Philly Cricket Militia Hill: a photo tour (all 18 holes now up)

[JR Potts]

I know this is likely sacrilegious on this site but it looks like they went overboard on the tree removal.  The trees are too sparse and it just doesn't look right.

[Rory Connaughton]

JR, I think you would find that with leaves on the trees, the course would not feel barren.

Ward, I think you would find that regardless of the aesthetic appeal (or lack of depending on the critic) the bunkers are well placed and, combined with the rolling ground, make for some good strategic golf.

[John Shimony]

From your excellent review, Joe, the course seems to have nice movement in terms of doglegs, angled greens, and elevation changes.  The holes appearing to be straight (5, 8, 13, 14, 16, 17) do look like they hold some interest.   The fifth hole has an angled green.  The eigth appears to have a very small green that's divided into two sections.  The thirteenth has a well placed bunker in the right half of the fairway, the side that I thought looked best for an approach until I saw the photo of the green and how it falls away on the right hand side.  Fourteenth has an elevated and angeled green.  Sixteen has a large bunker guarding the front right of the green, so one would want to come in from as close to the left fairway bunker as possible.  Seventeen looks pretty straight away with not as much interest as the other straight holes.   I couldn't get a sense either way for the par threes. 

[D_Malley]

joe B., or anyone else who knows both courses,
if you have ten rounds to play the two 18 hole courses at PCC, how would you split them up?

i will allow you to play the 11th at st. martins😃

Gut answer is 7:3 ratio favoring Wissahickon. I'm a big fan of old courses, but I do like MH plenty.  Especially after my most recent trip where the TEPaul maintenance meld at MH was really good.  Now after the renostoration is done at the old course, the ratio could change,   

Dan, I'm guessing you've played both many times.  Your split?  And why?

Joe,
I would probably go with about the same ratio as you.  I have played the old course over 100 times and absolutely love it, and it is nice to see that they are finally going to take care of some of it's issues.  The old course has much better contours in the greens, modern greens do not have this, they are built flatter for the sake of speed.  i also think the new course's bunkers are over done, i prefer more basic shapes for look and playability. i do agree that the conditioning on the new course is awesome, and would want to play the course for that reason alone.

[Joe Bausch]

All 117 of my Militia Hill photos in large size are in a photo album here:

http://xchem.villanova.edu/~bausch/images/albums/militiahill/

[Lester George]

Nice job Joe!  Thanks for sharing.

Lester