Where to play between Pittsburgh, PA and Ocean City, MD

[Michael Huber]

Hi all,

My dad and I are planning 3 day weekend type deal in August to Ocean City, Maryland.  We plan on leaving Friday morning, and would consider playing a round on the way down to OC.  As usual, I will come here to the GCA for input (as it is always useful). 

We are not opposed to taking an extra hour or two out of the way to play a round.  Example:  one of the courses my dad suggested was the Links at Gettysburg (Neither of us have played, and I know little about the course, other than the Futures tour held an event there).


So anyone with any opinions, you are more than welcome to chime it. 

[Bill Hyde]

Funny, I was just checking out this place - Bedford Springs Resort - last night, looks like it's directly in your path. Forse re-do of a Ross/Tillinghast course, hard to find info on it but it looks interesting.

http://www.omnihotels.com/FindAHotel/BedfordSprings/Golf.aspx

[Dan Herrmann]

Michael,
Links at Gettysburg isn't going to win any GCA awards or get a Doak 10, but it's a lot of fun.  Unfortunately, there's a waterfall, but if you can get past that, you'll have fun. 

I've also heard good things about Bedford Springs, but I've not been there.

There's also Bulle Rock in Havre de Grace, MD - a Dye design.

I'd also consider stuff down near Hagerstown, MD - it should be right on your way to OC.

[Joe Bausch]

A wee bit out of your way, but Greystone (a Joe Lee design) north of Baltimore might interest you.

[Roger Wolfe]

Assume you are taking the Turnpike to Rte 70 through Baltimore then down 301 to the Bay Bridge.

#1 - Bedford Springs Resort - Classic Ross/Tillinghast recently renovated in Bedford, PA.
#2 - Hogs Neck is a top 25 public course right across the Bay Bridge in Easton, MD.

These are the two directly on your route that stand out to me besides a lot of other random
upscale daily fee courses.  Bulle Rock or Mattaponi Springs take you way out of your way but
are very good as well IMHO.

Have fun!!

[Michael Huber]

All:

I knew I should have mentioned that I played Bedford Springs earlier this month 

I'll most certainly be back to bedford, but we are looking to play somewhere new.

[astavrides]

#2 - Hogs Neck is a top 25 public course right across the Bay Bridge in Easton, MD.

top 25 in what? The Easton, MD metropolitan area?

[Brian Laurent]

There is an old Pete Dye course tucked away in St. Michaels, Maryland called Harbourtowne.  It's not going to win anyone's Best in Show award, but it's a fun track with a friendly staff.

[Thomas Patterson]

I would nominate Odessa National in Townsend, DE.  This course was designed by Gil Hanse and Joel Weinman and was a blast to play!  Very fun drivable par 4 on the front, and one on the back as well.  Some good risk/reward and a couple of great par 3's.  However, I've only played this once, and it has been about 1.5 years, so not sure how it's playing now.  Great condition when I was there though.  Pretty easy on the pocketbook as well.

http://www.odessanationalgolfclub.com/golf/proto/odessanationalgolfclub/

[Bill Hyde]

Michael...what did you think of Bedford Valley?

[Roger Wolfe]

#2 - Hogs Neck is a top 25 public course right across the Bay Bridge in Easton, MD.

top 25 in what? The Easton, MD metropolitan area?

Haven't been there in over ten years... has it gone to $#%$&??  Used to love the metric system distance markers.

[Rob Miller]

Whitetail Golf Resort, Mercersburg, PA.  Not far out of the way and a great value track.

[astavrides]

#2 - Hogs Neck is a top 25 public course right across the Bay Bridge in Easton, MD.

top 25 in what? The Easton, MD metropolitan area?

Haven't been there in over ten years... has it gone to $#%$&??  Used to love the metric system distance markers.

never played it.  I just was looking for a clarification as to what top 25 meant.

[Chris DeNigris]

Okay, here you go...

Stay on the turnpike a little longer and stop in Hershey to play the Links (better than Gettysburg).

Wind a little southeast and hit Lancaster CC.

Head due south and play a little Hurdzan gem- Pilgrim's Oak.

Then onto Bulle Rock.

Continue on to OC.

[Mac Plumart]

I haven't played it, but if I were you I would lob a call into the Baltimore CC and see if you could play it. 

[Matt_Ward]

Michael:

Hog Neck is OK -- very overrated from the mags years ago.

Try a sleeper -- Greencastle Greens in Greencastle, PA. Just north of the MD line and gets little attention.

Also, won't break your bank acct.

[Dan Herrmann]

Chris is right - Links at Hershey (nee Wren Dale) is a lot of fun.

[Roger Wolfe]

Take the short cut over to the Gettysburg / Chambersburg area and play Penn National.

[JeffTodd]

I'll second the nomination of Bedford Springs. I played it a month ago and really enjoyed the course. It has some fantastic greens and surrounds, was in terrific shape, and was virtually empty. I too played it as a layover on a trip, and we were around in under four hours without even trying, despite having some high handicap players in the group.

[Jerry Kluger]

Bulle Rock is a good suggestion and I would add Queenstown Harbor which is just over the Bay Bridge.  They have 36 holes and I would recommend that you play the River course which has some good strategy and is quite scenic.

[Michael Huber]

Michael...what did you think of Bedford Valley?

It is my favorite course in Western PA.  As has been mentioned, pace of play usually is not an issue.  I found that the strategic decision making was a lot more fun the second time around.  Holes 11-12-13 are as tough as it goes when it comes to public courses in Western PA.

[Adam_Messix]

On the route from Pittsburgh to Ocean City, you have a number of options that aren't that far off the beaten path.

The aforementioned Bedford Springs.

If access is not an issue:  Once you get down into Maryland, you could hit Congressional if driving through Washington or Baltimore CC if you're going through Baltimore.  Woodholme (H. Strong) is a major sleeper if headed through Baltimore and is much closer to I 70.  

Once you get on the Eastern Shore, Queenstown Harbor has 36 nice holes that is just off US 50, the main route to OC.  Hog Neck is also a very nice golf course right on US 50 that received a lot of ink in the past, but has totally fallen off the radar.  It was built by the widow of W. Alton "Pete" Jones, one of the founders of Augusta National.  Hunters Oak is also about a mile off of Route 50 and is a neo Scottish Ian Scott-Taylor design that's usually in outstanding condition.  

If you want to divert a short distance, you may want to try Chester River Y & CC, it's about 30 minutes out of the way.  The course is 9 holes 1929 Alex Findlay and 9 holes of 1978 Ed Ault that's actually pretty good.  The Findlay holes are pretty much untouched which makes it worth the effort to see.   From what I'm hearing, the course is in really good condition at the moment, which given the weather is a really good thing.  There's also a good back way to head to the beach from there, which will probably save you a lot of headaches.  

Once you get past Easton, I would tell you to continue to the beach.  I would have recommended Seaford G & CC if it were still open.  Art Hills built a course near Bridgetown, DE but I have not played and know no one who has. The two Nicklaus courses near Rehoboth are nice and Glen Riddle which is on the south side of Ocean City.  

[mike_malone]

 Queenstown River is a fine course.

[Dan Herrmann]

Keep in mind that US50 into (and out of) Ocean City can be a sloooow trip.

[Michael Huber]

Keep in mind that US50 into (and out of) Ocean City can be a sloooow trip.

It's been about 10 years since I last went to OC, but I vividly recall the "are we there yet" mentality kicking in about 30 seconds after crossing the Bay Bridge.

Further questions re: Odessa National, Gettysburg, and Queenstown

How punishing/penal are these courses?  My dad is a bit sentitive when it comes to lots of water, lots of trees, or both.  Lets just say his pysche is fragile on the golf course.  The poor guy can handle only so many balls gone astray before he cracks.