GOLFWEEK's Philly Metro 2018 Tour Plays Many Private Courses

[PoconoGolfer]

A major snow-storm up here today but the sun is shining on a great season of competitive golf ahead! The Philly Metro branch of the national GOLFWEEK Amateur Tour has put together an incredible schedule this year - more private courses than ever before - and the season starts end of April, by which time we should be away from winter! You can see their schedule here:

 

http://www.amateurgolftour.net/philly_tour_pages/schedule.asp

 

The National Membership allows members like me to play anywhere in the country - and some great courses - simply by signing up and paying that tournament's entry fee. A National Membership is (for the most part) about $119 and early-bird prices are as low as $79 to jin - which from my personal experience is way less than the GC Am Tour. BTW the biggest difference between the 2 tours is that while GC Am Tour plays limited local schedules and has a lot of (expensive) national events, the GOLWEEK Tour has a full local schedule in each market and 1 huge national event in October in the Hilton Head area, which attracts close to 1,000 golfers in 5 flights.

 

Each local GOLFWEEK tour is run a bit differently; some pay VISA gift-card prizes and some do use merchandise cards. The Philly area tour is strictly 100% VISA gift-cards which frankly I like and most guys have enough equipment and want the $$$$$$!

 

The big draw for me is the great - I mean fantastic - private member courses we get to play on and also many offer us a pre-tournament practice round at a very low rate. In 2018 this tour has 10 different private member-courses on the schedule and 3 resort courses.

 

Opening Day is at The Ridge At Back Brook which is a Tom Fazio gem in Ringoes, NJ not too far from New Hope, PA. An exclusive private course, it has an incredible clubhouse as well and the tour members are treated like "members for the day" by the club with access to all the food and bar service and locker rooms. Tour members are welcomed throughout the season by the golf courses, many of which this tour has been playing for many consecutive years.

 

I've placed on both GC Am Tour and GOLFWEEK and have found the GOLFWEEK Tour experience to be far and above any other tour in our area.

[mmckee02]

Lots of really solid options on the schedule. Here's my take on a few:

 

Ridge at Back Brook - Standard modern Faz course, not the highlight of the schedule but worth seeing

Forsgate Banks - RUN to see this course. The best greens you will see this year on the tour, without a doubt

Philmont North - Really good Willie Park Jr. course that keeps getting better as the club continues to remove trees and do restoration work

White Manor - Well restored by Bobby Weed, absolutely worth going to see. Conditioning is typically excellent

Brookside - Cool, classic golf course that needs tree removal to become next level. Great land movement, worth seeing but not the highlight of your year

Manufacturers - Far and away the best golf course you will see in the rotation. William Flynn design with great restoration work done by Forse/Nagle in recent years. Mannies absolutely has the second best set of Par 3's in GAP behind Pine Valley. Don't skip the showers afterwards, they are ALL AMERICAN flow and pressure from a 12" pie plate that is bolted together like the end of a high pressure water line. They need a lifeguard in the locker room more than the pool, someone could literally drown in these showers if they're not careful. I've debated joining the club as a social member just for the showers alone.

 

Anyways, that's my .02

[Benzo]

Great tour and it’s run first class by Jeff. Lots of great courses and the majority of play days are Saturdays.

 

It offsets GAP events nicely

[eagles1]

Lots of really solid options on the schedule. Here's my take on a few:

 

Ridge at Back Brook - Standard modern Faz course, not the highlight of the schedule but worth seeing

Forsgate Banks - RUN to see this course. The best greens you will see this year on the tour, without a doubt

Philmont North - Really good Willie Park Jr. course that keeps getting better as the club continues to remove trees and do restoration work

White Manor - Well restored by Bobby Weed, absolutely worth going to see. Conditioning is typically excellent

Brookside - Cool, classic golf course that needs tree removal to become next level. Great land movement, worth seeing but not the highlight of your year

Manufacturers - Far and away the best golf course you will see in the rotation. William Flynn design with great restoration work done by Forse/Nagle in recent years. Mannies absolutely has the second best set of Par 3's in GAP behind Pine Valley. Don't skip the showers afterwards, they are ALL AMERICAN flow and pressure from a 12" pie plate that is bolted together like the end of a high pressure water line. They need a lifeguard in the locker room more than the pool, someone could literally drown in these showers if they're not careful. I've debated joining the club as a social member just for the showers alone.

 

Anyways, that's my .02

 

Interesting assessment of the Ridge at Back Brook.

 

I think it is by FAR the best course on the list. Manny's is nice - but they don't belong in the same category.

[Benzo]

Agree Eagles1.

 

The ridge is first class...range, clubhouse, conditions, layout. Definetly an all star track, and with a huge initiation to join it and play, i feel this is a good time to play it for under $200

[Noles]

Definitely a nice list of courses. I agree with some others that you are overrating Manny's. Also I know that some are claiming that Flynn did not design Philmont North (been claiming this since the 90's) bit I still don't buy it. Flynn is all over that course in the bunkering and the green complexes.

[mmckee02]

Lots of really solid options on the schedule. Here's my take on a few:

 

Ridge at Back Brook - Standard modern Faz course, not the highlight of the schedule but worth seeing

Forsgate Banks - RUN to see this course. The best greens you will see this year on the tour, without a doubt

Philmont North - Really good Willie Park Jr. course that keeps getting better as the club continues to remove trees and do restoration work

White Manor - Well restored by Bobby Weed, absolutely worth going to see. Conditioning is typically excellent

Brookside - Cool, classic golf course that needs tree removal to become next level. Great land movement, worth seeing but not the highlight of your year

Manufacturers - Far and away the best golf course you will see in the rotation. William Flynn design with great restoration work done by Forse/Nagle in recent years. Mannies absolutely has the second best set of Par 3's in GAP behind Pine Valley. Don't skip the showers afterwards, they are ALL AMERICAN flow and pressure from a 12" pie plate that is bolted together like the end of a high pressure water line. They need a lifeguard in the locker room more than the pool, someone could literally drown in these showers if they're not careful. I've debated joining the club as a social member just for the showers alone.

 

Anyways, that's my .02

 

Interesting assessment of the Ridge at Back Brook.

 

I think it is by FAR the best course on the list. Manny's is nice - but they don't belong in the same category.

 

Ridge has the most eye candy and amenities of all the courses on the list...if you're into that sort of thing, then rate it higher.

 

Looking specifically at architecture though, I disagree.

[mmckee02]

Definitely a nice list of courses. I agree with some others that you are overrating Manny's. Also I know that some are claiming that Flynn did not design Philmont North (been claiming this since the 90's) bit I still don't buy it. Flynn is all over that course in the bunkering and the green complexes.

 

There is zero written evidence of Flynn ever stepping foot on the property at Philmont. There is an overwhelming amount of written evidence that Willie Park Jr. did the golf course however.

[rahatbmc]

Definitely a nice list of courses. I agree with some others that you are overrating Manny's. Also I know that some are claiming that Flynn did not design Philmont North (been claiming this since the 90's) bit I still don't buy it. Flynn is all over that course in the bunkering and the green complexes.

 

There is zero written evidence of Flynn ever stepping foot on the property at Philmont. There is an overwhelming amount of written evidence that Willie Park Jr. did the golf course however.

 

Philmont no longer credits Flynn with designing the North Course.

 

From the Philmont website:

 

Starting out with just 9 holes Philmont has grown to 36 holes of golf, named the South Course and the North Course. Even though there may have be some controversial discussions on who the original course designers were, history shows that the designer for the South course was John Reid, with future revisions conducted by Hugh Wilson (1913), Willie Park Jr. (1923), and William F. Gordon. John Reid also designed the original layouts at Atlantic City, Wilmington Country Club and Lancaster Country Club. The North Course was designed by Willie Park Jr., and revisions were led by William F. Gordon. Willie Park Jr. designed the famous Olympia Fields Country Club in Chicago, IL, host of the 2003 US OPEN, along with Maidstone Club (Top 100 Course), and SunningdalexOld Course) (Golf Digest Top 100 World Rankings) in England.

[mmckee02]

Definitely a nice list of courses. I agree with some others that you are overrating Manny's. Also I know that some are claiming that Flynn did not design Philmont North (been claiming this since the 90's) bit I still don't buy it. Flynn is all over that course in the bunkering and the green complexes.

 

There is zero written evidence of Flynn ever stepping foot on the property at Philmont. There is an overwhelming amount of written evidence that Willie Park Jr. did the golf course however.

 

Philmont no longer credits Flynn with designing the North Course.

 

From the Philmont website:

 

Starting out with just 9 holes Philmont has grown to 36 holes of golf, named the South Course and the North Course. Even though there may have be some controversial discussions on who the original course designers were, history shows that the designer for the South course was John Reid, with future revisions conducted by Hugh Wilson (1913), Willie Park Jr. (1923), and William F. Gordon. John Reid also designed the original layouts at Atlantic City, Wilmington Country Club and Lancaster Country Club. The North Course was designed by Willie Park Jr., and revisions were led by William F. Gordon. Willie Park Jr. designed the famous Olympia Fields Country Club in Chicago, IL, host of the 2003 US OPEN, along with Maidstone Club (Top 100 Course), and SunningdalexOld Course) (Golf Digest Top 100 World Rankings) in England.

 

The Gordons were students of Flynn, which is why some may "see Flynn" when playing there.

[eagles1]

Lots of really solid options on the schedule. Here's my take on a few:

 

Ridge at Back Brook - Standard modern Faz course, not the highlight of the schedule but worth seeing

Forsgate Banks - RUN to see this course. The best greens you will see this year on the tour, without a doubt

Philmont North - Really good Willie Park Jr. course that keeps getting better as the club continues to remove trees and do restoration work

White Manor - Well restored by Bobby Weed, absolutely worth going to see. Conditioning is typically excellent

Brookside - Cool, classic golf course that needs tree removal to become next level. Great land movement, worth seeing but not the highlight of your year

Manufacturers - Far and away the best golf course you will see in the rotation. William Flynn design with great restoration work done by Forse/Nagle in recent years. Mannies absolutely has the second best set of Par 3's in GAP behind Pine Valley. Don't skip the showers afterwards, they are ALL AMERICAN flow and pressure from a 12" pie plate that is bolted together like the end of a high pressure water line. They need a lifeguard in the locker room more than the pool, someone could literally drown in these showers if they're not careful. I've debated joining the club as a social member just for the showers alone.

 

Anyways, that's my .02

 

Interesting assessment of the Ridge at Back Brook.

 

I think it is by FAR the best course on the list. Manny's is nice - but they don't belong in the same category.

 

Ridge has the most eye candy and amenities of all the courses on the list...if you're into that sort of thing, then rate it higher.

 

Looking specifically at architecture though, I disagree.

 

Don't know what "eye candy" means or "your sort of thing".

 

From Golf Digest:

• (1) Pine Valley G.C. (6th hole pictured above) •
  
• (2) Baltusrol G.C. (Lower), Springfield •
  
• (3) Baltusrol G.C. (Upper), Springfield •
  
• (5) Somerset Hills C.C., Bernardsville •
  
• (4) Plainfield C.C., Edison •
  
• (6) Ridgewood C.C. (East/West), Paramus
  
• (7) Galloway National G.C. ≈
  
• (9) Bayonne G.C. ≈
  
• (8) Liberty National G.C., Jersey City
  
• (16) Mountain Ridge C.C., West Caldwell
  
• (12) The Ridge at Back Brook, Ringoes
  
• (10) Essex County C.C., West Orange
  
• (11) Trump National G.C., Bedminster (Old)
  
• (14) Metedeconk National G.C. (1st/3rd), Jackson
  
• (17) Hollywood G.C. Deal
  
• (13) Hidden Creek G.C., Egg Harbor Township
  
• (18) Trump National G.C., Bedminster (New)
  
• (15) Hamilton Farm G.C. (Highlands), Gladstone
  
• (19) Forsgate C.C. (Banks), Monroe Township
  

Pretty good "eye candy" company it is in. And yes, in terms of the all golf courses listed above, I am into that "sort of thing".

[mmckee02]

Typically Fazio courses get good rankings, especially with GD panelists. They tend to focus more on challenge and the ambiance along with the architecture of the golf course.

 

Looking at a handful of Fazio's Jersey courses, Galloway, Trump Bedminster Old, Trump Bedmister New, Trump Philly and Back Brook are all too similar for me to appreciate them independently. Thats why I called it a "standard fazio course" in my OP. They are all good, but none jump out at me as superior.

 

If you prefer modern over classic, have at it.

 

Mark

[eagles1]

Typically Fazio courses get good rankings, especially with GD panelists. They tend to focus more on challenge and the ambiance along with the architecture of the golf course.

 

Looking at a handful of Fazio's Jersey courses, Galloway, Trump Bedminster Old, Trump Bedmister New, Trump Philly and Back Brook are all too similar for me to appreciate them independently. Thats why I called it a "standard fazio course" in my OP. They are all good, but none jump out at me as superior.

 

If you prefer modern over classic, have at it.

 

Mark

 

I will concur with you on one thing - Manny's has the best showers on the planet.

[TrendingLower2]

Typically Fazio courses get good rankings, especially with GD panelists. They tend to focus more on challenge and the ambiance along with the architecture of the golf course.

 

Looking at a handful of Fazio's Jersey courses, Galloway, Trump Bedminster Old, Trump Bedmister New, Trump Philly and Back Brook are all too similar for me to appreciate them independently. Thats why I called it a "standard fazio course" in my OP. They are all good, but none jump out at me as superior.

 

If you prefer modern over classic, have at it.

 

Mark

 

I will concur with you on one thing - Manny's has the best showers on the planet.

 

The showers at The Ridge are terrible, but course conditions always very good. Architecture/modern vs classic is in the eye of the beholder.

[BRS2014]

Typically Fazio courses get good rankings, especially with GD panelists. They tend to focus more on challenge and the ambiance along with the architecture of the golf course.

 

Looking at a handful of Fazio's Jersey courses, Galloway, Trump Bedminster Old, Trump Bedmister New, Trump Philly and Back Brook are all too similar for me to appreciate them independently. Thats why I called it a "standard fazio course" in my OP. They are all good, but none jump out at me as superior.

 

If you prefer modern over classic, have at it.

 

Mark

 

I agree with you about The Ridge. Over rated golf course as is the case with most of Fazio's other NJ courses that I've played (Trump New & Galloway) in my opinion.

[Benzo]

Typically Fazio courses get good rankings, especially with GD panelists. They tend to focus more on challenge and the ambiance along with the architecture of the golf course.

 

Looking at a handful of Fazio's Jersey courses, Galloway, Trump Bedminster Old, Trump Bedmister New, Trump Philly and Back Brook are all too similar for me to appreciate them independently. Thats why I called it a "standard fazio course" in my OP. They are all good, but none jump out at me as superior.

 

If you prefer modern over classic, have at it.

 

Mark

 

I agree with you about The Ridge. Over rated golf course as is the case with most of Fazio's other NJ courses that I've played (Trump New & Galloway) in my opinion.

wow. Literally the only person I’ve ever heard say Gallaway was overrated

[mmckee02]

Regarding Galloway, I wish they were able to build the 11th hole as originally intended towards 12 tee. The placement of the green at a 90 degree turn from the layup area feels forced and awkward. Otherwise they have a solid set of 5's.

[PoconoGolfer]

Philmont Country Club just opened a new 18th hole on The North Course, finally a great finish on this classic course. They used the old practice chipping green behind driving range as the new 18th green location, so it's a dogleg right. We'll get to see it next month (and get to play a practice round as well). Kudos to

mmckee02

 

 

for sorting out the debate on who should be credited with the design of the golf course. It is unclear if Flynn was involved on site but some think he was consulted.

[1Dumbscreenname]

Philmont Country Club just opened a new 18th hole on The North Course, finally a great finish on this classic course. They used the old practice chipping green behind driving range as the new 18th green location, so it's a dogleg right. We'll get to see it next month (and get to play a practice round as well). Kudos to

mmckee02

 

 

for sorting out the debate on who should be credited with the design of the golf course. It is unclear if Flynn was involved on site but some think he was consulted.

 

 

This is partially true, yes they did relocate 18th green to where the old practice green was, however to preserve the history of the 18th green and it’s original design, they actually scalped (8” or so) the old 18th green and then relocated to the new location thus preserving its original design. I can’t wait to play it this year on the golf week tour.

[PoconoGolfer]

We had a great event at The Ridge At Back Brook in late April and the course could not have been more welcoming to our group - remember it's a Saturday! - the course was in good shape though the greens (like everywhere else in our area) had not fully recovered from arification since its been so cold - but still very playable.We had 88 tour members tee it up at The Ridge.

 

Our next event at the Forsgate Country Club's banks Course was held on a Monday May 12th but still 88 players came out to experience this historic venue. What a cool place and a real slice of golf history from an architecture standpoint. If you ever get a chance to play at Forsgate do so!

 

This Saturday we'll be at Philmont's North Course and I am looking forward to seeing the re-designed 18th hole and all of the new bunkering on the golf course. I am going to get a preview tomorrow because GOLFWEEK Tour members are allowed to schedule a practice round at most of the private courses we play on. I will give a review of what I see.

[Benzo]

Our buddy won the first two events...heard the changes at philmont are awesome.