Monday, July 13, 2009

Down in the (Twining) Valley

Twining Valley Golf & Fitness Club
Dresher, Pa
Yards: 2882/2647 - 5529
Par: 37/33 - 70
Rating: 64.7, Slope: 114
Score: 50/49 = 99
Date: July 12, 2009

Twining Valley is as close as you will find to experiencing one of Philly's public courses in the suburbs. TV is a great course if you want to practice your game. It is not overly long. It has some short Par 4s and 5s. Holes play downhill and uphill. Opened in 1931, the public course gets a lot of play as evidenced by the course conditions. Tee boxes are chewed up, fairways we spotty and the greens had numerous ball marks. If you're expecting to find country club conditions, Twining Valley is not the place to play. If you just want a no frills nine or eighteen holes, then give this course a try. Besides the mediocre conditions, club does has some redeeming qualities. It was inexpensive--I paid $20 to walk on a Sunday afternoon, it is good for beginners and high-handicappers, and kids are welcomed at the course.

Twining Valley Scorecard

As for my round at Twining Valley, it is a course where I should score well. But, as has been the case all too often this year, I played horribly. At the 1st Hole, a relatively short Par 5 that doglegs left and plays uphill, I hit my second shot left of the elevated green, lost the ball on my pitch shot and when I holed out, I had a nine. Putting has especially been my Achilles' heel for the past month or more. Once again at Twining Valley, I couldn't hole a putt. At the 3rd Hole, a 441-yard Par 5, I had a three-footer for par and missed. I reached the green in two at the 13th, a 375-yard Par 4 that plays uphill and doglegs left, only to three-putt. The worst was the 14th, a 186-yard Par, where I hit my tee shot to three-feet--then missed the birdie putt! I made one putt all day, and that was a five-foot birdie putt at the 8th Hole, a short 255-yard Par 4. I lost four balls during my round and I was extremely disappointed to shoot a 99 on this course.

Some photos of Twining Valley:

The opening tee shot at Twining Valley

The uphill approach at the 3rd Hole

The 13th Hole plays uphill and doglegs left

The approach to the 15th Green

The 18th Hole in an uphill Par 3
Photos by The Muni Golfer