Philly Area GCAer's

[Sam Morrow]

Fortune will have it that I will be in the Philly/Cherry Hill area the week of June 21st and I was hoping to get advice from GCA on where to play. Looks like I will have time for 2 rounds, one on Wednesday and one Friday early morning. Where are a couple of good places to check out and if any of you guys would like to play let me know, I think I will have my cousin for one of the rounds. I will have a rent car so I don't mind making a bit of a drive.

Sam

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Sam,

Before eveyone starts listing the usual suspects,it depends on where will you be staying. Early morning traffic can be brutal. Will you be in Cherry Hill or Philly?

[Sam Morrow]

Sam,

Before eveyone starts listing the usual suspects,it depends on where will you be staying. Early morning traffic can be brutal. Will you be in Cherry Hill or Philly?

I think I am staying in Cherry Hill, will be with family. As for traffic don't worry, I'm from Houston and live off 290, I spend plenty of time in traffic.

[Joe Bausch]

Sam, can you give me an idea of what you might be looking for?  Something by an ODG?  Something new?  More fun than challenge?  An Executive Course?  Or something that can play 7000+?

And you are willing to be in a car for how long each way?

Also, nearly 100 of the area courses are photo-documented here, thanks to Joe Logan and the GAP servers for hosting my albums:

http://myphillygolf.com/gallery.asp

[Jed Peters]

I recommend Pine Valley and Merion.

[Cory Lewis]

Sam,

Right in the Chery Hill area I would recommend Tavistock or Woodcrest.  On the public side Riverwinds is your best bet in close proximity, if you feel like driving to AC, that opens up a lot of options.  Like Steve alluded to, if you want to cross the bridges to play one of the PA courses, I would recommend trying to get an early tee time.

[JNC Lyon]

The Executive Course in Absecon, right next door to Galloway National, is a really fun layout.  Some here call it a Doak 2, but it is a lot of fun and very architecturally significant with work done by Ross and Wilson.  That should be a relatively reasonable drive from Cherry Hill.

Cobb's Creek is good, and if you can convince them you might get the 50 cent tour from Joe B. or Mike C.

I've heard there are some other good public courses in Pennsy, but nowhere near the quality of public golf you might see in Indiana or Colorado.

[Sam Morrow]

I am thinking something by an ODG but I admit I would like to play some of KBM's stuff.

[Doug Braunsdorf]

Sam, you could make the drive up 76 and 476 to Lederach (KBM) --it may take about an hour from Cherry Hill, but is worthwhile. I would suggest planning your trip around rush hours, maybe play around 10 or so, if you play quick, you can beat the traffic on the Schuylkill and through Center City both ways.  Alternatively, in late June, we will have daylight late in the day, and late afternoon rounds there are always a treat; tee off late, maybe 3 or so, and finish up around 730 or 8pm. 

Some good places to eat and great ice cream up there as well.

In NJ, without knowing your taste in courses, Scotland Run is about 20 mins south of Cherry Hill--very easy to get to.  This is pretty recent Stephen Kay, very well done.  Frankly, I think it's expensive, but the architecture is solid. 

We have a dearth of good golf here closer to the shore, if you want to drive that way. 

[Anton]

Lots to choose from.  Public end in PA would be Wyncote GC in Oxford which is a pretty fun course in horse country.  Towards AC in Egg Harbor Twp, NJ is the always fun Twisted Dune or Vineyard Golf at Renault Winery (which has a fantastic dinner place called Joseph's).  Burlington Cty and Camden Cty mainly have private clubs and not much in the way of good public places.  The best public access facility is to buzz down the AC Expressway about an hour from Cherry Hill to Atlantic City Country CLub in Northfield.  Its a classic golf club that Tom Doak revamped in the late 90s.  Truly a fun round of golf and worth the drive. 

[Sam Morrow]

I recommend Pine Valley and Merion.

Are they any good?

[mike_beene]

Sam ,from watching Trumps show I would skip Pine Valley and play his course with the new tee and view of Philly.I understand it has a lot of stuff PV can only dream about.Life is not fair.I have to ride the train to Trenton Thursday with no golf but only the inside of state offices.

[John Shimony]

Riverwinds is a public course that is very close to Cherry Hill.  It had conditioning issues in the past but I heard it's gotten better since Jaws bought the course.  Atlantic City CC is the top public course that I would play if I was in the area.  Mercer County East and West are about 40 mins from Cherry Hill.  I've heard good things but have not played them. 

[Anton]

Riverwinds is the closest decent course.  It is a nice layout but conditions are always questionable.  ACCC is the best public course in the state.  Mercer East + West are good.  Delaware Park has White Clay which is about as crazy a layout you will ever see (next to CC of Poconos).

Like I said before...if I were you I would hop on the AC Express and hit Twisted Dunes or Atlantic City CC.  Both are lots of fun.  Forget Trump Philly.....That place is still under construction.  They are burying high tension wires and building new tees and a bunch of other things.  It's good but not a Pine Valley caliber course. 

[mike_malone]

 If you can access it an ODG near you is Riverton. It is a nicely restored Ross.

[Sam Morrow]

Thanks for all the replies guys, thanks also for all the PM's. Even the private messages about Philly courses are hardcore, you guys don't mess around. The traffic thing doesn't bother me, I doubt Philly traffic is any worse than Houston traffic.

[mike_beene]

Sam ,I did a little scouting for you.I can assure you there is no golf in Trenton between the Amtrak station and the Capitol.

[Sam Morrow]

Sam ,I did a little scouting for you.I can assure you there is no golf in Trenton between the Amtrak station and the Capitol.

 Mike, I can't thank you enough, I have scouts checking the Greyhound Station next.

[Tim Martin]

Riverwinds is the closest decent course.  It is a nice layout but conditions are always questionable.  ACCC is the best public course in the state.  Mercer East + West are good.  Delaware Park has White Clay which is about as crazy a layout you will ever see (next to CC of Poconos).

Like I said before...if I were you I would hop on the AC Express and hit Twisted Dunes or Atlantic City CC.  Both are lots of fun.  Forget Trump Philly.....That place is still under construction.  They are burying high tension wires and building new tees and a bunch of other things.  It's good but not a Pine Valley caliber course. 

Sam-I like Tony`s call on ACCC and Twisted. You could even throw in the executive course over at Seaview Bay to complete the trifecta.

[Sam Morrow]

I have been waiting for you guys to give me the best restaurant near each of the courses. If there is one thing I've learned talking and hanging out with GCAer's it's that they like food as much, if not more than the golf.

[JNC Lyon]

Sam,

If you are in the ACCC/Twisted Dune/Seaview area, McGettigan's (right next to Seaview Bay's first tee) is a neat bar and restaurant which has seen multiple GCA visits this year.  Apparently there is also an excellent taco place across from Galloway National.  I'm sure others from the area will weigh in more definitively.

[Sam Morrow]

Sam,

If you are in the ACCC/Twisted Dune/Seaview area, McGettigan's (right next to Seaview Bay's first tee) is a neat bar and restaurant which has seen multiple GCA visits this year.  Apparently there is also an excellent taco place across from Galloway National.  I'm sure others from the area will weigh in more definitively.

Attaboy, I must admit I'd be worried about tacos in New Jersey.

[Tim Martin]

I have been waiting for you guys to give me the best restaurant near each of the courses. If there is one thing I've learned talking and hanging out with GCAer's it's that they like food as much, if not more than the golf.

`
Sam-Head into AC and go no further than the Tropicana Resort. Carmine`s for family style Italian or the Palm for steaks. Once you are done gourging yourself go have a drink at Hooters for some more fine architecture . There is also a place called JoJo`s in West Atlantic City for either italian or beef all under the same roof-cheaper than the Tropicana and no hassle getting in and out.

[Anton]

Nice Tim! 

Sam,
You could also stop at Somer's Point to the Anchorage or Gregory's Bar.  Great food in Somer's Point!  Seafood, steaks, and beer.  Cant go wrong my friend. 

While at ACCC stop in the historic Tap Room for a bite.  Twisted Dunes has nothing in the way of dinner. 

[JNC Lyon]

Sam,

If you are in the ACCC/Twisted Dune/Seaview area, McGettigan's (right next to Seaview Bay's first tee) is a neat bar and restaurant which has seen multiple GCA visits this year.  Apparently there is also an excellent taco place across from Galloway National.  I'm sure others from the area will weigh in more definitively.

Attaboy, I must admit I'd be worried about tacos in New Jersey.

Hey, I got multiple recommendations from reliable sources on that one.  I had Mexican food the last time I was in Philly--it was quite good!