Vacation Finale at Rookery North

The Rookery North
Milford, DE
Yards: 3030/2916 - 5946
Par: 36/35 - 71
Rating: 69.0, Slope: 126
Score: 55/46 = 101
Date: September 6, 2018

My third and final round during my week-long Labor Day vacation in Delaware was played at The Rookery North in Milford. Originally built as a private club, Shawnee, in 1957, it was acquired by the owners of The Rookery Golf Club a few years ago and re-branded as The Rookery's north course. I had previously played the course when it was Shawnee nearly 20 years ago, shooting a 99.

My original intention for my vacation finale was to play at The Rookery's South Course in Milton, Del.,, but an outing had the course closed. So I took a chance and drove to the North Course, about 20 miles north of Lewes, for my round. I felt confident as I teed off, but my opening drive found trees on the left side of the fairway. It was a foreshadow of how my opening nine holes would go as I struggled to find the fairway, and when I did, I could not take advantage. Again, par 5s were a nightmare, as I triple-bogeyed both on the front nine. I made double-bogey or worse on seven of the nine opening holes. It added up to a 55.

The Rookery North Scorecard

The back nine was a good bit better. I actually made a birdie at the 114-yard par 3 Thirteenth Hole and parred the long, 198-yard par 3 Tenth Hole. But a quadruple-bogey 8 at the 327-yard Twelfth and a double at par 5 Seventeenth blunted any real momentum, though I did manage a 46 for the nine. That gave me a disappointing 101 for the round.

Overall, my three rounds were fun. Except for a three hole stretch at the American Classic I would have shot a fantastic round. And one nine holes--the back at Jonathan's Landing and the front at The Rookery North--kept me from shooting better scores. I was also happy that I got to play two courses that I haven't played in a very long time.

A Classic Warmup

American Classic Golf Club
Lewes, DE
Yards: 2017/2017 - 4034
Par: 32/32 - 64
Rating: 60.2, Slope: 107
Score: 46/36 = 82
Date: September 2, 2018

Labor Day week means vacation time and a week at the Delaware beaches, where the Muni Golfer has plenty of family. While the week means beach time for Mrs. Muni Golfer, it is a min golf-getaway for me. The week offers me the chance to play three rounds at three different courses.

American Classic GC Scorecard

Since I hadn't played for two weeks leading up to the getaway, I decided begin my golf vacation with a warmup round at the American Classic Golf Club in Lewes. A nine-hole course that plays to a par 32, you can play around twice for 18 holes.

When the course was first built by the Heritage Inn, it was a nice par 35 that played to 2,359 yards and featured two par 3s, seven par 4s and a par 5 whose green was an island. But eventually, development won out and housing was built around the course, forcing holes to be shortened. Maintenance seemed to get less and less, to the point where you could play all for only $10.

Tee shot at the Second Hole

A couple of years ago, the course was purchased from the Heritage and it has undergone a transformation. Upgrades have been done and conditions have improved. I paid $35 to walk on the Sunday before Labor Day.

My round started off with pars and the First and Second holes. I was playing well until I reached the par 4 Sixth Hole, which used to play as a long par 5, with an island green. I duffed the ball down the fairway and deposited it into the pond. I would making a 10. I splashed my tee shot at the Seventh and wound up making a triple-bogey 6. That was followed by a double-bogey at the short par 3 Eighth. I finished off the front nine with a par and a score of 46.

The island green at the Sixth Hole

The second nine couldn't have been any more different. I made a birdie at the last hole to go along with five pars. If I hadn't triple-bogeyed the 175-yard Fourth Hole, which used play as a 400-yard par 4, I might have broken 80. As it was I shot a 36 on the back and a score of 82. A good warmup round to begin my Delaware golf vacation.