Sunnybrook GC (Gordons, 1956) in Plymouth Meeting, PA

[Steve_ Shaffer]

There have been many references to Sunnybrook here but never a thread that I could find. I played there today for the first time since the course was renovated in 2007 by McDonald Design Group.

Here is the member statement concerning the renovation with a lot of good other stuff- aerials, history,the Gordons,etc. :

https://sunnybrook.memberstatements.com/Clubs/CSG-Sunnybrook/Uploaded/FacilityPics/masterplan.pdf

Here is the routing:



The club house was also renovated. For those who remember the old club house, it was best  described as "shabby chic." The new club house is not a monument to excess and not shabby at all:

http://www.ehretcc.com/projects/country-clubs/sunnybrook-golf-club--clubhouse.html

I found the course to be quite playable notwithstanding its high slope ratings:
Black 7008y  74.9/145
Blue 6528y 72.5/140
White 6102y 70.4/137

There were some holes that looked similar- the par3s 8 &17,for example. Both were about the same yardage and played downhill.Otherwise, the greens and their complexes were challenging and the course was in excellent condition.
 
I don't have any pics and Sunnybrook must be one of the few local courses not found in the Bausch Collection.

All in all, I found Sunnybrook to be a good walk in the park and a very good members course.

As referenced in the Bidermann thread, Sunnybrook is part of the local Menage A Trois group with Gulph Mills and Bidermann.

[mike_malone]

 I have never been to Sunnybrook but like the Gordons usually . Was Joel Weiman the archie for this project?  I love Odessa Nat'l.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

I just remembered that last time I played Sunnybrook there were no yardage markers on the course. The scorecard had distances from bunkers and trees. Now there are yardage markers. The club is one of the few private clubs that allow pull/push carts for walkers.

I think Applebrook should be added to the Menage a Trois to make it a Menage a Quatre.


Mike,

 I should have answer for you soon.

[Sean Remington (SBR)]

I have never been to Sunnybrook but like the Gordons usually . Was Joel Weiman the archie for this project?  I love Odessa Nat'l.

Yes, Joel Weiman and Andrew Green from McDonald Design.  I know they did quite a lot of research while preparing the plans. I had a quick tour with both of them while under construction.   In the Club house there are what looks to be original hole drawings on display.   Scott Kroll is the Superintendent and does an excellent job.  I have not played there but would jump at the chance.  Looks like fun.

[mike_malone]

 I played there today. I really enjoyed the course. I find that the Gordons just put a little too much steepness in their internal contours versus Flynn. That's my only criticism.  I want to go out on a limb and say the par fives  easily belong in the conversation about  the best set in the area.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Mike,

Here they are. Why are they among the best 5pars in the area?

[mike_malone]

 Nice work on the pictures, Steve. 
      First of all, we started on #10 and I thought it was an interesting gate hole where the trees provided the stress on the second shot. The remaining three had interesting layup challenges and demanding approaches that weren't goofy. The greens were also different and fun. For my level of ability none were reachable nor very long but I thought the second and third shots in combination were among the best I have played.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Mike,

I started on 10 also and thought it was the best of the bunch at Sunnybrook.

What are your other favorites?

I recently played Jeffersonville and 18, the double dogleg, is one of the better public 5pars in the area IMO.

I think 9 & 13 at Applecross are good ones.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

How about 17 at White Manor. Pic courtesy of the Bausch Collection:

[mike_malone]

The key word for me is "collection". As a whole I thought they stood out. Usually it is the 4's or 3's that make a course.

[Jim_Coleman]

#'s 10 and 16 are pretty much the same hole  -  tees and greens right next to each other.  A little like Cricket's #'s 4 and 7.

[mike_malone]

 I think the gate on #10 makes it a very different challenge on the second shot than #16. Also #16 has a fronting bunker.

[mike_malone]

#4 and#7 at Cricket don't have another hole between as Sunnybrook does. When they recover the Hell's Half Acre at Cricket then you will see more of a difference there.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Mike

 The 3 5pars at Applecross are all  good- 3,9 & !8. You may want to play there and find out. Give me a call.


Tom Paul has advised that 13 is probably the best hole at Sunnybrook. He's played there too many times to count:

[mike_malone]

 I wouldn't argue with Tom on that choice. However, I thought the front was more interesting and fun then the back, particularly the short fours.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

New Pro at Philly CC,formerly an Assistant Pro at Myopia Hunt, wins Philadelphia Open at Sunnybrook and the $50,000 first prize:

http://phpga.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/phpga/news/2012/05/29/philadelphia-country-clubs-reilly-wins-haverford.htm?next=http%3A%2F%2Fphpga.bluegolf.com%2Fbluegolf%2Fphpga%2Fnews%2Findex.htm

[Mark McKeever]

Sunnybrook has a really good mix of holes.  I will agree that the par 5's are top notch.  It's a stern test from the back tees as there are a number of stout par 4's out there.  Hole 2 is one of my favorite par 4's in the Philly area.

Mark

[TEPaul]

To win that thing by five shots with a 66 is impressive!

It looks like the tournament host has now passed from father to son (Haverford Trust). George Connell Sr is such an interesting man and he sure loves golf and competition and supports it. He also has a brain like a friggin' IBM machine. His son George Jr. is a very good player but it's nice to see Joe McClatchy win the amateur side. I played in Sunnybrook's Silver Putter tournament for over 20 years (it's their primary annual member/guest and it's a neat and unusual tourney as it's on the foursome format). We played against McClatchy quite a lot in the Silver Putter. We called him "The Kid." His swing was interesting as he took such a rip at it he did a virtual pirouette.

Those par 5s are good ones and their theme is basically that same second shot "gattish" deal because of second shot tree chutes or strategically placed trees on one side or the other on the second shot.

I do miss the original Gordon greens though on #11 and #15 at least.

That was a golf course I always hit an inordinate amount of 1 irons off the tee. I felt it was a lot better to give up some distance off the tees to be strategically placed for the next shot.

[Mark McKeever]

Agreed Tom.  There are a few holes out there that remind me of playing through an hour glass.

Mark

[Doug Braunsdorf]

Remember, GAP Member Play Day for July 25 is here.  Registration begins 6/13.  I will be playing in this, and hope to see some of you there. 

[Bill Shotzbarger]

Scott Reilly is a really nice guy; I met him at Philly Country in April and he was most hospitable.

I wonder if a professional will be able to win the Philly Open at The Valley this year? Surely the field will be top notch with pros and amateurs trying to play their way onto PVGC.

[TEPaul]

Bill:


Obviously with most open tournaments the odds are better that a professional will win it even though the Philadelphia Open is pretty interesting historically. Local amateur Jay Sigel did win it six times and amateurs have won it four times in the last eight years putting them at 50/50 in that timeframe.

However, with Pine Valley there has been an edge historically with players who really do know that golf course well (the so-called very important PV "experience factor"). One example recently was Pine Valley member Chris Lange who probably should have won it at Pine Valley in the last decade or so but he just unfortunately made two uncharacteristic mistakes at the very end (amateur Lange did win the Philly Open at PCC in 2004. I officiated at that tournament and I could actually tell he was working himself into a real edge at that one. Lange is a guy who sort of eats up course difficulty----eg it just doesn't bother him at all. In that Open at PCC in 2004 it was unusual in how many professionals were complaining about one difficulty or another about the course. To that Lange actually mentioned to me he felt that was going to give him an edge and sure enough it did). Another interesting amateur to keep an eye on is Pine Valley member Chip Lutz who like Lange is now a senior. In the last few years Lutz has actually been ranked as the #1 Senior Amateur in the world.

I will have my eye on this Scott Reilly though with his impressive "field separation" win at Sunnybrook recently!

[Robert Mercer Deruntz]

In 1995, I had the pleasure of qualifying for a Nike event played at Philmont.  The course was a very stern test, and I won the playoff for the last 4 or 5 spots on the 10th with an eagle.  The qualifying score was 70.  Todd Demsey and PJ Cowan were the low qualifiers with 67's.  Same as today, there were 14 spots available.

[Bill Shotzbarger]

Tom, due to PV's allure, I know the Philly Open is the "hot" tournament to qualify for this year. When I was slopping it up at Tavistock trying to get into the Philly Am, my playing partners (and caddies) were all talking about trying it. I think the late addition of a 4th qualifying site confirms this.

Robert, how the hell did you eagle the 10th at Philmont?! Did you hole out from the fairway or front bunker?

[JESII]

I believe that qualifier was at Wyncote although it may have been '96 at Wyncote. It's not common to have the Monday qualifiers at the tournament site.