I've heard the chatter about the William Gordon designed Deerfield in Delaware for years now and finally got around to experiencing it. Here is the good previous thread to update the newbies here:
http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,28610.0.htmlI arrived on a Monday afternoon that was scorching hot after a pretty good rain the night before. It would likely have played much differently just the day before, but even with greens pretty soft, it was a blast. In another life after I've removed hundreds of trees from Cobb's Creek, I'll immediately head over the D'field.
It plays at just over 6300 yards from the tips, and it is on a quite hilly piece of property. I'm not sure there is a flat hole on it, with some elevation changes quite dramatic. The green complexes are probably the strongest feature of the course.
Ok, let's get it on.
Here is the routing:
#1: opening par 5 with a very downhill approach to the green. This hole is probably easily reachable in two with a nice little draw down the hill. Or you can play the hole like I did: block a drive into the trees right off the tee, thread a little 3 iron under the trees, then hit a 6 iron in to kick-in distance for bird.
#2: The beginning of a nice set of par 3's, this one playing about 180. Yes, those blowers are not uncommon sites at D'field.
#3: here an uphill drive leaves a short iron into the green.
#4: this is a very scenic par 4, this view from about 200 yards out, with the green elevated:
#5: another in this nice stretch of par 4's is a down-then-up of about 400 yards, with trees left and trees and a creek right:
#6: coming back in the other direction, this dogleg left par 4 appears like the fairway is just too slopey to hit, but it isn't as severe as this first pic shows. The green is elevated with bunkers left and right.
#7: the last of the 4 nice par 4's in a row, this shortish dogleg right plays just 350. The fairway bunker left here is not visible from the tee (me as an amateur wannabe architect wonders if that would be better flashed up a bit to make it visible on the drive).
#8: a rather long (225 yards) par 3 awaits, uphill to boot. Thankfully the green is bunkered both left and right but these are not in view from the tee:
#9: The No1 handicap hole is the par 4 9th, a continually bending dogleg right par 4 that climbs uphill to the green that is well bunkered (plays about 420 yards):
#10: the back nine begins with a gigantic elevation change on a par 5, doglegging left.
#11: the crew was punching and rolling this green, a par 3 of about 160 yards:
#12: an uphill drive (here again is a bunker left off the tee not visible) on this shortish dogleg right par 4 leaves a short iron and into a nicely bunkered green:
#13: short dogleg right par 4 with a short iron downhill 2nd shot. The first pic being from the beginning of the dogleg with bunkers that see some action:
#14: this is the No2 handicap hole, a 90° dogleg left with a demanding tee shot to a fairway sloping heavily to the right which the first photo from the tee doesn't really show, but the 2nd looking back to the dogleg does:
#15: a short downhill par 4, where the drive is likely tough to keep on the slopey fairway when firm, leaving a short iron in:
#16: probably my favorite par 3 at D'field, it plays about 170 yards, moderately uphill (I wish I had better photos of it).
#17: the view from the tee isn't real great, with a driving range fence to the left dominating the view, but once in the fairway, it is outstanding. It is 406 yard par 4 moving gently to the right and downhill for the last 200 yards or so to perhaps the biggest green on the course that allows a variety of shots to be played in:
#18: an uphill gentle dogleg right par 4 ends the round.
If you're in the Newark area and are looking for a fine public facility, D'field should be considered!
Stay tuned for a thread with pics on Jack Frost National in the Poconos.