Lives
Claymont, DE
Handicap
10-14
Age
55-64
Gender
Male
Skill
Intermediate
Plays
Once a week

Review Statistics

Average Rating

4.2
4.2
Total 51 Reviews

Rating Breakdown

51 Reviews
5 Stars
15
4 Stars
30
3 Stars
6
2 Stars
0
1 Stars
0
Recommended Courses
45
Not Recommended Courses
6
Helpful Votes Count
7
Not Helpful Votes Count
1
First Review
08/01/2018
Last Review
12/26/2023

Reviews Map

Reviews

4.2
Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Course Difficulty
First time playing this course
Recommended
Review has

Ibis Landing Golf & Country Club

Played On 12/23/2023
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart

Would like to play course without the wind

I understand this course was recently renovated and much improved in quality and design. Lots of interesting holes but playable all around for golfers of all skill levels. But you do have to control you ball which was tough in a 2-club wind which was a cross wind on nearly every hole based on how the layout is.

Greens were lightning fast but reliable so scoring was fair. Generous fairways (as it should be) with no undue hazards on approaches.

A great value for the quality of course and conditioning.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate

The St. Anne's Club

Played On 09/03/2023
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Slope + Fast Greens = Impossible

I can't complain about the course conditions as they have done a lot to enhance the loop. I played here a few weeks earlier and the challenge level was about right for intermediate golfers like me. And pin positions were pretty much the same both times, more by coincidence than design.

But this round the greens were WAY faster and impossible to gauge. Combined with pin placements (on a Sunday no less!) on steep slopes or often just a couple paces from the very back or front of the green, made approach shots and even little chips to the green virtually impossible to control. And putting was a nightmare; impossible to stop a downhill putt or gauge it correctly for speed (except by accident) and uphillers so much different that those were hopeless as well. I gave up on worrying about score and just concentrated on ball striking.

What makes this even more of an issue is that the practice green, while equally fast, is not nearly as sloped as the course's greens, so that was no help at all to get ready for what you had to face on practically every hole.

A little suggestion to the course: If you insist on fast greens, place pins in fair positions and not on steep slopes. We ain't looking to play Augusta National on a casual Sunday.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging

Frog Hollow Golf Club

Played On 08/27/2023
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

An under appreciated gem

There are better courses out there, but they cost a lot more. There are more immaculately manicured courses out there, but they cost a lot more when public and aren't typically open to the public anyway.

There are more interesting layouts out there, but not every course can be Pebble Beach. I'd sure like to play Pine Valley, which is not far from here, but that's not at all likely.

But if you want a great, enjoyable round and a well maintained and nicely laid out and reasonably prices PUBLIC course, it's hard to find a better deal than this course. All holes are fair and appropriately challenging. My overall favorite course in the area.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Moderate

Wyncote Golf Club

Played On 04/06/2023
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Tops, just tops

How they have the course in this good condition this early in the year is a mystery. Greens, tee boxes and fairways are perfect, and the rough is as good as one can expect in April in PA.

It's the class course in the area for a fun and challenging round ... at least until it gets windy and the tall grasses off the fairways gobble balls. Then you have to really control it or it's a long day. Still a great course in any conditions.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Hanover Golf Club

Played On 03/07/2023
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart

Enjoyable stop heading north

Played 9 on our way back home as it was a nice day and the course is close to I-95.

Very happy with the choice. We were a few minutes late for our tee time, but they let us play the back 9 instead so no waiting as we got to play our twosome alone.

It's still winter even though it was Spring temps, so I can' eval course conditions. Green were consistent and smooth and tee boxes were OK as well. Mostly, I enjoyed the layout as fair and with nice variety. For early in the season, it was a good course to practice on and my game got progressively better as well.

If I get the chance to play again in summer conditions, I'd definitely try.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Moderate

Wedgwood Country Club

Played On 12/30/2022
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
First Time Playing
Cold weather
Used cart

Next to Last Day of Year Golf

When you get 55 degrees at the end of December, you take what you can get.

So I'm weighting my review for that situation and recognize that the course did the best they can while trying to accommodate as many eager golfers as possible while navigating a long frost delay. So getting to play 12 holes (at full 18-hole price) is just cost-of-doing-business on a bonus golf day.

Front nine layout is solid and I would like to play again under regular conditions where you could normal get distance on shots. Greens were slow but that's typical for winter and were actually in pretty good shape. Nice mix of holes.

Didn't see the entire back nine but tighter and hole 13 is just ridiculous with nowhere to hit the second shot for mere mortals. So I hit my drive (a good one) and picked it up and left as it was getting colder and my playing companions quit the prior hole. But I drove back to the clubhouse past the remainder of the hole and they were nothing special. But it looks like a decent course which I'll play again in summer.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Fair
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate

Patriots Glen Golf Club

Played On 11/23/2022
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Come a long way

I hadn't played this course for many years because it was, essentially, in unplayable condition at any price. But it's gotten a lot better, I was pleased to discover, when I had no other options on short notice.

Most importantly, they fixed the greens which are now excellent, although playing slow due to late fall maintenance requirements. Next Spring should be perfect. Previously, the greens were awful.

I also see they are putting in Bermuda for fairways, which seems a little unusual for a course this far north, but we'll see how that goes. There will be a long transition period but even the fairways -- Bermuda or not -- were improved.

The course layout here is the star, however, and there's a nice mix and lots of play options for players at different skill levels. If you can control your tee shots, you'll be able to play a nice round with an excellent balance of hazards and scoring holes.

If it continues on this trajectory, I'll add it to my rotation.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Difficulty Moderate

Rock Manor Golf Club

Played On 10/22/2022
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Pretty good for amount of play

Very fast greens in need of ball mark repairs, but in excellent shape on fairways and tee boxes for this time of year.

Now if I could just clear that front bunker on #7!

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Mountain Branch Golf Course

Played On 09/05/2022
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Terrific Course

I'm going to let the rather poor condition of tee boxes go since I'm sure there's been a lot of play by the end of the summer, and after a long hot/dry spell that's pretty much what you'd expect. Otherwise conditions were good even with slower than average greens left to grow longer to protect them.

But the course layout is OUTSTANDING, particularly for a hilly course which nonetheless keeps the elevation changes within reason. And every whole is fair to the player, providing reasonable tee shot landing areas, and approach shots, while requiring you to control your ball. But if you don't hit it straight, expect to lose A LOT of balls into natural areas. (Fortunately, didn't impact me.)

For my money, it's a much more pleasant golfing experience than the nearby Pete Dye design. And less money with just as much challenge for an average golfer.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Delcastle Golf Course

Played On 08/14/2022
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Always a great round

As always, the course was in excellent condition but the greens were a little inconsistent for speed, and oftentimes it seemed like the putts rolled out faster uphill than down. Go figure.

With very little wind, as long as you can hit it straight the course if a fabulous test of golf without being impossible for average players. Strong winds can produce lots of loss balls in thick fescue and other native high grasses, so pick your day carefully.

My only complaint this day was slow play due to a "tournament" of willing amateurs in foursome playing slow so lots of waiting. Still, beats a standard muni for weekends.

Very much worth the money.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Mount Airy Golf Club

Played On 07/22/2022
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

WTFairway?

This is a beautifully manicured course but the most difficult "resort" course I ever played. If I wanted to get beat up that much, I'd have played the table games instead of the golf course!

Fairway are narrow and many times obscured or narrowed so much by hazards that it becomes practically unplayable. Greens have lots of subtle breaks that even short putts are easy to miss.

Lots of blind shots (as you often get at mountain courses but unless you've played it multiple times before, distances are difficult to judge and with funky bounces possible in lots of locations, you can lose your ball on a good shot.

I actually played pretty well but only because I control my ball and got a couple of breaks on shots I thought might have gone into hazards. So I would only recommend this course for highly competent golfers, not weekend warriors or random hotel guests.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Difficulty Extremely Challenging

Broad Run Golfer's Club

Played On 07/04/2022
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Worth it ... with a special holiday deal

This is my second time playing Broad Run and under much better conditions this time.

The course is maintained beautifully and there's plenty of challenges with terrain and hazards, but the fairways are decent width. Some VERY difficult holes and you can't get out of position or you'll need ot start thinking about playing for bogey. Hero shots attempts will just get you in trouble.

Hole #1 is simply too difficult for a starting hole for even decent players. A longish par 5 that finishes up hill to a tough green to hit behind bunkers and a steep slope. And hole #2 is likely the trickiest hole out there requiring a layout drive then a longer second shot to a well-protected green. So your first taste can definitely sour your round here.

Fortunately, the greens themselves allow for decent scoring as they are a reasonable speed so you can judge your chip shots and very little undulation despite all the sloping involved to get there. And fairways are often bowl shaped, or you can favor one side or the other to use steep slopes to kick your tee shots back into the fairway.

With thick brush pretty much everywhere beyond the rough, club down and keep your tee and approach shots in play or your ball is gone.

This is normally a pricey course intended or serious golfers, but if you can a deal on GN, and can control your ball reasonably well, it's a serious golf course and worth a visit.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Rock Manor Golf Club

Played On 06/30/2022
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Solid as a Rock

This course is close to me and I would play it more often if it wasn't so hard to get a decent tee time. But I cut out of work early on a nice but hot day and got the whole round in once the league foursomes completed their nine holes.

The course is a good mix of difficult and scoreable holes, with nothing tricked up but there are A LOT of hazards to avoid which you can do with good course management. Greens run true but there are tricky breaks and some greens are very tilted so watch out for hard pin placements.

In every respect The Rock is the equivalnt of more prominent courses and worth the drive for anyone who can get to I-95 within an hours drive.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Deerfield Golf & Tennis Club

Played On 06/18/2022
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Only for strong golfers

First the positives: They keep the course in first-rate condition tee to green and it's a very attractive course. The greens in particular was very smooth and predictable for speed.

But the layout is simply ridiculous, particularly in windy conditions like I played in. I didn't have a lot of memory of the course since it had been years since I played it, and didn't remember jsut how hilly it was, with blind all of the course and hard-to-judge distances because of the greens nearly always perched on a significant rise from the fairways. Factor in a 20mph wind and picking a club to use was practically impossible.

Add to all of that the uneven lies you'll get even in the middle of the fairway on many, many holes. Throughout much of the course, the fairway tilt to one side or the other and I don't mean just a couple of degrees. At times it's nearly impossible to stay in the fairway without the ball rolling completely down the slope into the rough. And even if you do keep it in the fairway, the ball can be well above or below your feet, or with a signficant downhill or uphill stance as well. Yuck!

And yet I played well.

The moral is that if you like a challenging course and can control your ball, go ahead and play here. If you're a beginner or just want a pleasant round, this may not be the course for you.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Fair
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Pinelands Golf Club

Played On 05/30/2022
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
First Time Playing
Hot weather
Used cart

Good add to rotation

If you like playing a variety of courses around Philadelphia, it's worth your while to add this course to your rotation. The course conditions were superb from tee boxes to the perfect greens which were neither too fast nor too slow, but also with a fair amount of trickiness. You'd probably have to play the course multiple times to learn these greeens, but I did okay on my first play.

While every hole is tree-lined on both sides, being cut from the NJ pine barrens, the fairways offered enough space to work but be advised if you spray your driver, expect a long day. But you probably won't lose many balls as the underbrush is cut down.

Every hole (except one) is fair if you hit it straight off the tee, and there's a tee box for every level. Hardly any water but nicely bunkered mostly near the greens. Approaches are generally free from hazards and there aren't any force carries.

Now for the not so great part. For some crazy reason, they don't allow coolers in the carts even if you show you only have water or soft drinks. On a very hot day, not allowing coolers is close to insane and it isn't like they have free water out there or a cart girl. So if it's just about keeping people from bringing beers out on the course in violation of liqour licensing, it's wrong to deny everyone else to keep their beverages cold on a hot day. As a result, I probably would not choose this course on any day over 85 degrees.

Lots of courses have restrictions on coolers. Some provide a cooler on the cart and give you ice to go with it, but most have the rule to keep you from bringing alcohol onto the course. They should go that route instead of punishing everyone.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Difficulty Moderate
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Ninety Percent Excellent

For 15 holes on the Presidential course, it was a nice experience. Solid play was rewarded with chances at par for an average player. If they just took down a bunch of trees on 16 & 17 to make them even remotely playable, they'd have an special course. But those trees have reduced the fairway to practically nothing which you just can't have on a long par 4 or par 5.

But apart from that, you have some challenging holes and some scoreable holes, with lots of hazards. Greens ran well at a fair speed, partly owing to rain the night before.

For the money it's a nice course to play for average and better players, but novices are not recommended.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Default User Avatar
Commented on 05/20/2022

Thanks so much for your wonderful review, We are thrilled to hear how much you enjoyed your time with us. Please visit again soon. Thanks for choosing Ambassador at Hickory Valley Golf Club!

Frog Hollow Golf Club

Played On 04/30/2022
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

Above and Beyond

I play this course all the time and, frankly, the conditions were just average, but I'm giving them a pass on that since it's still early in the year and round and faiways need the chance to grow out.

But I'm giving them a top rating because the management could have chosen to be hard-cases about something but instead let the circumstances and good faith guide their decision. Far too many courses, as I've read here and elsewhere, don't seem to care about their patrons' feelings and blindly enforce rules. But in this case -- as is typical of the course management and one reason this is my favorite course in the area -- is that they chose now to ruin round because they care about their golfers.

I'm not going to go into detail because doing so would put management in a similar position in the future and that wouldn't return the goodwill they demonstrated. But I'm going to continue to recommend this course to everyone.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Difficulty Moderate

Jonathan's Landing Golf Course

Played On 04/24/2022
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Worth tthe Drive

Nothing is overwhelming at this course but the balance between challenging holes and scoring holes is really good for players with moderate skill level. I wouldn't recommend it for beginners as there is a lot of water/marsh where you'll lose balls if you can't control it.

Course conditions are solid although a little more attention should be paid to the edges, but the greens were very good and quick for this time of year, which they have to be since the greens can be quite callenging. (Of course, the guy I played with today made EVERYTHING!)

If it hadn't been a strong, steady wind which wasn't forecast, I might have shot my best round ever. Tee boxes and fairways were in good shape. The course could also be marked better. But for the money it's a very fun course.

If playing for the first time, be sure to play with someone who knows the course because there are many blind hazards including water and some atypical routing as well. Especially watch out for holes 1, 2, 5, 7, 16 and 17. And always take at least one extra club on 15, and if ever against the wind add another club for each 10mph on every hole.

I have to drive an hour but its worth it since I always play and score well here and I expect other intermediate golfers will as well.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging

Loch Nairn Golf Course

Played On 03/20/2022
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Swan song

I've never been a fan of this course, so kudos first. The greens were in EXCELLENT condition for this early in the year. Good clean rollouts and faster than other courses I've played. I don't know how they keep them so good in winter.

But I've never liked the layout as there are way too many trees (an artifact of the era is was built) with a lot of holes shoehorned into the space available. The course is closing at the end of 2022 as it's property was sold to the township who I was told would convert it to a public park. The ground may actually be better suited for that purpose.

Even so, I suggest anyone get out this year and play it for Old Times sake as it's fun and challenging enough to be worth the reasonable price.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Fair
Friendliness Good
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Moderate

Knob Hill Golf Course

Played On 03/16/2022
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Must play again in summer

First time playing this course with a terrific variety of holes and plenty of hazard, both water and sand. Some trees and woods but only for very errant shots. Mostly, water is the principal concern and present on a majority of holes, almost like a Florida course. (Fortunately, I dodged them all!)

Layout is solid with short par-3, including a silly one up a steep hill. As it turns out, all 5 par 3s are on holes numbered as multiples of 3, all except 18 which isn't a par-3. I don't know if that was planned or just worked out that way, but you play a par-3 every 3rd hole.

Greens were OK considering mid March, and I'll like to see conditionss in May and later to get a better judgment of the course quality. Bunkers were in good shape and could be quite challenging.

Had dinner with a buddy in the bar/grill which is very pleasant with good food and drink specials. In summer outdoor dining would be a bonus.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Now Reading