The Eagle Has Landed!

Yesterday I played my third round for the 2024 season at Fairways Golf Club in Warrington, Pa. It was also my third consecutive round at the course. Although my previous two rounds at Fairways GC had been a 90 and 82, I was not playing as well yesterday, partly due a cold I was suffering.

The Par 4 16th Hole at the Fairways Golf Club

I did, however, have one major highlight during my round. After back-to-back pars at the Par 3 14th (134 yds.) and 15th (112 yds.), I came to the16th hole, which is a 323-yard, straightaway Par 4.

My tee shot was a slight draw down the middle-right portion of the fairway that rolled to the left side . From there I had 82 yards to a pin on the back right side of the green. I took my 52-degree Wilson PMP
gap wedge and struck a shot that I initially thought may have been hit a touch thin. The ball sailed high into the air and landed on the green about six feet from the hole and rolled towards the flag, before disappearing in the hole for an eagle!

The ball used for my 4th career eagle

The eagle was the fourth of my golfing career. The previous three occurred in 2000 at #18 at the former  Marsh Island in Delaware, 2006 at #14 at Juniata Golf Club in Philadelphia, and in 2007 at #18 at the former FDR Golf Club in Philadelphia. All have been made at Par 4s.

Saturday, Muddy Saturday at FDR

FDR Golf Club
Philadelphia, Pa.
Yards: 2865/2855 - 5720
Par: 35/34 - 69
Rating: 63.9, Slope: 105
Score: 44/51 = 95
Date: September 22, 2018

Despite September's overabundance of rain, I decided to play FDR Golf Club in South Philadelphia. One of the City-owned courses, FDR gets its name from Franklin D. Roosevelt Park, which is known to many native Philadelphians as The Lakes due to the numerous bodies of water found throughout the park. Rain tends to make the course muddy and soft; conditions that linger longer than usual.

FDR Scorecard

Teeing it up on the first day of the fall, the temperatures were just a little cooler and the sunny skies gave way to cloudy and windy as the round progressed. Still, I got off to a blazing start as I parred the first two holes. Of course, the Third Hole at FDR is a par 5, and as usual, I struggled to a triple-bogey six. Still, I played consistently through the front nine, parring both par 3s and finishing with a 44 despite a bad double-bogey at the Ninth Hole.

The Par 3 Fifth Hole

As the winds picked up on the back nine, I struggled off the tee, my iron shots weren't solid and my putting erratic. By the Seventeenth Hole I had figured out what I was doing wrong on the greens. I was using a forward press to begin my putting stroke, but that was causing me to miss putts to the left. It is something I need to work on moving forward.

The 418-Yard Tenth Hole from the Tee

I ended up making double-bogey or worse on seven of the nine holes, parring the par 3 Thirteenth and par 4 Eighteenth Hole. I shot a disappointing 51 on the back nine for a round of 95.

A Bad Walk at the Lane

Walnut Lane Golf Club
Philadelphia, Pa
Yards: 2173/2098 – 4271
Par: 31/31 = 62
Rating: 59, Slope: 91
Score: 47/44 = 91
Date: August 18, 2012

After taking a week off from golf, it was time to tee it up again this weekend. One of my goals this year was to play each of the five Philadelphia public courses. Having already played three so far this year--Juniata, John F. Byrne and FDR--I headed to Roxborough for a round at Walnut Lane Golf Club. Designed by the legendary Alex Findlay, who also designed John F. Byrne, Walnut Lane winds up and down through the Wissahickon Valley part of Fairmount Park.

 Walnut Lane Scorecard

A short course at just under 4,300 yards and playing to a par of 62, Walnut Lane is anything from a pushover. Take the 218-yard Par 3 Fourth Hole for example. The hole plays downhill to a small green. Overhanging trees from the left and a drop off to the right of the green makes playing a fade impossible. The next hole, the Fifth, is a 184-yard Par 3 that plays from left to right across a deep valley. And the 134-yard Par 3 Eleventh Hole plays so uphill you cannot see the flagstick from the tee. With trees on the right and a huge slope on the left, a tee shot has a very opening to the green.

 The Fourth Hole

But what also makes Walnut Lane difficult is the conditions. While no one is expecting Augusta National, the boxes are chewed up and uneven. Fairways feature large bare areas devoid of grass, and when there is grass, it is thick and overgrown. The bunkers more like hardpan than sand. When I played on Saturday, the course had been aerated during the week, but they failed to mention it when I paid in the pro shop. Not that it would have stopped me from playing, but it would have been nice to know before I reached the first green. It made putting and chipping all the more difficult as the ball didn't want to roll far on the greens. You had to strike your putts firmer than usual to get them anywhere near the hole. The course was probably the worst I played this year, along with FDR.

As for my round, I played some good holes and some (very) bad holes. I had a quintuple bogey, three triple bogeys and two double bogeys on par 3s. I also had a quadruple bogey on a par 4. But I think a lot of it was more the conditions than my game. I only hit driver three times, but I crushed it in the fairway each time. I also managed to par the Eleventh Hole, which is one of my "Nightmare Nine" holes.

 The Eleventh Hole

As per doctor's orders, I wore a brace on my left arm to guard against the mild tendinitis I have been experiencing. I also made sure to ice my elbow last night and I am not experiencing the discomfort today that I have been after recent past rounds. I will continue with this regiment into the future, until I am pain free.

Photos by The Muni Golfer

Back 9 Blues

One of the biggest problems I've encountered this season, besides hitting the ball awful off the tee, has been my poor play on the back nine during most of rounds. In the last seven of the nine rounds I've played so far this year, I have shot worse on the second nine that I have on first nine. While I've only posted one round in which I've hit triple digits (a 103 on June 16 at FDR Golf Club), the fact that I have been unable to shoot lower on the inward nine has kept me from breaking 90 so far.

In my first two rounds of this season, I opened with 51 and 50 on my front nines, but shot a combined 17 strokes lower on the two second nines, an average of 8.5 strokes lower. Since then, however, I have averaged 4.2 strokes higher on the second nine in the seven rounds I've played. This includes four rounds in which I failed to break 50 on the back nine.

I don't know whether it's a lack of concentration, fitness, poor course management or just getting ahead of myself by thinking about my final score instead of playing one-hole-at-a-time on the back nine. Often, it seems like I blow up on a couple of holes or fail to take advantage of the easy holes on the back nine. Either way, it is preventing me from posting lower scores.

A Fair Day at The Fairways

The Fairways Golf & Country Club
Warrington, Pa
Yards: 2255/2248 - 4503
Par: 32/33 - 65
Rating: 62.1, Slope: 104
Score: 43/47 = 90
Date: June 18, 2012

Hoping to put Saturday's really bad round at Franklin D. Roosevelt Golf Club behind me, I teed it up Monday for the second time in a month at The Fairways Golf & Country Club. The Fairways is always in great shape and this round was no different. It was overcast most of the day, which kept the heat and humidity down and made for a comfortable round. The starter matched me up with Larry and Janet on the First Hole and off we went. One of my priorities for this round was to drive the ball more consistently off the tee and put myself in better positions to score.I amde tow changes to my clubs, swapping out my Wilson Staff Smooth Driver for a TaylorMade R9 and my Solus 56-degree sand wedge was replaced with a 59-degree Solus wedge.

 The Fifth Hole, a 372-yard Par 4

On the front nine, I was much better off the tee, finding the fairway or green on the First, Third and Fifth Holes. At the Second and Sixth Holes, I was just left and right of the fairways, respectively, but still had decent shots to the green. At the Par 3 Fourth Hole I found the left bunker and at the Seventh I also missed the green left. Through the first seven holes, I had all 4s and 5s on the scorecard, which included two double bogeys at Par 3s. The double bogeys were more a result of my short game failing me than my tee shots. At the Eighth Hole, I pushed my tee shot right over a large tree that guards the right side of the fairway and had an open shot at the green from the rough. I came up short left with a 7-iron however, barely chipped on, then four-putted for a 7. I hit my first really bad tee shot at the Ninth when I hit it fat and short leading to another double bogey and a front nine 43.

 The Sixteenth Hole, a 323-yard Par 4

The back nine started off with a thinned three wood at the Tenth that found the first cut of rough, but I hit a wedge on the green and two-putted for a par. Then the first breakdown occurred. A local only permits an iron off the tee at the 291-yard Par 4 Eleventh, which doglegs right; not the kind of shot that favors someone who plays a draw. I pulled my 6-iron left and from the rough about 180-yards out, I hit my hybrid right and out-of-bounds.  This led to a triple-bogey 7. My 8-iron at the Par 3 Twelfth, a hole I birdied a month ago, found the left bunker and I took three shots to get out. Another triple-bogey 7. I regrouped and found the fairway with a 3-wood at the Thirteenth and made par. I hit the green on the Par 3 Fourteenth, but three-putted for a bogey. I also found the green at the Par 3 Fifteenth, but I two-putted this time for my sixth par of the round. Then came the second breakdown. The last few holes have really plagued me this year, and this round was no exception. At the 323-yard Sixteenth, I hit 3-wood to be safe, but pushed it right a hit a tree, which led to a lost ball and a double bogey. At the 374-yard Seventeenth, I hit the ball off the heel of the driver and barely made it as far as the red tees. Three hacks up the fairway and a three-putt equaled a triple bogey. I hit a low short hook off the 334-yard dogleg right Eighteenth, but recovered to make a bogey. This added up to a back nine 47 and total of 90 for the round.

 The tee shot at the Eighteenth Hole

So after two rounds at The Fairways, I have recorded two 90s. My front nine Monday was eight strokes better than my front nine a month ago--51-42; but my back nine was eight strokes worse--39-47. I had six pars in my most recent round, compared to one birdie and four pars a month ago. But most importantly, I put the ball in play better this round, which meant no 8s or 9s on the scorecard like last month. Lets hope I can carry it over and it starts to become the rule, rather than the exception.

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

My Nightmare Nine

Recently, fellow blogger (My Golf Philly) and former Philadelphia Inquirer golf writer Joe Logan wrote a piece for his former employer on his Dream 18--the 18 perfect holes in the area that are located on daily fee or municipal courses.

After reading his story, and realizing that I played one-third or six of the holes on his list, I decided to come with my version of the Dream 18. However, instead of picking my perfect golf holes, I decided to create my "Nightmare Nine." These are nine holes that consistently give me problems every time I play them. Everybody has some golf holes like that that they face on a regular or semi-annual basis. These are the holes that you begin thinking about in the parking lot while putting on your golf shoes; holes where you will gladly take bogey and run--not walk--to the the next tee.

So here is my nine holes of hell. They play to 3,077 yards and equate to a Par 36, with five Par 4s, two Par 5s and two Par 3s.

#4 Franklin D. Roosevelt Golf Club, 413 Yards, Par 4 -- From a slightly elevated tee, it is about 260 yards to a pond that is surrounded by high marsh reeds. You want to play down the left side in order to even see the flag. This will also give you a shorter shot over the water. The small sloping green sits about 25 yards beyond the water, with trees on the right and behind. Get too far to the left on your tee shot and you are hitting out of gnarly rough. Get too close to the water and you have to get the ball up extremely quickly. Many of my approach shots have met with a watery ending on this hole.

The blind approach at FDR's Fourth Hole

#4 John F. Byrne Golf Club, 293 Yards, Par 4 -- A short Par 4 that requires a precise and accurate tee shot from an elevated tee through a very narrow opening in the tree line along the creek that runs across the fairway about 145 yards off the tee. If you manage to navigate the narrow gap off the tee, the fairway slopes hard from left to right and your approach shot plays uphill to a postage stamp-sized green jutting out of the slide of the hill. Miss long or left and you have almost no chance of keeping the ball on the green with your chip shot.

The narrow gap at John F. Byrne's Fourth Hole

#15 Fox Hollow Golf Club, 560 Yards, Par 5 -- Teeing off on the top of the hill, you cannot see the L-shaped dog leg right at the bottom of the hill. You have to hit your lay-up from a downhill lie to a small landing area which is easy to have your ball run through. You third shot is straight uphill to a small green. In a mid-1990s review of Fox Hollow for The Inquirer, Logan described playing it this way: "It takes two solid, straight shots to get the ball down to a hollow, where the 15th suddenly takes a 90-degree turn right and heads uphill into a bunkered, sloping green. Cutting the corner here is out of the question." Most times I've been happy to reach the green in 5.

#11 Walnut Lane Golf Club, 134 Yards, Par 3 -- This short hole plays in a small ravine and plays straight uphill. Often, the top of the flag is barely visible from the tee box. A small creek crosses about 20 yards in front of the tee box. Miss left, and if you can even find your golf ball, you are hitting straight up off the side of hill. Miss right and trees will slap your golf ball down well short of the green. As someone who hits a draw, I usually miss left because I try to hit the ball too hard to get it up the hill. I must confess, however, that I did birdie this hole in 1998. I think that was the only time I have ever hit the green with my tee shot.

The narrow, uphill Eleventh Hole at Walnut Lane

#11 Island Green Country Club, 305 Yards, Par 4 -- The hole from which the course drives its name. Your tee shot plays slightly downhill and requires nothing more than a long- to mid-iron. You want to keep your tee shot to the right for the best angle to the green, which sits on an island in the middle of a pond. Miss left and you can't see the green and could be hitting off a sidehill lie with the ball below your feet or out of tall, fescue-like grass. The green is medium-sized and slopes from back to front. Miss the green anywhere but in the front and your approach shot is probably wet.

The approach to the Eleventh Hole at Island Green

#18 Bensalem Township Country Club, 379 Yards, Par 4 -- This hole doglegs right about 240 yards off the tee. From there, it goes down to a creek that intersects the fairway about 25 yards in front of the green, which slopes severely from back to front and is well bunkered. Run your tee shot through the fairway and you could be chipping out the woods. There is room to miss your approach shot to the right of the green, but you could be pitching over a bunker to the green. In the summer, you could have a gallery on the clubhouse patio, which hosts numerous weddings and other events. The hole becomes even more difficult if I need a good score to shoot in the 90s. For me, 5 is always a tremendous score on this hole.

#4 The Rookery, 290 Yards, Par 4 -- Unless you are the longest of hitters, this is not the risk/reward hole it appears when you stand on the elevated tee. The fairway runs down to a large pond about 160 yards off the tee. To clear the pond, it will take a drive of over 270 yards, which can be made all the more difficult by the ever-present wind. Usually, the tee shot is nothing more than an 8-iron; and even that can run into the water. Be careful you don't get too close to the water or you could easily top your approach shot into the drink. The green is large and usually fast, so even if you do hit the green in two, a two-putt par isn't always guaranteed.

The Fourth Hole at The Rookery

#15 Horsham Valley Golf Club, 184 Yards, Par 3 -- This hole can ruin more good rounds. The signature hole at Horsham Valley, it is a longer Par 3, with the green guarded by a creek in the front and on the right, while trees cause problems for any shots to the left. Overhanging trees on the right can also knock down tee shots well short of the creek in front, causing a delicate pitch shot over water to the narrow green, which is also guarded by bunkers on the left and in the back.

Horsham Valley's Par 3 Fifteeth Hole

#18 Paxon Hollow Country Club, 519 Yards, Par 5 -- The closing hole at Paxon Hollow closes out my "Nightmare Nine." The tee shot is narrow, with trees protecting the right and a creek running down the left. Your second shot is uphill, over the creek, to a fairway that slopes from left to right, with the right side being protected by a huge tree that can cause problems for your third shot. A large, two-tiered green sits at the top of the hill at the foot of the clubhouse, with bunkers behind and to the left. Miss long or on the wrong tier and you could easily see your chip or putt run off the front of the green.

Paxon Hollow's Eighteenth Hole from the fairway

So there you have my "Nightmare Nine;" nine golf holes that can derail my round no matter how well I'm playing. I would gladly take a 45 for those nine any time I tee it up.

Photos by The Muni Golfer

My 2009 Season in Review

As we count down the final hours of the first decade of the new millennium, it's time for me to look back at my 2009 golfing season. This past year, I played nearly 25 rounds, which included 5.67 practice rounds and one round that was washed out after three holes. I played on 17 different courses, including three for the first time: Mainland, Green Pond and Heritage Creek, although the Heritage was only three holes because of a huge downpour.

The Ninth Hole at Mainland

I played 447 total holes for the year. My stroke average was 95.4 per 18 holes, excluding the practice and incomplete rounds. I managed to make par or better on 64 of the 351 regulation holes for which I posted a score. That is just under 20 percent. The main reason for the low percentage I believe was because of my poor putting throughout the year. The most pars I recorded in a single round was six, which I did twice: June 19 at Mainland and Oct. 4 at Juniata. I did have four birdies this year: the Eighth Hole at Juniata on May 24, the Eighth Hole at Twining Valley on July 12, the Third Hole at Franklin D. Roosevelt on Aug. 15 and the Fourteenth Hole at Juniata on Oct. 4.

The Third Hole at Green Pond

My low round of the year was an 86 on Oct. 25 at Juniata, which also happened to be my last round of the year. I also shot an 87 (Oct. 4), and 88 (July 24) at Juniata, an 89 (Aug. 15) at FDR and a 90 (June 19) at Mainland. My high round of the year was a 104, which I shot three times: June 3 at Paxon Hollow, July 3 at Green Pond and Sept. 6 at The Rookery. Overall, I only failed to break 100 four times in the 19.5 rounds I posted. Last year, I only failed to break 100 once.

The Tenth Hole at Jeffersonville

I also managed to hit the Driving Range seven times this season, mostly in the early part of the Spring. I'm not sure how much that helped, although I do feel that is where I might have first developed my elbow soreness that hindered me through most of the season. But hopefully, I another eight weeks or so, I'll be back out on the practice tee getting ready for the 2010 season.

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

My Year in Review

As the final hours count down on 2008, it is time to look back at my golf year. This past year, I played 23.5 rounds, which included one-and-a-half practice rounds and one incomplete round. I played on 14 difference courses, including four for the first time: Rock Manor, Center Square, Jonathan's Landing and Talamore. I played 422 holes and averaged 93.1 strokes per 18 holes, excluding the practice rounds and incomplete round. I had a score of par or better on 85 of those holes, or 22 percent of the holes I played. I had at least two holes of par or better in every round this year. The most holes of par or better I had in one round was 6 at FDR on July 19 and Oct. 12 at John F. Byrne. I also made six birdies, all on Par 4s: #1 at Rock Manor, #1 at Horsham Valley, #12 at Jonathan's Landing, #14 at Juniata and two at Juniata's 5th Hole. My lowest round of the year was an 87 at Juniata on September 21 and my highest round was a 101 at Talamore on Oct. 17. I also had an 88 at Horsham Valley (Aug. 16) and at Juniata (Sept. 14), as well as a 90 at Center Square on June 26.

The 1st Hole at Rock Manor
where I made my first birdie of the year

Photos 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 New Era Dawns for Philadelphia's Courses in 2008

January 1, 2008 will usher in a new era for all six of Philadelphia's municipal golf courses. Four of the courses (Cobbs Creek, Karakung, FDR and John Byrne) will begin being managed on behalf of the Fairmount Park Commision by Billy Casper Golf. My home course, Juniata, and Walnut Lane will be leased to two non-profits for essentially $1 annually. Juniata will be managed by the Juniata Golf Foundation under the direction of Bob Wheeler, who has served as the GM at Juniata for the past few years. Bob is a great guy and is very dedicated to Juniata Golf Club and its golfers. Walnut Lane will be managed by Impact Services, headed by John McDonald, the former Temple golf coach who is also executive director of the First Tee of Philadelphia and the Greater Philadelphia Scholastic Golf Association. You can read all of the details in this story by The Philadelphia Inquirer's excellent golf writer, Joe Logan.

Putting a Wrap on 2007

Well, we have reached the final day of the year, so it is time to put wrap on the 2007 golf season. Overall, The Muni Golfer played 18 regulation rounds and nearly 5 practice rounds (one practice round at Walnut Lane Golf Club was abruptly halted after 14 holes because of lightning), or 410 total holes on 13 different courses in 2007. The Muni Golfer played 4 courses for the first time in 2007: Wyncote Golf Club, Jeffersonville Golf Club, Sawmill Golf Course and Baywood Greens. I took 1703 total strokes during my 18 regulation rounds and my final stroke average was 94.6. My lowest score was an 88 at Juniata Golf Club on August 19 and my highest score was 103 at Baywood Greens on August 31. I recorded a score of Par or better on 56 of the 324 holes I played in regulation, or 17 percent. The most holes of Par or better I had in one round was 5, which I accomplished during three rounds: July 14, Aug. 19 and Oct. 14. I made 8 birdies, including 2 during my round at Baywood Greens, and 1 Eagle (a 2 on the 283-yard Par 4 18th Hole at FDR Golf Club). That is the third highest number of birdies I've had in a single season; I had 14 in 2001 and 11 in 1998. Here's hoping that 2008 provides more golf, better scores, and just as much fun.

The Wind Blew and Birds Flew at FDR

Franklin D. Roosevelt Golf Club
Philadelphia, Pa
Yards: 5720, Par 69
Rating: 63.9, Slope: 105
Score: 46/47 = 93
Date: October 14, 2007

The sun was shining, but the wind was blowing this afternoon at Franklin D. Roosevelt Golf Club in South Philadelphia. With the Eagles playing the Jets in New York, I expecting the course to be fairly deserted. That was far from the case. I was paired with three other golfers by the starter on the first tee, something I like about FDR. Because the course is fairly wide open, wind can be a big factor at FDR when it is blowing and today was no exception. If the wind was into us, or across, it made club selection extremely difficult. A good short game was definitely a must to score well today. The tee boxes at FDR were pretty well chewed up and the fairways were a little on the thin side, but the the greens were in very good shape and putts rolled pretty true.

My front nine was fairly undramatic, but consistent. The back nine was another story:

* A 6 at the long 418-yard Par 4 10th was followed by a really bad 7 at downhill 317-yard Par 4 11th when I pushed my tee shot way right and then hit a poor chip that didn't make it back to the fairway.

* I made a decent 5 at the 384-yard Par 4 12th hole, but then I hit my tee shot to 12 feet at the 129-yard Par 3 13th. My putt was dead center for a Birdie!

* I just missed hooking my 3-Wood around the dogleg at the 376-yard Par 14th, but still managed to get up-and-down at the raised green for a 5. Then came my worst stretch of golf.

* The 15th is a 370-yard Par 4 that doglegs right, then plays uphill, with bunkers and trees guarding the right side of green. After chunking my 3-Wood off the tee, I hot the ball everywhere but in the hole, finally settling for 9!

* The 362-yard Par 4 16th is the hole that gives me the most problems at FDR. It is a severe dogleg right that does not set up well for my draw. I tried to fade a driver off the tee and overcooked it into the woods. After my drop and punch to the fairway, I hit a 9-iron onto the green and two-putted for a 6.

* The 192-yard Par 3 17th plays downhill, but was playing into a strong crosswind from the left today. I hit by 2-Hybrid that got knocked down short of the green. Two chips and two putts and I had a very disappointing 5. But the disappointment didn't last long.

* The 18th is a straightaway 283-yard Par 4 that is wide, but tree-lined and plays even shorter. I hit my best drive of the day, which hit and rolled well down the right side of the fairway before ending up just in the rough off the fairway, 27 yards short of the green. Hole was 45-feet back in the left portion of the green. After initially pulling my 59-degree lob wedge, I decided to bump a 9-iron, which hit into the front of green then rolled like a putt straight at the hole. It hit the flagstick and disappeared into the cup for an Eagle 2...the third Eagle of my career.

What a way to end a round of golf. It is the second time I have ended a round with an Eagle, the other time being in July 2000 when I holed an 8-iron on my third shot at the Par 5 18th at Marsh Island Golf Club in Angola, Del.

Oh yes, by the way, Philadelphia's Birds, the Eagles, beat the Jets 16-9 at the Meadowlands.

A Tale of Two Nines: A Round at FDR Golf Club

Franklin D. Roosevelt Golf Club
Philadelphia, Pa.
Yards: 5720, Par: 69
Score: 44/49 = 93
Date: July 14, 2007

I made one of my annual trips to South Philadelphia for a round at Franklin D. Roosevelt Golf Club, another of the courses owned by the City of Philadelphia, located in the shadow of Philadelphia's stadium complex. I usually try to get a couple of rounds in at FDR each season. One of the things I particularly like about FDR is they actually have a starter at the first tee who often pairs me with another twosome or threesome, so I rarely play this track by myself. On this Saturday I was paired with another couple, Joe and Mary, and a single Ralph. Ralph is a native South Philadelphia, which he gave away by referring to FDR as "The Lakes," which it used to be called.

Saturday's round was a tale of two nines: very steady play on the front, extreme grinding on the back. The front nine at FDR is pretty straight forward golf. The only tricky hole is #4, where marshy wetlands cross the fairway about 250 yards from the tee, often creating a blind second shot. I managed to par #2, a short 265-yard Par 4 and birdied the 464-yard Par 5 3rd hole. After lost balls at and double bogeys at holes 4 and 5, then had all 5s on my scorecard throughout the rest of the front nine.

The back nine at FDR is a very different story. Hole #10 is a 418-yard Par 4 with a small canal crossing the fairway at 240 yards off the tee. The second shot then plays about 260 yards uphill to a smallish green. No wonder it is the #1 ranked hole on the course. After making a 6--I have done much, much worse on this hole in the past--I took another 6 on the 11th hole, which again crosses that small canal, this time in front of the green. My nightmare happened at #12, a 384-yard Par 4 that plays straightway. I hit three---yes, three!--balls out of bounds and when I finally tapped in, I had an 11 of the card. Not exactly the start I looking for on the back nine. Suddenly, this round was looking like it was going to be a disaster!

At #13, FDR really bares its teeth:

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 tried to knockdown an 8-iron from 129 yards, but left it short in the swale. I chipped to six feet and made my par putt.

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 front to back. After hitting the trees on the left, I had to pitch out and then knocked my pitching wedge on the green from 118 yards. Two putts and a very grateful 5.

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 hit my 19 degree hybrid off the tee and hit the 150-yard marker. My blind second shot was pushed right, hit and tree and was out in the 16th fairway. Although I had a look at the green between two trees, I half-skulled my pitch to the other side of the green and then chilli-dipped my fourth shot. I finally chipped on and made a 25-foot putt for a 6.

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 quite enough and hit the trees on the opposite side of the fairway where the dogleg begins. I did have an opening to punch the ball up the fairway to at just outside 100 yards, they hit my gap wedge to about 20 feet left of the pin. Two putts and another grateful 5.

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 hybrid, which the wind knocked down just short of the green. I chipped four feet past the hole and made the putt for par.

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 hooked a 4-wood--the wind was blowing right to left--in the trees, but I had a good look at the flagstick. I pitched just short of the green, then chipped to two-feet and made par.

After starting 6, 6, 11 on the back nine, I managed to grind through the last six holes, parring three of them. Although I believe I could have done better, I pretty happy with the way I hung in there on the back and managed to salvage a 93.

By the way, FDR is one of only two city courses, Cobbs Creek is the other, that have driving ranges. FDR also has a putting green and a chipping green, so it is definitely a facility I should take more advantage of using. I hope I get down there for at least one more round before this season ends.