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mark chalfant

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Rolling Road (Park Jr) in Maryland
« on: May 01, 2024, 02:07:29 AM »
Has anyone played this Catonsville, MD golf course recently? It appears to well preserved. What are some the standout holes and most memorable greens?


Is the terrain full of movement and elevation change?

mike_malone

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Re: Rolling Road (Park Jr) in Maryland
« Reply #1 on: May 01, 2024, 07:46:04 AM »
Mark,


 If you call the 60’s recently. I went to seminary high school in Catonsville.  I don’t recall anything about the course but my playing partner hit the infirmarian in the back with a shot!!
AKA Mayday

Jaeger Kovich

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Re: Rolling Road (Park Jr) in Maryland
« Reply #2 on: May 01, 2024, 08:52:36 AM »
I stopped there and played on my way to the pinehurst 4 project. Was probably 2017 or 18. Really cool old WPJ. Not long but lots of quirky stuff like one might expect. Could be really awesome if they brought more original features back.

Britt Rife

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Re: Rolling Road (Park Jr) in Maryland
« Reply #3 on: May 01, 2024, 12:01:53 PM »
I am a member there.  It is well preserved.  That's likely owing to the fact that it is not a rich membership and there were never funds to screw it up.


In 2021, a renovation was undertaken, which has pleased the members.  The course retains old fashioned charm.  The renovation focused primarily on bunkers (moving some, steepening most).  The wonderful, confounding Willie Park greens were untouched (though enlarged).


The holes are straight, in keeping with their 1919 provenance.  The property stands at what is often claimed as the highest point in Catonsville, and the wind blows like a links, particularly now that so many trees were recently removed.  It is bisected by a burn, and several holes tumble down into it precipitously, so uphill and downhill lies are common.  Fascinating lies can be had away from these areas as well.


The greens are confounding.  Some are heavily sloped, which sometimes proves a bit less vexing than those that are not.  Seemingly slight contours on other greens are magnified during play, and obviously down hill putts play a bit uphill.  The neighboring Wilkens Avenue has the influence on putts such as that encountered at Augusta with Rae's Creek.  Local knowledge is key at RRGC. 


The course is short, but doesn't yield to bullies.  Even par proves a fine score even at the state amateur when held there.


 

Joe Bausch

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Re: Rolling Road (Park Jr) in Maryland
« Reply #4 on: May 01, 2024, 12:30:51 PM »
I’ll co-sign what Jaeger and Britt said.

I loved my round there in May of 2017. My photo album is pretty good:

http://www80.homepage.villanova.edu/joseph.bausch/images/albums/RollingRoad/index.html
« Last Edit: May 01, 2024, 02:25:02 PM by Joe Bausch »
@jwbausch (for new photo albums)
The site for the Cobb's Creek project:  https://cobbscreek.org/
Nearly all Delaware Valley golf courses in photo albums: Bausch Collection

David_Tepper

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Re: Rolling Road (Park Jr) in Maryland
« Reply #5 on: May 01, 2024, 12:40:27 PM »

Britt Rife

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Re: Rolling Road (Park Jr) in Maryland
« Reply #6 on: May 01, 2024, 01:49:53 PM »
How I failed to mention Joe Bausch's photo gallery, I do not know.  Thanks Joe!  I can't believe how many trees there were in 2017.  Things look different now, and you'd also get a kick out of the bunker redo.

Tommy Williamsen

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Re: Rolling Road (Park Jr) in Maryland
« Reply #7 on: May 01, 2024, 01:57:58 PM »
Over the years, I have played RR a dozen or more times, beginning in the '60s. My son and I played a father-son tournament there. We shot 70 and didn't finish in the top 25. Many of the greens are significantly sloped. It is not long, but you must golf your ball to score well.
Where there is no love, put love; there you will find love.
St. John of the Cross

"Deep within your soul-space is a magnificent cathedral where you are sweet beyond telling." Rumi

Joe Bausch

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Re: Rolling Road (Park Jr) in Maryland
« Reply #8 on: May 01, 2024, 02:26:07 PM »
How I failed to mention Joe Bausch's photo gallery, I do not know.  Thanks Joe!  I can't believe how many trees there were in 2017.  Things look different now, and you'd also get a kick out of the bunker redo.


(Rolling) Road trip! Grin.
@jwbausch (for new photo albums)
The site for the Cobb's Creek project:  https://cobbscreek.org/
Nearly all Delaware Valley golf courses in photo albums: Bausch Collection

Tim Taylor

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Re: Rolling Road (Park Jr) in Maryland
« Reply #9 on: May 01, 2024, 02:38:34 PM »
Got bored and decided to look.


Here's a cool drone aerial of the course from 2021. And here's the Google Maps aerial. It's clear that some bunker work was done - they're less generic oval and amoeba shaped in the more recent Google Maps. Also looks like some of the greens were enlarged/reshaped. Several look more squared off.

I've also made a cool image showing the routing but, alas, can't get it to post here. Does GCA's web provider only permit certain image hosting sites?




Tim
« Last Edit: May 01, 2024, 03:27:53 PM by Tim Taylor »

Joe Bausch

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Re: Rolling Road (Park Jr) in Maryland
« Reply #10 on: May 01, 2024, 08:27:30 PM »
@jwbausch (for new photo albums)
The site for the Cobb's Creek project:  https://cobbscreek.org/
Nearly all Delaware Valley golf courses in photo albums: Bausch Collection

Tim Taylor

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Re: Rolling Road (Park Jr) in Maryland
« Reply #11 on: May 02, 2024, 07:29:40 AM »
Thanks Joe. Some interesting things I noted:

From 3rd green to 4th tee, one crosses the line of play on 2nd.
8th tee shot perilously close to 3rd green.
16th tee shot over 15th green.
Comparing your photo to mine, appears to be some tree removal, mostly on the interior of the course.

Looks like Park got the most out of the small property. Also looks like a fun course.


Tim
« Last Edit: May 02, 2024, 07:35:37 AM by Tim Taylor »

Britt Rife

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Re: Rolling Road (Park Jr) in Maryland
« Reply #12 on: May 02, 2024, 10:14:21 AM »
There's a saying there that you're not a member until you've been struck by another's golf ball.  The tee shot from 8 routinely hits the 3rd green, the 6th tee shot is totally blind, you can't see the group ahead on 14 on either the tee ball or coming into the green, you must vacate the 17th tee teebox to let long hitters come in to par 5 7th, etc.   


One must be vigilant.