A Long Afternoon at FDR

Franklin D. Roosevelt Golf Club
Philadelphia, Pa
Yards: 2865/2855 - 5720
Par: 35/34 - 69
Rating: 63.9, Slope: 105
Score: 49/54 = 103
Date: June 16, 2012


Saturday I continued by tour of Philadelphia's muni golf courses by playing a round at Franklin D. Roosevelt Golf Club in South Philadelphia. Located across the street from Philadelphia's sports complex, FDR was  built as WPA project during the Great Depression, the course opened in 1940 and is affectionately know as "The Lakes" to many native South Philadelphians. The course is managed by Billy Casper Golf for the Fairmount Park Commission. While the course shows improve from the last few times I played there, I think charging $29 to walk at 2:30 on a Saturday afternoon is a little high. The course does ofter a unique layout and is a challenge to play, but the tee boxes were well chewed up to the point that finding a good spot can be a challenge. The greens are in very good condition and the rough is thick if you miss a fairway or green.

 FDR Scorecard

As for my round, it was a step back from last Monday's round a John F. Byrne Golf Club. Getting off the tee continues to be a problem, particularly with the driver. I repeatedly put myself into trouble off the tee, which makes scoring difficult. And even when I did hit a good tee shot, I was unable to take advantage of it. The only hole I played well was the 403-yard Par 4 Ninth Hole, where I crushed my driver off the tee and actually found a fairway. I then hit a 5-iron from 165 yards that hopped onto the green, where I made a 25-foot putt for birdie. But I only managed two other pars the rest of the round. I shot 54 on the back nine, which included three triple bogeys and a quadruple bogey. It was a long and disappointing round.

Par 4 Ninth Hole

The only part of my game that has been consistent so far has been my putting. I put a Winn jumbo-sized pistol grip on my Snake Eyes putter at the beginning of the season and it has helped my feel and speed. During Saturday's round I had one-putts on at least seven of the greens. I also added an Adams Golf Speedline Fast 12 3-wood to my bag before the round. I bought the club on sale at Dick's Sporting Goods using a gift card I received for my birthday. The club is long off the tee and I think I need to start using more off the tee in place of my driver until I can get things figured out.

Adams Speedline Fast 12 3-wood

Roundup of Recent Rounds

Walnut Lane Golf Club
Philadelphia, Pal
Yards: 2173/2098 – 4271
Par: 31/31 = 62
Rating: 59.9, Slope: 91
Score: 39/51 = 90
Date: September 11, 2010

I had hoped to play yesterday at Juniata Golf Club since I haven't played there since July, but an outing forced me to move my round to Walnut Lane Golf Club in Roxborough. Walnut Lane is not very long, but it is a very hilly course that plays tight, especially on the back nine.  It has 10 Par 3s and 8 Par 4s. Many of the Par 3s play either uphill, downhill or over ravines, while the Par 4s--while short--often are doglegs with sloping fairways; it's not unusual to have a sidehill lie for your approach shot. The summer heat does not look like it has been kind to Walnut Lane either. Many of the fairways and greens feature large bare spots and the tee boxes were so hard it was difficult to get a tee into the ground.

My Walnut Lane Scorecard

My round was a tale of two nines. On the front nine, I played pretty well, keeping the ball in play, pitching chipping and putting well. I bogeyed the first two holes, but then made three solid pars at holes 3-5. After hitting long at the Sixth Hole, I made double bogey after a poor chip, but made a bogey and par at the enxt two holes. After getting a good break on a tee shot I hit right at the Ninth Hole, I skulled my third shot over the bunker  and out of play, which resulted in a 7. Still, I went out in 39 and visions of a very good score statred to dance--prematurely--in my head. As everyone knows, you want to stay in the moment when playing golf. The minute you start thinking score, you can quickly become undone.

The Par 3 Eleventh Hole

I started fairly well on the back nine with a solid par at the downhill Tenth Hole, even after a tree limb caught my drive as it was drawing around the slight dogleg. The came the Eleventh Hole, one of my "nightmare nine." Although it is faily short, 134 yards, it plays straight uphill thriugh a narrow chute; miss left or right and you are dead. Of course, I pulled my tee shot left, had to take a drop, pitching uphill short, chipped on and two-putted for a 7. "No swaet," I told myself as I headed to the Twelfth Hole, which plays uphill over a ravine off the tee to a sloping fairway that doglegs left. I again caught a tree with my drive, but was still in the fairway. I hit a poor seond shot left over the hill and lost my second ball in two holes. A drop, weak pitch, two bad chips and two putts left me with an 8. A little upset with myself, but still OK, I went to the Thirteenth Hole, a short Par 3 where the green is protected by two large bunkers. I underclubbed and didn't turn the ball over, which put me in the right bunker. From there I skulled my sand shot across the green and through the chain link fence (how do you do that?) for my third lost ball in three holes! After my 6 I moved to the Fourteenth Hole, where I began to get my game back under control, playing bogey golf the next four holes. I came to the Eighteenth Hole feeling good that I had gotten things back on track. But a mediocre tee shot left me with a long approach off a bare lie. I tried to hit my hybrid, but it went dead right into the brush; another lost ball, my fourth of the back nine. Demoralized, I hacked it around until I tapped in for a 9 and a back nince score of 51; 12 stroles higher than my front nine.

The tee shot at the Twelfth Hole

Except for the brief lapses on the back nine, I felt my play is continuing to improve. I could have done a little better off the tee and been a bit more aggressive in my short game, but I felt I played consistently and my putting continues to be very good. I made a couple of minor changes to my golf bag before the round, replacing my 3-wood with an Adams 4-wood and my 2-hybrid with a 3-hybrid.

My 9-11 Tribute Golf Shirt

Since yesterday was the 9th Anniversary of 9-11, I wore my Tabasco golf shirt that was made for Scott Hoch to wear at the 2002 U.S. Open held at Bethpage's Black Course in New York. The shirt features the New York skyline over the U.S. flag.

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John F. Byrne Golf Club
Philadelphia, Pa
Yards: 2273/2610 - 4883
Par: 33/34 - 67
Rating: 63.9, Slope: 105
Score: 43/46 = 89
Date: September 7, 2010

Last Tuesday, I played a post-Labor Day round at John F. Byrne Golf Course in Northeast Philadelphia. This is a far cry from my usual post-Labor Day rounds down at the Delaware Shore, but since Mrs. Muni Golfer and I stayed home this year, it a local round of golf. Byrne is the former Homesburg Country Club that has been part of Philadelphia's Municipal Courses since the late 1960s. It has been managed by Billy Casper Golf for the past few years under contract with the Fairmount Park Commission. Located in a valley just west of Frankford Avenue, and across Grant Avenue from the more storied, Donald Ross-designed Torresdale-Frankford Country Club, Byrne is not overly long, but a good, challenging course.

My John F. Byrne Scorecard

Coming off an excellent 85 at Horsham Valley the previous week, my round at Byrne started off with a tee shot that went dead right. Although I wasn't in a bad location, I still took a double bogey 6 to start. From there, things brightened quickly. Back-to-back pars at the Second and Third Holes brought me to the Fourth, another hole from my "nightmare nine." From the tee, you hit your shot across the creek through a narrow opening in the tree line to a fairway that slopes severely from left to right. Of course, I made double bogey, as I did at the Fifth Hole after hitting into the fairway bunker about 20 yards short of the green. At the Sixth, a 142-yard Par 3 over the creek, I hit my tee shot pin high, about 15 feet left of the pin and made par. I played bogey golf the last 3 holes to shoot a very respectable 43 on the front nine.

The opening tee shot

On the back nine, I hit my tee shot into the creek that crosses the valley, but after a drop, managed to get and down for only a bogey 5. A par at the uphill, Par 3 Eleventh was followed by a double bogey 7 at the 516-yard Par 5 Twelfth Hole. Another par at the very short (89-yards) Thirteenth was followed by a disappointing 6 at the long, 219-yard Par 3 Fourhteenth. Yet an par at the Fifteenth, a 156-yard Par 3 was followed by a par at the back nine second Par 5, the 465-yard Sixteenth. Then came the hole that always manages to find a way to trip me up. The Seventheenth, Byrne's #1 rated handicap hole, is a 371-yard Par 4 that angles to the left and then slightly back to the right. The creek runs down the right side, but begins moving in a bit to the left around 150 yards off the tee. A fade would be the best shot off the tee, but since that is not a shot I can easily pull off due to my natural draw, this hole presents quite a challenge off the tee. I hit my hybrid through theline of trees on the left, then hit a tree while trying to hit a low runner down the fairway. My ball went forward, but kept me on the left of the trees. I then dumped a short pitch into the bunker on the left of the green and took three shot to get out. My second shot actually got out of the bunker and hung in the grass, but then fell back into the bunker. I then three-putted for a 9. I managed to regroup and make a 5 at the uphill, 338-yard Eighteenth for a back nine 46 and a total of 89.

The Fourth Tee viewed from the Green

Overall, I continued to play well from the round at Horsham Valley. I was particularly pleased with how I scored on Byrne's Par 3s, parring five of the seven on the course. In addition, I played the two Par 5s in two over par. My putting has really been good and I have been striking the ball solidly. I hope to build on the consistency through the fall as I begin to look forward to next golf season.

Photos by The Muni Golfer

Continued Woes at Walnut Lane

Walnut Lane Golf Club
Philadelphia, Pal
Yards: 2173/2098 – 4271
Par: 31/31 = 62
Rating: 59, Slope: 91
Score: 50/48 = 98
Date: September 19, 2009

Hoping to get my game turned around after some awful golf at the Delaware Shore, I ventured back to my familiar surroundings at Juniata Golf Club. However, because of a golf outing, I was forced to go play at Walnut Lane Golf Club in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia. Designed by legendary architect Alex Findlay, the course opened in 1940 and is set among the Wissahickon Valley Park, which is part of Philadelphia's Fairmount Park. Although it is short at just over 4200 yards and only a par 62, Walnut Lane overs a good test with elevation changes, tight driving holes and long difficult Par 3s. I felt this would be a good change to really test my new TaylorMade Tour Burner irons.

Walnut Lane Scorecard

I was paired up with Charles and Tyrell on the First Tee, and Gregory later joined us on the Second Hole. My problems began from the start. On the first four holes, I pushed my tee shots straight right, although I was always in a position to stay in the hole. My short game wasn't too bad and I chipped pretty well. I worked on my swing and finally started to draw the ball at the Sixth Hole. My biggest problem, as it has been all season, was with my putting. Two-putting was a triumph. It got so bad on the back nine that I actually began putting cross-handed in an effort to find anything that resembled a good putting stroke. It seemed to help a bit and after a few holes, I went back to conventional and putted a bit better. Still, a 50-48 for the two nines was very disappointing.

The Fourth Hole, a 218-yard downhill Par 3

The blind tee shot at the Par 4 Seventh Hole

Walnut Lane was in pretty good shape. It, like Juniata, has gone on its own when Billy Casper Golf did not take over its management as part of their deal with the Fairmount Park Commission, which still owns the course. One of the big problems that Walnut Lane has long suffered is many golfers only play the first seven holes, which are on the clubhouse side of Walnut Lane, the Philadelphia street from which the course derives its name. Because of this, the other 11 holes can sometimes suffer vandalism by people riding motorbikes or ATVs through the Wissahickon Valley Park. Many trails pass on the very edge of the course, and it is not usual to be on a green and have several mountain bikers come speeding past. We witnessed such vandalism yesterday as tires prints ran in circles across the Twelfth and Thirteenth Greens.

The tight tee shot at the Ninth Hole

Damage on the Twelfth Green

As for my irons, I am very happy with them so far. They hit the ball with a very crisp feel, almost like a blade iron. The distance is loooong and the feel is soft and easy to control around the greens. Although you don't need to hit Driver often at Walnut Lane, I hit it three times yesterday and found the fairway each time. Last week, I cut an inch off my Driver shaft, making its length 44.5-inches, as opposed to the 45.5 that I purchased it as. I was hoping that the shorter shaft would help with control and accuracy and it seemed to make quite the difference yesterday. I am hoping that it will also help eliminate the slice that has crept into my drives from time-to-time this year.

More photos of Walnut Lane:

The 186-yard Par 3 Second Hole

The approach to the Third Hole

The Eleventh Hole, a narrow, uphill Par 3

Two large bunkers guard the short Thirteenth Hole

The Sixteenth Hole, a 152-yard Par 3

Photos by The Muni Golfer

FDR in Need of Public Works

Franklin D. Roosevelt Golf Club
Philadelphia, Pa
Yards: 2865/2855 - 5720
Par: 35/34 - 69
Rating: 63.9, Slope: 105
Score: 47/42 = 89
Date: August 15, 2009

Yesterday I ventured south on I-95 to play Franklin D. Roosevelt Golf Club, just next to the City's Sports Complex in South Philadelphia. Built as WPA project during the Great Depression, the course opened in 1940 and is affectionately know as "The Lakes" to many native South Philadelphians. I usually play FDR once or twice a season because I like the course's layout and challenge. Last year, the course's management was taken over by Billy Casper Golf on behalf of the Fairmount Park Commission and it seemed that better times lay ahead for FDR. My initial visit last July was a disappointment, but I told myself that the management was new and they probably just needed some time.

FDR Scorecard

A little over a year later, I decided to revisit FDR and see if conditions had improved. What I found was that FDR is in need of some of the public works that built the course nearly 70 years ago. Tee boxes were in horrific condition, with several being nothing more than dirt. Many fairways had bare spots. While the rough was thick and acceptable, the grass in the fairways were in need of a mow and resembled what you would find in the first cut of rough on many other courses. I played in the early-to-late afternoon, on one of the hottest and most humid days of the summer, and was disappointed to find that several of the water coolers on the course were empty. Surely someone should have been checking them. In all fairness though, I must say that the greens at FDR were in very good shape. I give them props for this; especially for the 14th Green, which last July was half dirt. For $27 to walk at 1:30 p.m. on a Saturday, FDR is no bargain. I have equal or less to play at other courses that were in much better shape. The City needs to pressure Billy Casper to make more improvements at FDR or BCG needs to discount prices at the course until improvement are made.

The Sixth Tee Box

The area in front of the 14th Green

As for my round, I didn't hit the ball as well as I did last week at Bensalem, but I did scramble very well, which had been a big part of game last year. And I had one of my best putting rounds of the year. I put an old Snake Eyes MCS2 putter, which I have not used for over 10 years, in my bag for the round. I found myself striking my putts more aggressively yesterday, which led to several one-putt greens. This helped my score tremendously. I was particularly effective in the 5-10 ft range, which had been hurting me so often this year.

The 14th Green in 2008 (above) and 2009 (below)

I was disappointed with my game off the tee, which had been so good last week. I seemed to be hanging back and pushing the ball dead right or coming over the top and pull-hooking the ball. I was pleased however with making a birdie at the Third Hole, a 464-yard Par 5. After striping my tee shot down the right side of the fairway, I hit my 3-wood to rough in the left front of the green. I chipped to 10-ft past the hole and sank the putt for birdie. I took a lot of confidence away from my performance the past two weeks and hopefully I will continue to build on it.

The 17th Tee Box

Photos by The Muni Golfer

The Season Opener: A Round at Byrne G.C.

John F. Byrne Golf Club
Philadelphia, Pa
Yards: 2273/2610 - 4883
Par: 33/34 - 67
Rating: 63.9, Slope: 105
Score: 45/48 = 93
Date: May 17, 2009

Feeling good with my swing following last Wednesday practice session at Fishers Glen Driving Range, I decided to really test the state of game with the first official round of the season at John F. Byrne Golf Club in Northeast Philadelphia. Byrne was designed by Alex Findley and formerly known as Holmesburg Country Club until it was bought by the City of Philadelphia in the 1960s. It is now managed for the City of Philadelphia by Billy Casper Golf. The course sits in a valley, with the Torresdale creek wandering through that comes into play on no less than eight holes. Many holes also feature severe elevation changes, rolling terrain and some tight fairways. With all of the rain we have endured this spring, the rough was as thick in many spots as you might experience at a U.S. Open. I payed $27 to walk 18 holes, and was able to use my Golf Philly Rewards Card.

The 4th Hole requires a precise tee shot

My round got off to an ominous start when I pushed my opening tee shot dead right and couldn't find the ball. After a drop in the rough and a poor third shot, I chipped my way to the fairway, then the green, before three-putting for an 8. Not the way I was hoping to start the season. But I came back with a good bogey at the 2nd Hole and made par at the 3rd, a short Par 4. The gray skies, very windy conditions and temperatures in the low 50s made it feel more like March than May, and shot selection was sometimes difficult; hit it too high and watch the wind knock your ball down or take it way left or right. The wind caused my tee shot to go left into the creek fronting the green at the downhill 6th Hole, and then I skulled the ball over the green on my third shot, but got up and down for a double bogey. I then made back-to-back pars at the 7th and 8th Holes, a Par 4 and Par 3 respectively. A chunked chip and then a three-putt led to a disappointing double-bogey at the uphill Par 4 9th Hole, and a score of 45 on the front nine. I was hitting the ball well in these tough conditions and my short game frequently saved me. I took that confidence to the 10th tee for the back nine.

John F. Byrne Scorecard

The first shot of the back nine was a bit better than the front nine, and I found myself with an approach shot from 101 yards in the middle of the fairway. Of course, I hit my second shot thin and over the green, then could do little as my flop shot rolled all the way to the front of green. I again three-putted for a 6, then took another 6 at the 11th, an uphill Par 3, when my 8-iron got knocked down by the wind short of the green. Despite the back-to-back 6's, I still was feeling pretty good as I stepped onto the tee at the 12th, a 516-yard Par 5. My Driver found the thick rough on the left side, just two paces off the fairway. I gouged a low running 6-iron down the fairway, where I was left with a 189-yard third shot. I then hit a wonderful 4-iron to 20 feet left of the hole and two-putted for another par. I again three-putted at the very short Par 3 13th Hole, then made back-to-back double-bogey 5's at the Par 3 14th and 15th Holes. My tee shot at the 16th, a 465-yard Par 5, went right but caught a three and would up in the middle of the fairway. I opted to give it a go for the green with my 3-wood, but topped it and was left with a 6-iron for my third shot. Unfortunately, I came over the top on the shot and hooked it waaaay left into the creek and took another double-bogey, this time a 7. The 17th Hole at Byrne always gives me fits. It's a 371-yard Par 4, with the creek running down the right side and narrowing the fairway as it angles in from the right. The tee shots calls for a fade, but my shot is a draw. Today, I hit it over the trees on the left into the 16th fairway. With about 170 yards to the green, I launched a 6-iron over the trees into the rough fronting the green. My chip wound up in the bunker on the left, but a popped it out and caught a slope in the green and my ball trickled to about a foot, which I tapped in for a 5. I closed with a 5 on the uphill, 338-yard Par 4 18th Hole, for a 48 on the back nine and a round of 93.

The 9th Green

I was really pleased with how I played today. Although I did hit a sporadic fade, my normal draw was very much in evidence. I was disappointed in my overall performance on the Par 3s; I need to hit more greens. My short game was good, but could still use some work. One area that needs improvement is my putting. I think instead of hitting the Driving Range this week, I will go to Juniata Golf Club and work on my putting. Overall, today was a solid round that will give me confidence to build on as the season moves forward.

Photos by The Muni Golfer

Fall-ing Back to Golf at John F. Byrne

John F. Byrne Golf Club
Philadelphia, Pa
Yards: 2273/2610 - 4883
Par: 33/34 - 67
Rating: 63.9, Slope: 105
Score: 45/46 = 91
Date: October 12, 2008

After taking a few weeks off, mainly to watch the Phillies playoff drive, the Philadelphia Eagles and give my body a chance to refresh, I decided to start my fall season with a round at John F. Byrne Golf Club. Formerly Holmesburg Country Club, Byrne Golf Club was acquired by the City of Philadelphia in the late 1960s. Set in a valley that sees the Torresdale Creek wind its way through the course, the Alex Findley layout is now being managed for the City by Billy Casper Golf. The weather felt more like summer than fall, with sunny skies and temperatures in the low 80s. I also wanted to knock some of the rust off my game as I am scheduled to play a round at Talamore Country Club, a private course in Ambler Pa., this coming Friday. This was the second round I played with my new Sun Mountain Swift golf bag and at a hilly course like Byrne, this bag really earns its reputation. After 18 holes, it still felt extremely light on my shoulders and back, even though I am carrying almost as much as I was in my Sun Mountain 3.5L bag. This bag has been a welcomed relief and if you walk the course like I do, I highly recommend this bag.

John F. Bryne Scorecard

I wasn't sure what to expect out of my swing after the layoff, and it wasn't too bad, but I was really happy with my course management. I posted three pars on both the front and back nines -- at Holes #5, 7, 8, 11, 13 and 15--two Par 4s and four Par 3s. In addition, I managed to play Byrne's two Par 5s, Holes 12 and 16, in a respectable two over par. My putting was also a bright spot, although the greens were exceptionally slow. My only real problems came at the Par 4 4th Hole, a very tight driving hole where I took a 9, and the uphill Par 4 18th Hole, where a tee shot that found the creek led to an 8.

The tight Par 4 4th Hole, which requires a precise tee
shot through a narrow opening over the creek

Overall, Byrne was in pretty good shape for this time of year. The tee boxes were a little chewed up, but respectable. The fairways were in good shape, with few bad lies, and the greens were slow, but in decent shape. Because I teed off only a few hours before the Eagles kicked off in San Francisco, the course was fairly empty. I played most of the front nine with Chris, a freshman at St. Joseph's Prep High School, who told me he had tried out for the golf team this fall, but failed to make the cut. He had a pretty good swing, but I encouraged him to work on his short game and his course management, and wished him luck when trying again next fall.

Photo by The Muni Golfer

The Disappointment of FDR

Franklin D. Roosevelt Golf Club
Philadelphia, Pa
Yards: 2865/2855 - 5720
Par: 35/34 - 69
Rating: 63.9, Slope: 105
Score: 43/54 = 97
Date: July 19, 2008

Franklin D. Roosevelt Golf Club is one of the four City of Philadelphia-owned golf courses that is now being managed by Billy Casper Golf. After my first round there, I can say that they have a lot of work ahead of them. Built as WPA project during the Great Depression, the course opened in 1940 and is located just across from the stadium complex in South Philadelphia. FDR is affectionately know as "The Lakes" to native South Philadelphians. Although many of the holes are straightaway with generous fairways and larger sized green, FDR does offer some rather challenging holes (#s 4, 5, 10, 11, 14, and 15) that can put some large numbers on your scorecard, as well as canal that runs through the course is features on no less than nine holes.

The FDR Scorecard

I have always enjoyed playing at FDR, and I was optimistic about what Billy Casper Golf would do to make FDR even better. What I found during today's round was disappointing. Tee boxes lacking grass or overgrown with crab grass, fairways that were spotty and often undistinguishible from the rough, and while the majority of the greens were okay, #14 had large areas that were nothing but dirt. And at 2:30 p.m., they charged me $31 to walk! Conditions were pretty much the same, or slightly better, and prices were cheaper before Billy Casper Golf came on board. In all fairness, the starter did tell me that they were working on the irrigation system and having problems and I would find areas where there was ground under repair; it seems everytime they fix a leak, they find three or four others. But to me, for $31 to walk (twi-light rates don't start until 4 p.m. according to a sign in the clubhouse) they have a lot more work to do.

The 464 Yard, Par 5 3rd Hole

As for my round, I played in extreme heat and humidity, and like before, it was a tale of two nines. I started out steady, but couldn't seem to make anything happen, although I did manage to par the 3rd Hole, a 464 Yard Par 5. At the 4th I ran into my usual trouble. Tee shots must be kept to the left side of the fairway and your approach shot my clear a large patch of reeds that surround the canal anywhere from 120-145 yards to the green. I, of course, hit my tee shot well left behind a tree, pitched out, then skulled my third shot into the reeds. I did manage to one-putt the green...for a 7. The 175 Yard Par 3 5th Hole features a very narrow green squeezed between two bunkers. At the 6th, I teamed up with Dale, who was playing solo behind me, and immediately went crazy, parring the next four holes and just missing birdies at #7, 8 and 9. I went out in a season best 43.

The approach shot to 4th Green.
The flag is barely visible behind the reeds and marsh grass

The back nine at FDR is where the course begins to bare its teeth and I began to quickly run out of steam and energy. At the 12th Hole, after a 7 and 6 on the first two holes of the back nine, I had to finish out my round riding in Dale's cart. But my, energy, as well as my legs and swing were gone. I limped home mercifully in 54, managing to rally for a 5 and par 4 on the last two holes, to keep my score under 100 despite 6 pars on the scorecard.

The Canal that wanders through FDR

The challenging final six holes at FDR:

Hole #13: Although it is listed at 153 yards on the scorecard, the hole usually plays around 125-130 yards and there always seems to be wind. The green is deceiving as it sits behind a very large bunker and a swale of about 15 yards. The green itself slopes from left to right and away from the tee. I pushed a 9-iron from 129 yards, but left it short right in the swale. I chipped long and three-putted for a 5.

The flag sits well behind the bunker at the Par 3 13th Hole

Hole #14: A 376-yard sharp dogleg left that has a grove of trees on the left and out-of-bounds on the right. A tee shot of at least 225 yards is required to have an open look at the green, which sits atop a small plateau and slopes from back to front, although the front portion of the green mostly dirt. After hitting short into the trees on the left, I had to pitch out and then fatted an 8-iron short right. I chipped up and three-putted for a 7.

The 14th Green in need of repair

Hole #15: This Par 4 is only 370 yards, but the sharp dogleg right plays extremely uphill from just inside 150 yards to a green that is well protected by bunkers on the right. If you don't get your tee shot out far enough, the second shot is blind. I topped my 3-wood off the tee and had to pitch the ball down the fairway. I tried to cut the dogleg from there with a 4-iron, but clipped a tree and landed about 10 yards right of the green. My chip to the green hit a pine tree branch and dropped behind the tree, where I tried to hop a pitching wedge over a bunker with no luck. I splashed out of the bunker, then lipped out on my second putt for a "snowman" 8.

Hole #16: A 362-yard sharp dogleg right in which the fairway slopes from left to right and the second shot plays slightly uphill. Since I typically hit a draw, this is one of the hardest driving holes at FDR for me. I decided to try and hit a fade, which didn't cut at all and went into the brush on the left side of the dogleg. I took a drop and punched across the sloping fairway, then hit an 8-iron to the back of the green, then three-putted for a 7.

Hole #17: A long, 192-yard Par 3 that plays downhill to a rough green that is guarded by the cartpath on the left and large willow tree on the front right. The tees were up and it was playing at 182 yards, so I hit my 4-iron dead right and into the canal to the right of the willow tree. I took a drop, chipped on and two-putted for a 5.

The view from behind the 17th Green looking back toward to Tee Box

Hole #18: The closing hole is a straight-away, 283-yard Par 4 that has a wide fairway lined with trees up both sides. The green is protected by bunkers front and back on the left side. I hit a nice draw that started right but came back into the fairway and rolled just into the rough 20 yards short of the green. I chipped up to about 10 feet and left my birdie putt inches short for a round-ending par.

The closing 18th Hole, a 283 Yard Par 4. Notice the yellow sign and ground conditions in the lower right of the picture.

Photos by The Muni Golfer

A Rock Solid Course -- Rock Manor

Rock Manor Golf Course
Wilmington, Del
Yards: 2831/3149 - 5980
Par: 36/36 - 71
Rating: TBD, Slope: TBD
Score: 51/47 = 98
Date: June 24, 2008

Today I took my clubs and game down I-95 to Wilmington, Delaware to try the newly renovated Rock Manor Golf Course. A municipal course owned by the City of Wilmington, "The Rock" as it is affectionately known has recently re-opened after two years of re-design and re-working under the direction of golf architect Lester George. For a municipal golf course, George and the City of Wilmington have done a magnificent job of lengthening and transforming "The Rock" into a first rate course. Four sets of tees make this course playable for golfers of just about any skill level. The fairways are generous and in fantastic condition, while the greens are smooth and extremely quick. A beautiful, circa 1921 building is being refurbished and will serve as the Course's clubhouse in the very near future. Because the renovation and redesign of the course is so new, the rating and slope have yet to be determined by the Delaware State Golf Association. The course is being managed by Billy Casper Golf, which is also managing three of Philadelphia's public courses.

The future clubhouse at Rock Manor

Today also marked my annual golf outing with Robert Levis, the Chair of Temple University's Chemistry Department, and his father. Also joining us for today's round was George Baran, Associate Dean of Temple's College of Engineering.

Rock Manor Scorecard

We started our round on the back nine, which opens which a 528-yard Par 5 that doglegs right. I started off well, making a 6 on the Par 5, and played steady golf, making two pars: at the short 305-yard Par 4 14th and the 172-yard Par 3 16th. A gusty wind made club selection tricky all day and speed of the greens made it very tough to get approach shots, pitches and chips close to the hole.

The view from the first tee, a 90-degree dogleg right.

The front nine, our second, started off very well as I made my first birdie of the year at the 345-yard Par 4 1st Hole. I hit a three wood off the tee to the left side of the fairway, which doglegs right at a 90-degree angle. I was left with 135 yards downhill to a green which slopes from right to left. I hit a 9 iron to 20 feet left of the pin, which was in the back right portion of the green, then sank the uphill putt for birdie! I made bogey on the next two holes, a Par 5 and Par 3, respectively. The Par 3 3rd Hole is very challenging, requiring a tee shot from an elevated tee over wetlands to an elevated green that is protected by two large bunkers that swallow short tee shots. From the 3rd Hole on, my game started to desert me and limped home with an 8-5-6-7-7-5 over the last six holes. Putting was my nemesis through most of the round at Rock Manor. I missed more putts from 5 feet or less than I care to think about. But I capped off my day by sinking a 35-foot putt that broke hard to the right off a hump in the green.

The green at #1. I-95 traffic is speeding by just behind those trees and bushes.

A round at "The Rock" is worth the 45 minute drive down I-95. It is a welcomed addition back into the public golf arena of the Delaware Valley. A few additional views of "The Rock":

The 3rd Hole. A 157-yard Par 3 over wetlands.

The downhill Par 3 5th Hole plays over a small creek.

The Par 4 17th Hole.

The course known as "The Rock."

Photos by The Muni Golfer