2 Great Golf Holes at Foxburg CC (1887) in Foxburg, PA - PICS all 9 holes now

[Richard Hetzel]

Maybe not great, but pretty good IMO. I played Foxburg CC in Foxburg, PA this past weekend. It is advertised as the oldest continuously operated golf course in the USA. There were 2 holes here (out of 9) that were kinda cool in their own way:

The first one was the par 3 (blue - 155, white -146). Not too long, fairly tight on both sides, the green was somewhat concave and almost anything that hit the green from the right side, rolled right at the pin (from where it was placed that day anyway). The bunker on the back left side was pretty cool as well. I sure wouldn't want to be back in there hitting my second shot. Sorry about the dark pics, we played under the threat of rain all day! 18 with a cart was $25.






I also thought hole number 7 was also really cool. Approximately 300+ (Blue-310, White-300) yards straight downhill, with some bunkers about 40-50 yards short of the green. Out of bounds to the right, lots of trees to the left. You could hit almost ANYTHING off the tee on this hole. I liked how many options were available while standing on the tee wondering what to hit.







The clubhouse was VERY COOL as well...

[ChipOat]

They need a tree surgeon.

[Richard Hetzel]

Not when the course tips out at 5219!

[Mike_Cirba]

Love the cross-bunkers!! 

Thanks, Rich.

[ANTHONYPIOPPI]

Rich:

Thanks for posting the photos.

Anthony

[George Pazin]

A couple quick thoughts:

 - The fronting cross bunker reminds me of what paul cowley was saying the other day about really old courses featuring obstacles;

 - The general look reminds me of JohnV's former home course, Hannastown. Kinda looks like the 9th hole greensite (with more trees) and the 2nd hole green.

Now I'm off to find out where Foxburg is...

[Lester George]

Being around that long one would think they could come up with a better solution than the chain-link fence.

Lester

[Richard Hetzel]

Yes, the chain link fence really needs to go. It really detracts from the course itself.

Here are the other 7 holes:

#1


Back of #1 green



#2



#3





#4



#5 (2 different tee boxes for white and blue)



#8




#9

The 9th green is TINY and right in front of the flag pole, a tough approach, hitting and holding this green is darn near impossible.

[Richard Hetzel]

Foxburg also "still" after all these years had several sand holders from the time before tees were used. Pretty neat.

[Mike_Cirba]

Absolutely love the "sand holders", as well.   

Foxburg reminds me of the sort of courses I grew up playing, and it hits me right in the heart to see such places that seem imperviously unchanged over the decades.

[Kalen Braley]

Perhaps its the lens on the camera, but these look like the most narrow golf holes I've ever seen in my life.  Truly single-file only fairways.

This is wicked cool right here though.  The kind of quirk we need to return to courses IMO.

[Richard Hetzel]

Yes, they were narrow but didn't feel that bad while playing. Sometimes, one had to take their medicine and just punch out.

One of the most fun courses out of the 37 (and counting) new courses I played this season.

[Richard Boult]

posted at http://delicious.com/golfclubatlas/Pennsylvania

[Andy Hughes]

Foxburg reminds me of the sort of courses I grew up playing, and it hits me right in the heart to see such places that seem imperviously unchanged over the decades.

Mike, I had the same reaction. It just looks exactly like where we are from.  I was surprised to see Foxburg was on the other side of the state--the trees, the surroundings hills, the topography, the feel of the course, the sense of 'old', the look and condition of the bunkers ( ) etc.

I know the pictures make it look narrow to Kalen, but would you have any trouble believing holes like #1 or #3 were lifted from say Water Gap and dropped onto Foxburg?

Rich, thanks for the tour, and the sense of deja vu.

[Richard Hetzel]

How is Water Gap? It on my list of places to play the next time I travel to see my relatives in NJ.

[Andy Hughes]

Rich, I am not really the one who should answer this as I haven't been there in 22 or 23 years.  It's an old course (1920s?) designed by Robert White.  I grew up in the area and feel great nostalgia for that type of course and all the oddities and quirks. Matt Ward will tell you your time would be better spent doing almost anything else, but it is the first course I ever broke 80 on, so it has that going for it.  If you like Foxburg, I suspect you will appreciate Water Gap.  Just set your expectations properly 

Mike can likely tell you much more about what the course is like these days.

[Mike_Cirba]

Rich,

Water Gap is an old, frayed, plaid, cashmere sweater that still fits and still provides warmth, even though it is sadly out of style and even a bit tattered.

You'll get the odd look here and there when you trot it out, but in your heart of hearts, you really know you're too old and set in your ways to give a damn what the newfangled modernists think.

Just like the course itself.








Andy's comparison is very apt..