RE,

That is a great trip, afterwards I look forward to your assessment.  Try to squeeze a game at Huntingdon Valley while you're here.  If you would like to meet at any point during your stay, I'd be happy to show you some of the materials and findings Tom Paul and I have collected in our research on Flynn.  I'll share my views on the courses when/if we get together.  Drop me an IM or email.  By the way, by PCC, do you mean Phila Country or Cricket? If Country, you're getting a fine look at area Flynns (they're all good).  

I played at HV last year and loved it.  I played Pine Valley the following day and I think HV is a tougher test.  Maybe I played better at PV.  HV is an all timer.  Great holes on a piece of property made for golf.  I loved it.  PCC is a reference to Country Club not Cricket Club.  Sorry.  HV is the only Flynn I have played to date and it ranks up there with anything I have played.  Can't wait for RG and PCC.  

OK, Chris you got me.  I won't compare Merion to PCC and RGGC (at least not here).  I will talk briefly about PCC and RGGC.  PCC put a great deal of effort into a recent restoration overseen by Ron Forse and implemented for the most part in-house by Mike McNulty.  PCC had a large number of trees removed which opened up great vistas and exposed the ground movement especially in the most interesting areas.  There are still spots on RGGC where the trees are choking the strategy out of some holes and seriously break up the vistas.  The bunkers at PCC have been restored to the scale they were at construction era and they are beautifully finished.  The bunkers at RGGC were redone by Macdonald and Sons prior to the Merion project.  This bunker work was poorly designed and executed.  Who knows, they may have held the Flynn plans upside down in some cases.  Thankfully, some of the bigger grassy rolls simply sloughed off due to the effects of gravity that Macdonald did not seem to think would come into play.  There is more remediation that needs to take place and the club may go with Ron Forse's recommendations at least I hope so at any rate.  However, the ground is much better at RGGC than at PCC.  It is simply more interesting for golf.  The challenge level of RGGC vs PCC is of a higher order as well.  PCC spends a lot more money for good (golf course) and bad (4 Seasons like-clubhouse) than RGGC and it shows.  

BTW, Chris, the 18th green at Kittansett sure got me rethinking what is Maxwell and Flynn in those greens at PCC!  I'll send you some photos.

 Mike
   EVERYBODY in Philly is now on the South Beach diet--no more cheese steaks--at least no more roll!!!No more Tastykakes either.

Only South Beach Diet sissies don't eat cheesesteaks in these parts, and they also don't know how to spell it  

Jim's steaks at 4th and South are awfully good too!  They opened a shop not far from RGGC too.

Wayne, I have your back here...even coming from east of the Delaware River, it's still one word.  
Just don't expect me to get any of this 'hoagies' or 'jimmies' stuff, it's 'subs' and 'sprinkles'.  

I never cared for Jims or Pat's...I was ambivalent about Dalessandros also...guess I'm asking for a fistfight!  

Ah well, what do I know...I've 'never heard of Flynn'.  Maybe if I did I'd actually be a decent golfer!  

Doug,

Give Jim's another chance, they really are good.  After 1000 cheesesteaks or so in my life, I have a good idea.  The original shop (may be the original cheesesteak) at 62nd and Haverford is about 70 years old and is really good but it is now a bit shaky neighborhood.   Momma's on Belmont Ave is very good.  Each sandwich weighs about 3 pounds.  After you eat it you gain 5, I'm not sure how that works  

Here is a bit of cheesteak history according to a Philly restaurant website:

Philly is known worldwide for its cheesesteaks. A cheesesteak is a steak usually either ribeye or
sirlion steak which is fried in either vegetable oil or butter which is then covered with either
processed cheese or provolone or American cheese and placed in an Italian role. Popular items to
add to your steak include fried onions, sweet peppers, hot peppers, and mushrooms. Another
popular way to eat a cheesesteak is as a cheesesteak hoagie. A cheesesteak hoagie generally has
lettuce, tomatoes, and raw onions on it. While the cheesesteak is what Philly is famous for, there
are other types of steak sandwiches. The pizza steak includes pizza sauce and mozarrella cheese
or one of the traditional cheesesteak cheeses. You can also get your steak sandwich without the
cheese and just add your favorite condiments to it.

Legend has it that Pat Olivieri back in the 1930's was frying up some thin cut steak and accidently
got cheese on it. A taxi driver tried it and enjoyed it so much that the legendary cheesesteak was
born. Pat opened Pat's King of Steaks in 1932 and the Philly cheesesteak has been a mainstay of
Philadelphia cuisine ever since.

Cheesesteaks are available all over the city, today but places that have been serving the
cheesesteaks and winning awards as the best cheesesteaks include Pat's, Jim's, Tony Luke's,
Chink's, Geno's, Rick's, and Dalessandro's. Each of these places have their own loyal following.

Pat's King of Steaks is presently located at Ninth Street and Passyunk. The walls around Pat's
are filled with celebrities who have eaten a steak sandwich there. There are separate windows for
ordering steak sandwiches and pther food items. After ordering, most people eat their steak
sandwich at the counter or in their cars. The place is open 24 hours a day and business is brisk
after the bars close. Pat's web site is located here.

Across the street from Pat's is Geno's. Geno's wall are also filled with the many celebrities that
have chowed down on a Philly cheesesteak at their eatery. The ordering procedure is similar at
Geno's. Geno's is more spacious than Pat's and has several tables to eat at. Geno's is also open
24 hours a day. One tradition in Philly is to take newbies to both places and order cheesesteaks
from both places to see which they like best. Geno's web site is located here.

Near the sports and entertainment complexes is Tony Luke's. Tony Luke's old Philly style
sandwiches is located at 39 East Oregon Avenue. At Tony Luke's, there is only one window so
your order your sandwich, beverage, and other other items there. It is a favorite stop of sports
fans and sport celebrities to get their fill of Philly cheesesteals. Tony Luke's web site is located
here.

Jim's Steaks is located at 4th and South Street but has several location throughout the city. Their
steak sandwiches are popular with the tourists who visit South Street. Jim's web site is located
here.

Rick's Philly Steaks is located in the Reading Terminal Market ar 12th and Arch Streets. Rick's is
very popular with people who work or live in center city Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Also, many
vistors to the Pennsylvania convention center which is located across the street from the
Reading terminal market get their first taste of a Philly cheesesteak there.

Chink's Steaks is a neighborhood eatery specializing in steaks and shakes. It is located at 6030
Torresdale Avenus. Chink's is different than the other cheesesteak places in that it pretty much
just keeps to the basics in cheesesteak making. You can't get mushrooms or sweet peppers with
your steak nor a side order of fries but it has a strong following since 1948. Chink's is a recent
winner of the Best of Philly cheesesteak award.

Slacks's Hoagie Shack which has locations in Philadelphia and the Philly suburks of New Jersey
and Southeastern Pennsylvania is a popular place for people to fill up on the quota of cheese
steaks. Slack's Hoagie Shack web site is located here.

De Nofa Italian Deli and Caterer located at 6946 Torresdale Avenue is another local favorite for
their Philly cheesesteaks in that section of Philadelphia.

The final major cheesesteak place is Dalessandro's Steaks located at Henry Avenue and
Wendover Streets in the Roxborough section of Philadelpha. They have a loyal following in that
section of the city.

Fat's Deli and Seafood located at 6169 Torresdale Avenue has once again started to make thier
cheesesteaks. For a while, they went from a steak place to strictly seafood but once again they
are making thier cheesesteaks which were a local favorite for many people. Fat's is only open
Wedenesday through Saturday.
 
By the way, Doug, I think Dalessandro's is good.  Chink's is great although they are being sued by a Chinese-American group.  Chink was a fat white guy from way back who made the cheesesteaks and and sold them before Chink was a derogatory word--or so I've been told.

Personally, I think Tony Luke's roast pork with broccoli rabe and provolone is a better sandwich than any of the well known cheesesteaks.  My favorite cheesesteak is from Steve's in NE Philly.

Here's some handy info on the cheesesteak places and other Philly eateries:

http://hollyeats.com/Philadelphia.htm