Golf in Northern Philly Suburbia?

[nybluebird]

Title says it all. I may be relocating to the area, and will be spending some time looking at houses. I may send the wife out by herself to look at some, and I'll hit the links. She has a brother in Lansdale, but he doesn't play. We would be looking from Lansdale on North and West. Help a brother out, thanks.

[Bonneville85308]

Lederach or Center Square would be my first choices in that area. Also Fox Hollow a bit to the north.

[hark114]

There are some nice course in the area. Bella Vista, Glen Mills, Turtle Creek, Ravens Claw. Mainland in a nice course but it is short. I think it plays about 6300 from the tips.

[nybluebird]

Cool beans , thanks. Anyone else?

[PGA_09]

Are you looking to join a club or for public access?

Public:
Those mentioned above
Limekiln
Pinecrest


Private:
Talamore
Squires
Commonwealth National
Blue Bell
Lulu is private but allows you to play up to seven rounds as an unaccompanied guest

[cristphoto]

Earlier this year I played a course called Makefield Highlands. It was about a half hour north of Philadelphia just off interstate 95. Real nice layout in good shape.

[nybluebird]

Thanks gentlemen (and ladies). Looking much more likely that we are in fact heading to the area. Looking forward to playing some new tracks!

[Pert1862]

[quote name='PGA_09' timestamp='1402455076' post='9470941']
Are you looking to join a club or for public access?

Public:
Those mentioned above
Limekiln
Pinecrest


Private:
Talamore
Squires
Commonwealth National
Blue Bell
Lulu is private but allows you to play up to seven rounds as an unaccompanied guest
[/quote]

What course is lulu?

[Bonneville85308]

Lu Lu Country Club...Donald Ross design. Not sure how you'd describe the location but it's sort of Glenside, right next to Manufacturers CC. Was a private course that fell on hard times a few years back and now allows limited public play. I played it last summer and really liked the design. I think I paid around $60 on a weekday. Google it.

[Temple23]

Keeping relatively close access in mind, my reco would be Bella Vista, Turtle Creek, Ravens Claw, Jeffersonville, 5 Ponds. Just over the bridge in South Jersey -- Riverwinds.

[hark114]

The best public course in the area is glen mills. You also have the course down the jersey shore which is only a little over an hour away. You also have white clay creek which is in Delaware which is also about an hour away.

[nybluebird]

Wow, lots of suggestions! Never thought of Philly burbs as a golf Mecca, lol. Hope I'm wrong, and it appears I just may be. Looking forward to playing these and others. We are in the VERY beginning stages of looking for a house, it's complicated.....we have a couple of horses. We will be looking at homes likely in the Quakertown area, as I have 2 rug rats from a previous marriage that live in Princeton NJ, and I need to be as close to them as I can.
Thanks again for all the courses, much appreciated :-)

[OReilly]

For the Quakertown area you have plenty of options. Your only 40 mintes from Center City and 25 minutes from Allentown. Go on Golfnow and put in PA and look at the Lehigh Valley Area and you'll see 6-7 choices right around quakertown and within 30 minutes.

[nybluebird]

[quote name='OReilly' timestamp='1403550885' post='9559761']
For the Quakertown area you have plenty of options. Your only 40 mintes from Center City and 25 minutes from Allentown. Go on Golfnow and put in PA and look at the Lehigh Valley Area and you'll see 6-7 choices right around quakertown and within 30 minutes.
[/quote]

Will do, thanks. Love me some golfnow deals. I will however, miss my home course....Ballyowen in northern Jersey. Ranked #1 public in NJ.

[OzzDOA]

Bensalem, Hickory Valley, Broad Run and Skippack are others. Wasn't too impressed with Makefield Highlands, nice course but I didn't think it was worth the $85.

[Mr. Herbert]

[quote name='OReilly' timestamp='1403550885' post='9559761']
For the Quakertown area you have plenty of options. Your only 40 mintes from Center City and 25 minutes from Allentown. Go on Golfnow and put in PA and look at the Lehigh Valley Area and you'll see 6-7 choices right around quakertown and within 30 minutes.
[/quote]

If you can get from center city to Quakertown in 40 minutes, I'll eat my hat.

[Temple23]

That was hilarious...!

[cristphoto]

[quote name='OzzDOA' timestamp='1404222681' post='9615029']
Bensalem, Hickory Valley, Broad Run and Skippack are others. Wasn't too impressed with Makefield Highlands, nice course but I didn't think it was worth the $85.
[/quote]

Did you play Makefield Highlands on a weekend? I'm a senior and played on a weekday. I don't recall what I paid but $85 is above my budget for a course I've never heard of (I was coming back from Trenton and wanted to slip in a round on the way home to the DC area).

[Philly Golf Guy]

As others have said, Lederach is the best public course option in the Lansdale area. Philly's public course scene is a good one and there are many quality options. I review and rank the area's courses and Lederach is up there for me: [url="http://bestphillygolf.blogspot.com"]http://bestphillygolf.blogspot.com[/url]

[sjpaster]

Also, if you're looking to get on some private courses, check out https://www.pgnplus.com/

They are a new site, but offering tee times at some private courses. Hope they keep growing!

[OzzDOA]

[quote name='cristphoto' timestamp='1404422377' post='9633005']
Did you play Makefield Highlands on a weekend? I'm a senior and played on a weekday. I don't recall what I paid but $85 is above my budget for a course I've never heard of (I was coming back from Trenton and wanted to slip in a round on the way home to the DC area).
[/quote]

Yup, weekend mid-morning.

[TKD24]

Of the public tracks in the area, I'm a big fan of Lederach. Bella Vista is a decent track as well, and you can find some great deals there for around $35-40 on a weekday morning before 9:30am or something like that. Glen Mills is one of the higher rated public tracks, but it will be a bit of a drive for you.

Immediate to the Lansdale area you'll find plenty of public courses like Pinecrest, 5 Ponds, and Limekiln, all of which offer membership options. They all get pretty backed up on weekends though. I haven't played any of them in almost a year now, but the last time I played a weekend round at 5 Ponds, it took about 5 hours 15-30 minutes.

[mesquite2]

[quote name='TKD24' timestamp='1404926002' post='9667269']
Of the public tracks in the area, I'm a big fan of Lederach. Bella Vista is a decent track as well, and you can find some great deals there for around $35-40 on a weekday morning before 9:30am or something like that. Glen Mills is one of the higher rated public tracks, but it will be a bit of a drive for you.

Immediate to the Lansdale area you'll find plenty of public courses like Pinecrest, 5 Ponds, and Limekiln, all of which offer membership options. They all get pretty backed up on weekends though. I haven't played any of them in almost a year now, but the last time I played a weekend round at 5 Ponds, it took about 5 hours 15-30 minutes.
[/quote] Same for River Winds, played there last week, took about 5:20, rough was 4-5 inches all over the course, around the greens it was impossible to get out of the stuff. No rangers at all on a pretty difficult course, I'll NEVER go back there.

[rsh0308]

+1 for Jeffersonville, mentioned earlier. Donald Ross course, $29 to walk 18 on weekdays before 2, cheaper after. Pretty no-frills clubhouse/grill but I love playing there.

[OzzDOA]

I don't know why Lederach is always so hyped up. I go there and remember why I hadn't gone in a couple of years. Tee to green is not so bad, some of the holes are a little gimmicky but the greens....The greens are pretty big and have so many undulations that even 10-15 footers have a very good chance of going off down a slope and having another 10-15 footer to deal with. And as a matter of course they always cut the hole in a location that forces you to deal with all the undulations unless you are within 10 feet. It is the only place where I have decided chipping with a wedge from 30 feet on the green was a better play than using the putter.

[TKD24]

[quote name='OzzDOA' timestamp='1405620902' post='9721813']
I don't know why Lederach is always so hyped up. I go there and remember why I hadn't gone in a couple of years. Tee to green is not so bad, some of the holes are a little gimmicky but the greens....The greens are pretty big and have so many undulations that even 10-15 footers have a very good chance of going off down a slope and having another 10-15 footer to deal with. And as a matter of course they always cut the hole in a location that forces you to deal with all the undulations unless you are within 10 feet. It is the only place where I have decided chipping with a wedge from 30 feet on the green was a better play than using the putter.
[/quote]

100% agree with you on this. Although, I still don't mind the track (because of the tee to green), but you are spot on re: the super gimmicky greens. The slopes they put on these things might as well be moguls. And they definitely, more often than not, cut the hole right on that slope.

[atlambert2]

[quote name='nybluebird' timestamp='1403701339' post='9573125']
[quote name='OReilly' timestamp='1403550885' post='9559761']
For the Quakertown area you have plenty of options. Your only 40 mintes from Center City and 25 minutes from Allentown. Go on Golfnow and put in PA and look at the Lehigh Valley Area and you'll see 6-7 choices right around quakertown and within 30 minutes.
[/quote]

Will do, thanks. Love me some golfnow deals. I will however, miss my home course....Ballyowen in northern Jersey. Ranked #1 public in NJ.
[/quote]

5 ponds for sure, and IMO makefield highlands is well worth the money. Pinecrest is nice, but a tight layout. Also, its what most on here would consider a "crappy muni" (probably cause it is) but I really enjoy Fairways Golf Club in Warrington. Greens are in terrible shape, but the fairways, fittingly enough, are always in nice shape. Its never crowded, easy to walk, and cheap. its short, par 65, 4500 yards, so I usually try to once a month go out and walk/play an "irons only rounds" there. Good way to get some practice in

[Fore_Putt]

[quote name='OzzDOA' timestamp='1404222681' post='9615029']Bensalem, Hickory Valley, Broad Run and Skippack are others. Wasn't too impressed with Makefield Highlands, nice course but I didn't think it was worth the $85.[/quote]

My thoughts exactly about makefield highlands. If it were half the price I would play there more. But at basically $90, I'll go elsewhere.

There's a course in hatfield, which is 5 min from lansdale and about 10-15 from quakertown that is great bargain course. It's called twin woods. It's not the most challenging course, but I find myself playing there over and over. It's a 9 hole course that's always in good shape and only $15 for unlimited rounds after 3pm. You can find early birds on golfnow** for like $7 for 18 holes. I threw this in cause all the popular choices were named

[ephmen]

Philly Cricket: 45 holes of great golf which includes a 9 holer perfect for the family.

[lefty-golfer]

love this site, only here can you go from Twin Woods to Philly Cricket in back to back posts...there couldn't be 2 more different worlds.