Juniata Golf Club; "Philly's Tin-Cup Course"

Over the past year, I have chronicled on this blog the transformation that has taken place at my home course, Juniata Golf Club. Now it seems, the world outside of Philadelphia has taken notice too. The Christian Science Monitor's June 23 edition carried an article, "Philly's tin-cup course," which tells of the rebirth happening at this 78-year-old course that was designed by noted golf architect Ed Ault:

PHILADELPHIA - Augusta National this is not. This is Juniata, where a defaced sign warns you to lock your car and take your valuables. Where the backs of benches advertise security services and union locals. Where the "clubhouse" is actually a cart barn. And this is the new and improved Juniata, as it inches itself out of the path of a possible developer's bulldozer.

Conditions at the 78-year-old Juniata Golf Club, always the poor relation of the six city-owned public courses, had deteriorated in recent years, the victim of scarce funding, vandalism, and neglect. When a 2003 fire destroyed the clubhouse – and the bathrooms – there was no money to rebuild, and many golfers stopped coming. Those who did were increasingly irate at having to pay even $20 greens fees, only to encounter trash and weeds, vandalism, graffiti, and worse. Juniata was losing money, and last year the Fairmount Park Commission, which owned the course, cut off funding altogether.

It suggested to Bob Wheeler, the retired Philadelphia policeman who was club manager, that he put together a nonprofit foundation to run the course. Now, with the new club just a few months into its first season, Mr. Wheeler is credited with leading the resurrection of Juniata. "He took the idea and ran with it," says Barry Bessler, chief of staff of the park commission.

A reclamation effort began in earnest last summer. Today the course is busy, its tournaments and greens-fees business thriving. The women golfers, turned off by porta-potties introduced after the fire, have returned. And the greens, once again, are green. Joe Logan, who covers golf for the Philadelphia Inquirer, recalls visiting Juniata when "there wasn't a blade of grass to stick a tee in." Now, "for what it's trying to be, it's a success story. Juniata is a lunch-bucket golf course and they're proud of it."

Read the entire story here.

The Ramblings of Gary McCord

I recently completed reading Just a Range Ball in a Box of Titleists, On and Off the Tour with Gary McCord. First published 10 years ago, the book was the second written by Gary McCord, the CBS golf commentator and part-time Champions Tour player. His first, Golf for Dummies, was co-authored with former Golf Digest Senior Editor John Huggan.

At just over 200 words, the book is more a collection of short essays, with each chapter written in much the same way McCord commentates during CBS golf broadcasts. Some give an insightful, witty look into McCord's playing days, his early tour sponsorship by Lawrence Welk, his start in broadcasting, being banned from The Masters telecast, working with Kevin Costner on the movie Tin Cup, the difference between the U.S. and British Opens, and the golf games of celebrities such as Alice Cooper, Hootie & the Blowfish, Clint Eastwood, Eddie Van Halen and Charles Barkley. He also delves into his life off the tour; playing at San Luis Rey Downs Golf and Country Club with his compadres Fairway Louie, Willie "Brain Damage" Rains, Unemployed Lloyd, Mad Max and Lock & Load; playing in their nine-hole worst-ball scramble with their ex-spouses, affectionately known as "The Ex-Wives Conflict."

But McCord also waxes poetic about climbing inside a golf ball as it flies down the faiway, the idiosyncrasies of the golf swing, getting a lesson at night in the dark, filming a FootJoy commercial underwater, a tournament ending written as a Shakespeare play and other stuff that just makes you scratch your head and hope the next chapter will be better.

If you love listening to McCord on the weekends, you'll love this book. I enjoyed it, but not as much as some of the other golf books I have read over the past few years. But if, like Tom Watson, you believe McCord is over-the-top and disrespectful to the traditions of the game, then I recommend you read something else.

A New Low at Center Square

Center Square Golf Course
Center Square, Pa
Yards: 2939/3061 - 6000
Par: 35/36 - 71
Rating: 67.9, Slope: 119
Score: 46/44 = 90
Date: June 26, 2008

Center Square Golf Course in Eastern Montgomery County offered a unique opportunity to test my game on a layout that has hosted a major golf championship. In 1980 and 1997, the U.S. Women's Amateur Publinks Championship was held at this Ed Ault-designed course, and it is not hard to imagine why. Center Square features generous Rye/Blue Grass fairways and medium-sized Bent/POA greens. The greens are fast, offer subtle breaks and are guarded by nearly 60 bunkers. Except for the occasional blind tee shot, all the trouble at Center Square is right in front of you. It is in terrific shape for a public course and the greens fee are very reasonable; $29 to walk Monday through Thursday, $37 on Friday and $39 after 1 p.m. on the weekends. Carts are $15.

The 10th Hole at Center Square, a 378-yard Par 4

Although overcast, drizzling and extremely humid and muggy when we teed off at #1, the day turned out to be pretty nice as the sun finally popped through on the back nine. Coming off my lackluster performance at Rock Manor, I was hoping for a little bit more from my game at Center Square. And did I get it! I played well from the tee, generally finding the fairway. When I didn't, my course management kept me from posting a big number. My ball striking was the best it has been this year; I hit several greens in regulation. The new TaylorMade r7 irons are allowing me to get the ball in the air with great distance, whether from the tee, fairway or rough. My short game allowed me to get up-and-down when I needed it. The only down side again was my putting. I still three-putted too many greens. I did manage to make four pars, including two of the three Par 5s. It all added up to a 90, my lowest score ever on a course of Par 70 or higher! In fact, I missed a putt of about seven feet on the 18th hole which would have given me an 89!

Center Square Scorecard

Following the round, my golfing buddy Ken and I enjoyed delicious sandwiches and beverages, while catching a few innings of the Phillies game in Center Square's Champs Sports Bar.

A view of the clubhouse, Champs Sports Bar and the 18th green from the 13th tee

A few additional views of Center Square Golf Course:

The 3rd Hole, a 160-yard Par 3

The 5th green is protected by a large bunker

The 8th Hole is a 388-yard dogleg left

The 9th Hole from the tee box

The 187-yard Par 14th Hole.
The power lines do not come into play.

The tee marker for the 16th Hole, a short Par 4

The downhill 15th fairway from the 16th tee box

The 18th Hole, a 133-yard Par 3 over water

The view of the back nine from the 18th tee

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