The bunkers, fairways and tee boxes were all in good shape. The layout itself is very playable. The blue tees offer a non-taxing but still challenging experience. There's very few forced carries.

The staff was extremely friendly. We got a bit lost on our way down and they sent us out at later time without issue.

I would definitely play here again so long as I knew the greens were on the up and up.

The Quarry Club had been on my list for a while to play. I travel to and through Ohio quite a bit.

I found the Quarry Club to be a very enjoyable course! I would go so far to say that I liked it more than the highly ranked Virtues Club. The uniqueness of the Quarry Club's layout without crossing the line to "goofy" is why I liked it. The extremely elevated tee-shots on the back par 5's are not something you find everyday but the holes still play true to their par. The par 4's are of great variety and the par 3's tend to be on the shorter side which is a nice change of pace relative to a lot of other course. The staff and clubhouse were very nice.

My first round at The Virtue's Club was on a BRUTALLY hot Friday the 13th.

I've played numerous top rated public courses in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Northern Rockies and Great Lakes region. With that said, while The Virtues Club was an extremely enjoyable track it didn't seem worthy of a #1 state ranking or a spot in the national Top 100. The layout is quite solid but there are some holes that could use a little tweaking. The par 5's were all dog legs to some varying degree. I feel like something more can be done with 8 and 18 as well. 8 has an awkward split fairway with a tree in the middle. The green is then perched out in a pond/swamp. 18 is a severe uphill par 4. The finishing hole's only redeeming quality is the constant view of the enormous clubhouse that looms behind the green

The course conditions were solid but certainly not spectacular. As others have mentioned the greens were showing "considerable" wear and tear. The numerous ball marks aren't a good look but there's only so much a course can do. There were a few areas that were thinning and could easily become bare spots as the summer carries on. That was certainly something I didn't expect to see. They also need to change the tee markers more often on par 3's. There were some ankle twisting divots about.

I paid $48 for a late afternoon round which was a great deal. At that price the course is worth playing 2 or 3 times a month as a local. However, if I dropped the full $100 I wouldn't have been nearly as satisfied.

Toftrees is really solid resort course. I found the layout to be extremely enjoyable. The par 5's in general were rather beastly but that was offset but shorter par 3's which I enjoy. My one main complaint was the damage to the greens. By late June winter issues should be cleared up but that was clearly not the case. Not all greens had damage but the ones that did couldn't hide it.

Overall, Toftrees is worth a play if you catch a reasonable rate.

I've traveled all over the country and Skytop Mountain is up there with some of the most memorable courses I've played The course runs back and forth across a ridge in Central PA. As a result you'll never have a level lie but the view and hole layout will most certainly be spectacular. For the most part the course is extremely playable. There were a 2-3 gimmicky holes that could use some re-doing. 18 comes to mind. It's a an elevated tee to a dogleg left fairway. The problem is the fairway slopes severely to the right. There's a couple of other holes that would benefit from a little tree clearing but that's a bit of nitpicking.

The course is not easy! Proper selection off the tee is crucial to keep the ball in play. The lack of level lies also means you'll be shaping the ball into the green on nearly every hole.

If you're in the area I HIGHLY recommend checking out this course!! IMO, it's FAR more memorable than Toftrees and in better shape imo.

I played Olde Stonewall last summer when I was passing through Western PA. The course had been on my bucket list for a few years prior to playing it. The course is littered with memorable holes and the facilities in general are outstanding. Even the locker room was really nice!

Overall, I liked the front 9 a little better than the back. I thought the hole layouts were more traditional. The back 9 is more visually appealing but there's 3 or 4 holes that seemed a bit forced. The two consecutive par 3's on back were very tough imo. The 2nd of which is one of the hardest par 3's I've played (and i've played a ton) given the awkward angle, forced carry and trouble surrounding the green.

While it's a great course and an awesome overall experience I'm not sure it's worth the $150-$175 regular rate given it's location. I paid the $100 twilight fee which I felt was "ok". With all that said, I'd play it again. Just not a peak $$$....

Woodloch is in an isolated area of the Northern Poconos. Despite the location its worth the drive to play it! The course is not overly long (6500 from the tips, just over 6000 from blacks) so you don't have to be a bomber to get around. The elevation changes and contoured greens present the biggest challenge. Despite being located in the woods the course is relatively wide open. The most likely places to lose a ball are on the Par 5s due to forced carries.

The Par 5s at Woodloch are the weak link imo. Most reasonable hitters must layup off the tee on at least two of them. All 4 are visually impressive but below average in terms of design. The Par 3s might not impress some due to their length (all under 175 yards from tips). I'm a fan of shorter par 3s so I considered it a bit refreshing when so many modern courses have 220 yard behemoths. The par 4s are all awesome imo and easily the strength of the course. 18 is a helluva finishing hole!

The course plays through a community so there's houses and condos all over. Thankfully, they don't crowd the course and are all "upscale". There's also some real adventurous drives between holes. Especially the one from the 13th green to the 14th tee!

Course conditions were very good but could use some refinement. The bunkers were playable not needed a little TLC . The greens were a little slower than I like.

The clubhouse and restaurant are excellent. As is the staff!

Shadowbrook is the enigma of all golf courses in NEPA. There's some potential here but overall it's a terrible layout. There's way too many holes that make little to no sense. Plus, some of the greens are the size of a single car garage which makes for a lot of short sided chips/pitches. The two redeeming qualities are 1. It's cheap 2. it's kept in legitimately pretty good shape.

Ultimately, if you're serious about golf and appreciate course architecture this is not the place to play.

This is one of America's great classic golf courses. Tucked away in Northwest MA, Taconic is everything a golfer can ask for: a great layout, rich in history, awesome views, a wonderful clubhouse and an extremely friendly staff. Since it was still early in the year the course conditions weren't "pristine". As a result I plan on returning over the summer.

While the unaccompanied guest rate might be a little steep this is a course you must play at least once. Every hole is memorable! The greens are rather small and generally slope back to front. Most of the holes are rather wide open. So if you're a little loose off the tee it's still possible to put together a respectable round if the short game is on. 3 of the 4 Par 3's are on the shorter side which I loved!

I played from the gold tees (approximately 6500 yards) which was the perfect way to experience the course for the first time.

The Links at Hiawatha has always been one of my favorite courses in the Binghamton area. Unfortunately, I hadn't played it in a few years until recently. After my return visit I'm glad I finally got back. It's a great "links style" course. The fescue and natural contours of the land definitely come into play on most of the holes. There's also quite a bit of water on the front 9 to give it a unique feel. My only complaint with the layout is hole #18. While it's cool to look at it's a terrible par 5 finishing hole in terms of playability. The tee box should be moved up 150-200 yards to make it a long par 4. There's nothing wrong with a par 71 course.

The conditions in general were very good for early in the year. Some of the bunkers needed attention/more sand and the fairways were a little shaggy. The greens were a solid "B". I'll be back in the summer.

Despite living about an hour away from En-Joie I had never played it until recently. I've played the Links at Hiawatha and Conklin numerous times. Why I waited so long to make the drive up is beyond me. This is an excellent course from hole 1 through 18. It's as traditional as it gets. Each hole is framed perfectly. The conditions for early spring were fantastic. The greens rolled true, the bunkers were in great shape and the tee boxes were pristine.

I really don't get why this course doesn't get more respect. Binghamton in general has some really good public courses and this one is the best of the group imo.

I made the 4 hour drive to South Jersey to play this historic course on a perfect late March afternoon. I'm a sucker for classic design and the Bay Course did not disappoint. Club selection (I love great short par 4's), the short game, playing the angles and smart misses/keeping the ball below the hole are needed to score well. The ability to flight the ball when it's windy certainly helps too. Thankfully it was only a 10-15 mph "breeze" on the day I played.

I played from the tips which is only 6,300 yards but it's still a very good test of golf for a single digit hdcp. Especially when you have no local knowledge outside of google maps.

It's still early in the in the year so the course conditions were a little rough around the edges relative their potential. I'd like to play it again in Mid -May before the ShopRite Classic.

I played Dauphin Highlands for the first time on a beautiful January afternoon. With that said, my review is rather relative given the time of year I played.

Since nearly all of the courses were still closed in the Scranton area I made the 2-2.5 hour drive to Harrisburg to play DH. It was certainly worth the trek down for some winter golf. The course overall was in very good shape. The greens were a little shaky but they were all puttable which was good enough to for me in mid-Janaury. The bunkers were in above average condition for this time of year. They all had rakes if you did end up bad spot that needed to be fixed before playing your shot (winter rules!). The fairways and tee boxes were all in great shape for this time of year.

Since I was a single I got paired up with 3 other guys. They were playing from the whites and I followed suite. Had I'd been by myself I would have picked the blues. Having not played in several weeks nor ever played the course the whites ended up being perfectly fine. I shot a rusty but pretty clean 84.The teeth of the course are the par 3's. I took 4's and each of them and never hit a "bad" shot. I thought the par 5's were also tricky. #16 was tough without having leaves on the trees. In the summer that has to be brutal hole. Club selection on your second shot is key.

Overall the course plays over rolling terrain with modestly tree lined fairways. The greens have quite a bit of undulation and slope. I can see them being quite tricky when they're being maintained. The back 9 is heavily influenced by a ravine that runs across several holes. The staff was more than friendly and the pro shop and bar seemed well kept and well stocked.

This is probably the most unique course I've ever played. Between the routing, and the layout I've never seen anything like it. There are some holes you literally have to drive 5-10 minutes to get to.

CC of P is home to some really dumb holes, especially on the front side. The par 5 and two short par 4's(#4 and #8 iirc) are terrible holes. The back 9 is definitely more thought out. Although #16 is rather goofy despite the views from the tee.

The biggest issue though was the course conditions. The fairways, especially on the front, were in terrible shape. There were large patches of just dirt. I'm not sure what happened but it really killed the visuals. The greens were in good shape overall. The tees were spotty, but generally ok.

This course definitely ranks towards the bottom of all the Pocono courses I've played. It could be a fun quirky course if it was in better shape. As it is, I doubt I'll ever return.

Overall, Blue Ridge is one of the nicest golf courses/facilities in the Scranton/WB area. With that said, it is a very difficult course imo. Especially for high handicappers. When it's dry like it's been it can be brutally difficult. There is very little room for error on several holes. You're pretty much in the fairway, in a fairway bunker or in the woods. Some of the fairways are off camber (dogleg right, fairway slopes left) which means hitting them does not always mean you're in the clear. Level lies are going to hard to find so get use to hitting the ball above and below your feet. Also, several green complexes have steep drop offs so if you're not on you game with approach shots expect to struggle. The bunkers are filled with very course sand. As a result splash shots near the greens are nearly impossible. I liked this sand for the fairway bunkers but really struggled trying to play from ones near the green.

Conditions were solid overall. The greens were in excellent shape with very few ball marks. The tee boxes were also in great shape. The fairways were in pretty good shape. They were a little thin and brown in areas due to it being a little dry lately.

I played the Ridge/Trail combo and liked the Ridge quite a bit better. Still, the Trail 9 was nice as well. If you're in the area you should play here. However, I don't think it's a place I'd play over and over due to the difficulty of the place. Jack Frost is a similar type course but with a better layout....

This use to be the must play public course in the Scranton/Clarks Summit area. Now it's a former shell of itself. The tee boxes are to the point where they're borderline unplayable. They're crowned that severely. The bunkers are virtually unplayable at this point as well. 70+% of them are washed out and filled with rocks. The greens are hit or miss. Sometimes they're in great shape and running fast while other rounds they're hacked up. The cart paths are a complete nightmare. Hole 5 will send you to a local chiropractor. If that doesn't the drive up to #12 will.

They dumped a ton of money into the new clubhouse and let the course go. To be fair, the course had been trending down before the clubhouse was built. Only recently has it gotten to the point where I might not go back at all until improvements are made. Unfortunately that likely isn't going to happen until new ownership is found.

This is, imo, the best public course in Eastern Pennsylvania and easily the best in the Pocono/Scranton/WB area. Some mountain courses can be extremely tight/frustrating and manufactured. Jack Frost is perhaps the best, most well thought out mountain track I've ever played.
That includes courses in the Rockies. For the money this is much better than the Cascades Course at The Homestead in Virginia. The fairways are wide and there's ample space if you don't find the short grass. JFN doesn't play overly long either. A solid player who doesn't hit the ball very far (230-240 driver) can get around from the black tees due to the numerous elevated tee boxes. I hit it in the 260-270 range had very friendly distances most of the day.

The greens are what makes this course tricky. Almost everyone has a defined ridge running through it. If you're on the wrong level 3 and 4 putts become a distinct possibility.

The overall conditions were very good. I'm a stickler and I say that with confidence. Ball marks were limited on all par 4 and 5's. The greens here in general are private club caliber. Tee boxes were neatly kept and the bunkers are in excellent shape by public courses standards. There were a couple dry spots due the recent lack of rain but that's nitpicking.

Once the new clubhouse is completed this place will be first class through and through. If you live within a 2 hours radius it's worth the drive.

This is easily the best the course in the Lehigh Valley imo. The Architects Club had always been on my bucket list but I never took the 90 minute drive from the Scranton area. The layout overall is exceptional. This was the first time playing the course and except for 3-4 holes everything is straight forward. I thought the back nine was considerably tougher than the front. I'm a pretty solid stick and the stretch of 13-15 from the gold tees was work.

The views are excellent in all directions. This really is a great piece of property. The hole markers with historical info is a great touch! The clubhouse and locker room were very nice. The starter was helpful as well.

The only downfall is if the Architects Club truly wants to be a upscale course the conditions needs to improve. The greens really did look pretty rough. There's numerous ball marks that don't get repaired. There were also some weeds in the fairways here and there. The bunkers overall were very nice. Definitely better than the vast majority of public courses.

I got a great deal on GolfNow but would gladly pay more if the conditions were better. Given the numerous so-so public courses in the area this place could really set itself apart with a little more refinement. I think $100 weekend rate would be fair with a little better conditions. As it is, I'll will definitely be back again this year when the price is once again right.

This is a solid course and well worth the $30 twilight rate I paid. I was glad to play with someone who knew the course. He definitely provided some important insights. Even so, this course is a "quirky" tough layout. There were some really memorable/"unique" holes. #13 is certainly one of them. I liked the back 9 a lot more since it's more open and more straight forward.

The course is by no means perfect. The sandtraps could use some TLC and the greens were a little on the slow side. #7 and #13 are two of the worst par 5's I've ever played. No par 5 should ever be a layup off the teen. #7 I hit 3 straight 4 hybrids to reach the green in regulation. #13 is visually impressive but between the 220 yard layup off the tee and ever present sewage treatment plant it leaves a lot to be desired.

If you're in the area it's worth your time to play. Just don't expect some high-end casino/resort course. This is certainly not a Turning Stone level facility. In fact, I can't help but think at some point Mt Airy is going to completely renovate the course. There's about 4-5 holes that should be blown-up and completely redone. #3, #7, #8, #13 and #16 should be the first to go....