Association welcomes 11 new Member Clubs in 2010 |
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After its former ownership, Creek Course, LLC, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September 2008, Back Creek GC is now under a new management regime. It bolts back onto the Association’s course after spending 2009 nestled inside the clubhouse.
Back Creek GC is a par 71 layout that measures 7,200 yards from the championship tees. During the offseason, it underwent significant renovations and upgrades.
Founding owner Allen Liddicoat hired architect David E. Horne to design Back Creek, which opened in 1997 in Middletown, Del. It features large, fast greens with multiple hole locations and a barren links-style. Trees only come into play on three holes, and ponds are a factor on six holes. The course weaves through a housing development and presents a view of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal.
In 1999, Golfweek ranked Back Creek GC 98th in its list of “America’s 100 Best Modern Courses.” The club is open to the public. Aside from golf, it also offers a full restaurant and tavern, meeting facilities and a pro shop.
Back Creek GC hosted the Association’s Caddie Tournament in 2007 and Four-Man Team in 2008.
Bidermann Golf Club
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“We are excited to become full members of the Golf Association of Philadelphia and its long commitment to the game of golf,” General Manager Paula Kelly said. “Our members are looking forward to enjoying the privileges of membership, including participation in Team Matches and other competitions during the year.”
Bidermann GC was originally the 9-hole private course of Henry Francis du Pont at his home estate of Winterthur. Du Pont, the club’s only member, hired architect Devereux Emmet to build him a course on his property.
In 1963, du Pont was approached by his cousin and Bidermann’s founding member, George Weymouth, who believed that there was a need for a small, intimate club devoted solely to golf. Du Pont had enough land to complete a 15-hole course, but needed more property to finish a full 18-hole course and to have a place for a locker room and dining.
So, he turned to his cousin, close friend and avid golfer Emily du Pont, who was able to provide the remaining property to complete the course and surrounding facility. Bidermann GC officially opened on July 4, 1965. In the beginning, there was only one club rule: “ball must be lifted from any flower bed and dropped no nearer hole without penalty.” This remained the only club rule because Weymouth was insistent that given the size and quality of the membership, rules were unnecessary.
Architect Dick Wilson designed the course on a 300-acre site. In the golf realm, Wilson, an understudy of the iconic Bill Flynn and Howard Toomey, was considered one of the best architects of the post-World War II era. He designed 74 golf courses, including Cog Hill G&CC’s Dubsdread Course in Lemont, Ill. and Pine Green GC in Boynton Beach, Fla., a track that Ben Hogan once called “the best I have ever seen.” Bidermann is a traditional style course, with native grasslands separating each golf hole. It was renovated and restored in 2006. That restoration continues with the course’s fairway bunkers.
In 1977, Bidermann GC merged with Vicmead Hunt Club to provide a full-service country club. In addition to an 18-hole golf course, its features include a driving range, putting green, chipping green, long range practice green, men’s and women’s locker rooms, pro shop and a farmhouse with terrace dining.
Aronimink GC’s R. Jay Sigel began his record Open Championship run at Bidermann GC in 1975. Sigel carded a remarkable 7-under-par 137 and won the tournament by an astonishing 12 strokes. He fired nine birdies and an eagle on the day. A professional didn’t even break par on the scorecard.
Golden Pheasant Golf Club
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“My thoughts can be described in two words: opportunity and exposure,” Paul Capri, the club’s general manager and superintendent, said. “The opportunity is for the members of the Golden Pheasant Golf Association to compete against other GAP member courses, whether that is at home or away. The exposure is to have players from other member courses to discover and experience what the Golden Pheasant Golf Club has to offer and that it is a truly relaxed and enjoyable golf experience.”
Golden Pheasant GC’s first nine holes opened in 1962 and an additional nine were unveiled the following year. The course sits in a predominantly agricultural area of Burlington County. The majority of Golden Pheasant’s property is located in Lumberton Township, but a small portion is in Medford Township.
Creeks can be found at Golden Pheasant GC. The Rancocas Creek borders the course’s west side, and “Little Creek” cuts right through it.
“These creek basins have carved out the terrain here, allowing for some elevation change that makes the golden pheasant unique to South Jersey,” Capri said.
Eleven holes feature elevation changes that create a variety of lies. Capri considers No. 8 — an elevated, 180-yard par 3 — to be Golden Pheasant’s signature hole. It presents a tee to green elevation change of approximately 40 ft. Water comes into play directly off the front of the tee then borders the left side off the green. There is also a small pond to the right of the green.
Renovations have occurred throughout Golden Pheasant GC’s history. The first three holes underwent alterations in the late 1960s/early 70s. The current clubhouse was built in 1972. Golden Pheasant changed its final nine holes in the early 1990s to alleviate congestion between Nos. 13, 14 and 16. In the process, the 13th green and 16th were relocated.
“These changes make for a much more interesting back nine,” Capri said.
In 2001, the Cave family purchased Golden Pheasant GC from its founding owners, Carmen Capri, Harry DeRidder and Charles Lepre. Since then, more renovations have taken place. They include full renovations of the men’s and women’s locker rooms, reconstruction of the No. 9 and No. 18 tees, renovation of the retaining wall on the No. 12 tee, and the addition of bunkers to the golf course.
And further changes rest ahead, according to Capri. Golden Pheasant, under Stephen Kay’s consultation, is looking to add nine holes as well as a new clubhouse on an adjacent property, Capri said. Club officials aren’t certain when the project will be completed.
“Although we continue to work with the state of New Jersey and have invested a sizeable amount of money on the permitting process, progress has been very slow,” Capri said.
Finally, Capri is also “assessing the feasibility of adding a 10-stall driving range” this year. In addition to the course itself, Golden Pheasant offers furnished locker rooms, pro shop, small practice area and a restaurant with a banquet facility. The club is semi-private with available memberships. James Bergen is the head professional.
Golden Pheasant organizes friendly competitions among its membership from April to September, according to Capri. It will conduct its 40th Annual Member/Guest in June. The club aims to cultivate an inviting environment for golf lovers and newcomers alike.
“By far the best attribute of the Golden Pheasant Golf Club is the friendly attitude of its clientele and its staff alike,” Capri said. “This is not a course where you come to the pro shop and you are made to feel like you are bothering the staff by showing up. We strive to make everyone feel welcome, whether it is the first or the 50th you have played the golf club.”
Limekiln Golf Club
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“We’ve entered two teams in the GAP Team Matches this year,” General Manager Robin Roberts said. “Our Associate Member program has over 300 members. These members receive a discount every time they play, a handicap, and starting this season, full membership with the Golf Association of Philadelphia.”
Formerly known as Oak Park, Limekiln GC was purchased in 1966 by a group of 20 business owners, which included famous Philadelphia Phillies Robin Roberts and Curt Simmons. Alex Duncan, a former head professional at Philadelphia Cricket Club, designed Oak Park’s 18-hole course in late 1930s. It was completely rebuilt and renamed soon after the new ownership took over. New greens, tees, fairways and an irrigation system were installed.
Over the years, Roberts and Simmons became Limekiln’s majority owners. Simmons managed the course following his retirement from baseball in 1967. Twenty years later, Limekiln acquired additional acreage and added nine holes to the course layout. It currently boasts three nine-hole courses: Red, White and Blue.
Limekiln’s three layouts are “all a little different from each other,” says Roberts’ son Robin, the club’s general manager. The Red course features shorter, tighter par fours and two relatively short par threes. The White and Blue courses are a combination of Limekiln’s original back nine and the nine new holes added in 1987.
“We use to say it was more like a links course because it was carved out of cornfields, and was very flat,” Roberts said. “But, the trees planted in 1987 have grown up, and White/Blue combination is the toughest of the three layouts.”
Limekiln GC is a daily-fee facility. It also features a pro shop, men’s and women’s locker rooms and a bar and grill.
Metedeconk National Golf Club
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One year later, it sheds that label by returning as a full member club.
“Metedeconk is thrilled to be back as part of such a long standing association,” Head Pro John Rutecki said. “As we all know, the GAP is extremely highly regarded within all areas of golf in America, and so for this reason, it is a great benefit for the Club and our members. We have a few members who love to play in the open competitions, which are organized by the GAP, and they will be thrilled to know that we have re-joined for the foreseeable future. For the club to be a member of both the MGA (Metropolitan Golf Association) and the GAP puts us in a unique situation that we are very proud of.”
Metedeconk National GC opened in 1987. Esteemed architects Roger Rulewich and Robert Trent Jones, Sr. designed the Jackson, N.J. track on nearly 800-acres in the upper region of the New Jersey Pinelands. Both felt inspired by the varied topography of the preserve. In fact, Metedeconk National was one of Jones’ last designs.
“With the amount of time he personally spent on site, we feel this was proven to be one of his greatest designs,” Rutecki said. “His favorite hole was the short, par 4 seventh. A player must choose either the risky route or play a more conservative tee shot to the widest part of the landing area. The conservative route creates a blind second shot, while a longer tee shot to the left of a yawning fairway bunker opens up the second shot, and provides a spectacular downhill view of the putting surface. Regardless of tee shot positioning, the approach is very demanding, as the green is protected by bunkers short and long, and a pond off the left edge.”
Rutecki considers Metedeconk National’s 27-holes to be its most unique aspect.
“Each hole has been cut from the Pinelands, each sitting individually, with its own personality and look,” he said. “All holes gel perfectly together, creating one of the best golfing experiences in the northeast. The final hole on each nine are arguably the best finishing holes around, requiring precision off the tee and an accurate second shot. Many matches are decided on these closing holes.”
Water serves as a playing hazard on seven holes. Wildlife, such as deer, foxes, muskrats and hawks, can be spotted while out on the course. Metedeconk National carries four sets of tees ranging from 5,200 to 7,200 yards.
“The club prides itself on the pure golf that is found through all three nines,” Rutecki said. “The layout and flow from hole to hole is seamless, and with three different course rotations, one can play every day and find new challenges each time they step onto the course.”
Aside from its 27-hole facility, Metedeconk National GC also boasts a 40-acre practice area that contains almost two acres of teeing ground, multiple target greens, a 10,000 square-foot putting green, and short game area that includes target greens accepting shots of up to 150 yards.
Robert Lamb Hart, a New York firm, designed Metedeconk National’s clubhouse, which opened in 1996. It features lock rooms for men and women, golf shop, three dining areas and an enclosed porch. The club also offers 2 eight-bedroom cottages available to members and their guests. Membership stands at approximately 300.
Metedeconk National GC has hosted the Metropolitan Open, the New Jersey Open and various state and NJPGA sectional events. It will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2012.
“The Club prides itself on understated elegance,” Rutecki said. “This is reflected in the course conditioning, which year over year rivals any course in the country. Metedeconk National has already established itself as one of the premiere golf clubs in the northeast.”
Middletown Country Club
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“Becoming a member club of an organization with such a prestigious history is an honor and a privilege,” Head Pro Dan Hoban said. “We value the honors and traditions of the game here at Middletown, so becoming a member is perfectly fitting because the GAP is the standard bearer for what is right and proper in our game.”
Formerly known as Langhorne Country Club, Middletown was founded in 1913 and previously existed as a basic 9-hole course at Bucks County Country Club. Architect Alexander Findlay designed the current Langhorne, Pa. track, which plays to a par 69 at 6,217 yards from the back tees. Its small greens, as well as its terrain overall, can prove undulating as several contain severe back to front slopes. Hoban further assesses what makes Middletown a challenge for players of all levels and skill.
“Several creeks and ponds make obstacles for wayward shots,” he said. “Almost all of the holes have many mature trees of different varieties framing the fairways. While there is not a wealth of bunkers, those that a golfer might find are deep and large.”
Middletown is a public course that has welcomed well-known players throughout its history. In 1941, host professional Al MacDonald and Huntingdon Valley CC Head Pro Joe Kirkwood, Sr. defeated Jimmy Thomson and Ben Hogan, 1-up, in a PGA Golf Week event. Other exhibitions known to have taken place involve Vic Ghezzi, Leo Diegel, and Henry Picard.
Architect George Fazio, a former PGA Tour player who won five GAP Open Championships, was the owner of the club during the 1950s and 60s. During this time, Fazio invited Gary Player to represent Middletown during the infancy of his Hall of Fame career. Johnny Miller also played several rounds at Middletown during his time in the area; his wife was raised in nearby Hulmeville, Pa.
Owned by Middletown Township and operated by the Agro Golf Corporation, Middletown CC also offers a fully-stocked golf shop, a grill room and bar, banquet facilities and a summer swim club. It aims to create a family environment, according to Hoban.
“The atmosphere at Middletown is very much like the old motto at Cheers: ‘Everybody knows your name,’” he said. “Every newcomer that comes in the door at Middletown is treated like a guest. The constant throughout is that our staff and our guests truly have fun each and every day.”
PineCrest Country Club
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“It’s great to be a full member club,” Gerard Davis, the club’s head professional, said. “I’m looking forward to it.”
Architect Ron Prichard, whose résumé includes the Tournament Players Club in Memphis, Tenn., designed PineCrest CC, which weaves through a housing community owned by The Klein Company. The Lansdale, Pa. venue boasts a par 70 layout that measures 6,330 yards from the blue tees. A signature hole is No. 15, a 127-yard par 3 that forces players to clear water.
“It’s really a straightforward course,” Davis said. “We’re general public, but we do offer memberships,” he said. “It’s sort of like a Blue Bell (Country Club), but not as private.”
Rates range from $33-45 (with cart) Monday through Thursday, and $39-61 on weekends and holidays. Carts are mandatory on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays until 3 p.m. PineCrest CC does offer outing packages, but interested participants must have a minimum of 85 players.
Golf instruction is an integral part of PineCrest CC. Group lessons and clinics are available upon request. Each year, PineCrest offers a junior golf clinic for boys and girls ages 5-15. The program runs for five weeks from July to August. Sessions last approximately an hour and are limited to 15 golfers. Participants are accepted on a first come, first serve basis. For senior golfers, PineCrest CC offers a men’s league. Membership cost is $50.
Aside from golf, PineCrest CC carries an ample amount of amenities. The club takes pride in its elegant and sophisticated facilities that accommodate weddings, among other celebrations. It recently underwent an interior renovation. The new décor features a “mother of pearl” wall in the front foyer, silk draperies, contemporary chandeliers and new carpeting. The bridal suite has been designed as a private sanctuary with music and a remodeled full bath.
Overall, PineCrest CC finds becoming a full member club to be highly beneficial.
“We’re going to take up the course rating program,” Davis said.
Rancocas Golf Club
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“It gives our club a great chance to test ourselves against some new competition,” General Manager Andrew Derbyshire said.
Rancocas GC is a par 71 layout that measures 6,602 yards from the back tees. Designed by renowned architect Robert Trent Jones, Sr., it opened in 1966. Rancocas GC is a public course that strives to maintain its natural surroundings, Derbyshire said. He outlined what golfers can expect when they traverse Rancocas.
“The front nine is well-bunkered and requires accuracy and discipline off the tee. The back nine features rolling hills and tree-lined fairways,” Derbyshire said. “The greens are small but undulated and require 100 percent of your concentration when on them.”
Named after a local American Indian tribe, Rancocas GC, located in Willingboro, N.J., also offers a driving range, pro shop, putting greens, and a snack bar.
Reading Country Club
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“It’s been well received here,” Head Pro Tom Morgan said. “We look forward to getting more golfers involved in all of the GAP activities. The GAP Team Matches are a large part of our return.”
Reading CC is a par 71 that measures 6,162 yards from the back tees. Designed by esteemed architect Alexander Findlay, it features elegant, tree-lined fairways and tiny greens. The club became public in 2006 and earned three consecutive “Best of Berks” awards from Berks County Living magazine.
Over its 87-year history, Reading CC has produced a plethora of prominent players. Herman J. Fry won the 1974 Amateur Championship, defeating Frank Magee of Huntingdon Valley CC, 3&2, at Cedarbrook CC. Three years later, Chip Lutz took the title with a 2&1 victory over Old York Road CC’s Jack Hubbert at Manufacturers G&CC. He went on to capture two Middle-Amateur Championships and the 2008 Marston Cup. Lutz is also a nine-time Berks County Golf Association Amateur Champion. Other Reading amateurs who achieved Association success include Fred Tyler, a two-time Tournament of Champions winner and the 1993 Senior Amateur Champion, and J. Elmer Lutz, Jr., who won the 1947 Junior Boys’ Championship.
On the professional level, Byron Nelson is an integral part of Reading CC’s history. He won two Masters, the 1937 Belmont Match Play in Massachusetts and the 1939 Western Open and North & South Open. Also in 1939, Nelson defeated Craig Wood and Denny Shute in a three-way playoff to prevail in the U.S. Open at Philadelphia Country Club’s Spring Mill course.
Reading CC has hosted three Fall Net Championships, the 1996 Senior Four-Man Team, the 2001 Father & Son (Younger) and the 2002 Warner Cup (Gross).
The Club at Shannondell
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Formerly known as General Washington Golf Course, it offers an 18-hole track, which measures slightly more than 6,100 yards from the back tees. Golf Digest selected the course as one of its “Best Places to Play” in 2008-09. It features wide fairways, well-placed hazards, pitched greens and a higher-cut rough.
Aside from a golf course, The Club at Shannondell boasts an Olympic size swimming pool complete with a water slide and other water features for children. After a day of golfing or swimming, interested patrons can socialize and dine at Chadwick’s Restaurant & Bar, which offers American cuisine as well as a seasonal patio that overlooks the golf course.
Drew Hood is the director of golf operations for The Club at Shannondell.
Skippack Golf Club at Evansburg State Park
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It opened in 1960. The architectural firm Herris & Benahia designed the course. Nearly three decades after its inception, Skippack Golf Club was redesigned by X.G. Hassenplug.
The course features small, undulating greens. The back nine is filled with wooded, rolling terrain. The Zachariah Creek flows through the course and comes into play on three holes.
In 2007, new ownership took over Skippack Golf Club. Today, it offers a full service club repair and re-gripping shop, and Head Pro Darryl Lock hosts a golf academy on site. The academy offers clinics, private lessons and week-long junior camps throughout the summer. Skippack Golf Club is the host course for the Methacton High School golf team.