Rankings Mania

Best Philadelphia Area Public Courses Overall (that I’ve played) 

  • 1. Jeffersonville
  • 2. Glen Mills
  • 3. Bulle Rock
  • 4. Wyncote 
  • 5. LuLu (Mostly private now)
  • 6. White Clay Creek 
  • 7. Pilgrim’s Oak
  • 8. Lederach
  • 9. Berkleigh 
  • 10. Scotland Run
  • 10. Hershey CC West
  • 11. Inniscrone 
  • 12. Downingtown GC
  • 13. Broad Run
  • 14. Architects
  • 15. JC Melrose
  • 16. Raven’s Claw
  • 17. Morgan Hill
  • 18. Deerfield
  • 19. Iron Valley
  • 20. Running Deer

Most Difficult Courses

  • 1. Glen Mills
  • 2. Pilgrim’s Oak
  • 3. Bulle Rock
  • 4. Wyncote
  • 4. Jeffersonville
  • 5. Lederach
  • 6. Inniscrone
  • 7. White Clay Creek
  • 8. Scotland Run
  • 9. Morgan Hill
  • 10. Deerfield

Courses to take visitors from out of town

  • 1. Glen Mills
  • 2. Wyncote
  • 3. Bulle Rock
  • 4. Scotland Run
  • 5. White Clay Creek

Best Value

  • 1. Jeffersonville
  • 2. Berkleigh
  • 3. Morgan Hill 
  • 4. Inniscrone
  • 4. Five Ponds
  • 4. Pilgrim’s Oak
  • 5. Mercer Oaks
  • 6. Pennsauken
  • 7. Olde Homestead
  • 8. Bella Vista
  • 9. Iron Valley 
  • 10. Lederach

Best Jersey Shore Courses

  • 1.  ACCC
  • 2.  Hidden Creek
  • 3. Spring Lake GC
  • 4. Galloway National 
  • 5. Twisted Dune
  • 6.  Seaview – Bay
  • 7.  Ballamor
  • 8. Greate Bay
  • 9.  Pine Barrens
  • 10.  Blue Heron
  • 11.  Trump Colts Neck
  • 12.  Hominy Hill
  • 13. Eagle Ridge  

Some Favorite Local Public Par 3’s (Alphabetical)

  • ACCC (12)(15)(17)
  • Bella Vista (14) 
  • Bellewood (8) 
  • Broad Run (17) 
  • Cobbs Creek Olde (17) 
  • Deerfield (16) 
  • Downingtown (17)
  • Eagle Ridge (16)(Pines)
  • Glen Mills (14)
  • Hershey CC West (5)
  • Inniscrone (14)
  • Jeffersonville (8)
  • Lederach (16) 
  • McCall (2)(15)
  • Paxon Hollow(15)
  • Pilgrim’s Oak (8)(12)
  • Walnut Creek (5)
  • Westover (8) 

Some Favorite Local Public Par 4’s (Alphabetical)

  • ACCC (3)(16)
  • Bella Vista (8)
  • Broad Run (4)
  • Bulle Rock (18)
  • Cobbs Creek Olde (5)
  • Deerfield (5)
  • Glen Mills (2)
  • Hershey CC West (4)
  • Inniscrone (3)(9)(16)
  • Jeffersonville (1)(13)
  • Lederach (1)(6) LuLu (16)Pilgrim’s Oak (3)(11)Raven’s Clay (9)(11)Riverwinds (18)Scotland Run  (2)(16)White Clay Creek (1)(18)Wyncote (4)

Some Local Public Favorite Par 5’s (Alphabetical)
Bella Vista (10)Broad Run (1)(18)Bulle Rock (2)(15)Deerfield (10)Eagle Ridge (15) (Pines)Five Ponds (15)Glen Mills (4)Hickory Valley Presidential (17)Iron Valley (13)
Jeffersonville (5)(18)LuLu (10)Lederach (12)Makefield Highlands (7)
Paxon Hollow (18)Scotland Run (18)White Clay Creek (3)(8)Wyncote (18)

Best Driving Range/Practice Facility, Local/Public

  • 1. White Clay Creek
  • 2. Atlantic City Country Club
  • 3. Scotland Run
  • 4. Glen Mills
  • 5. LuLu
  • 6. Makefield Highlands
  • 7. Pilgrim’s Oak
  • 8. FDR
  • 9. Deerfield
  • 10. Bulle Rock
  • 11. Olde Homestead

Best Hot Dog – Public (Note, I stopped eating hotdogs +5 years ago so list has been locked)

  • 1. White Clay Creek
  • 2. Bella Vista
  • 3. Scotland Run
  • 4. Olde Homestead
  • 5. Rock Manor
  • 6. Springfield

Best Bar/Grill – Public

  • 1. ACCC 
  • 2. Scotland Run
  • 3. Downingtown GC
  • 4. Bella Vista
  • 5. Westover
  • 6. Raven’s Claw
  • 7. White Clay
  • 8. Deerfield
  • 9. Bulle Rock
  • 10. Springfield
  • 11. Olde Homestead
  • 12. Turtle Creek
  • 13. Lederach
  • 14. Iron Valley
  • 15. Broad Run
  • 16. Loch Nairn (NLE)
  • 17. Wyncote
  • 18. Paxon Hollow
  • 19. Five Ponds
  • 20. Jeffersonville

Best Courses I’ve played (Philadelphia or non-Philadelphia)

  • 1. Shinnecock Hills Golf Club
  • 2. Pine Valley
  • 3. National Golf Links of America
  • 4. Garden City GC 
  • 5. Merion East
  • 6. Oakland Hills South
  • 7. Fishers Island
  • 8. Somerset Hills 
  • 9. Pinehurst 2
  • 10. Riviera
  • 10. The Creek
  • 11. Gulph Mills
  • 11. Essex County (MA)
  • 12. St. George’s (NY)
  • 12. Piping Rock
  • 12. Plainfield
  • 13. Congaree
  • 13. Sleepy Hollow
  • 14. Wilshire
  • 14. Mid-Pines
  • 14. Meadowbrook (MI)
  • 14. Baltimore Country Club (East)
  • 15. Philadelphia Cricket Wissahickon
  • 15. Prairie Dunes
  • 16. Rolling Hills CC
  • 16. Tobacco Road
  • 16. Fox Chapel
  • 16. Old Macdonald
  • 17. Yale
  • 17. Aronimink
  • 18. Quaker Ridge
  • 18. Cape Arundel
  • 19. Pasatiempo
  • 19. Dismal River Red
  • 20. Hollywood GC
  • 20. Huntingdon Valley
  • 20. Lancaster CC
  • 21. Bethpage Black
  • 22. Hidden Creek
  • 23. Spring Lake GC
  • 24. San Gabriel CC
  • 25. Chambers Bay 
  • 25. Bandon Trails
  • 25. Meadow Brook (NY)
  • 26. Black Sheep
  • 27. Desert Forest GC
  • 28. Morris County
  • 28. Bidermann
  • 29. The Bridge
  • 29. Engineers CC
  • 30. Applebrook
  • 31. Baltusrol Lower
  • 32. Galloway National
  • 32. Manufacturers’
  • 32. Paramount
  • 33. Ridgewood
  • 34 Burning Tree
  • 35. Pinehurst 3
  • Courses I Love Even Though They Beat Me Up
  • Pine Valley (except for the front nine the first time for some reason)
  • Prairie Dunes (most of the time at least)
  • Congaree
  • NGLA
  • Merion East (that one round)
  • Riverton
  • Union League Torresdale
  • West Shore
  • Stonewall Old
  • Sweetens Cove
  • The Citrus Club
  • Wilshire
  • Fox Chapel
  • Desert Forest

One Last Round, I Spend Day There Before Never Setting Foot on a Golf Course Again

  • Merion East
  • Garden City
  • Shinnecock
  • Bandon Trails
  • Bandon Dunes
  • Rolling Hills CC
  • NGLA
  • Wilshire
  • Riviera
  • Shinnecock
  • Jeffersonville
  • Essex County (MA)

Strategy Galore

  • Wilshire
  • Riviera
  • Pinehurst 2
  • Fox Chapel
  • Old Mac
  • Chambers Bay
  • Hidden Creek
  • NGLA
  • Sweetens
  • Mid-Pines
  • Baltusrol Lower
  • Piping Rock

Courses That Should Be Talked About a Lot More

  • Rolling Hills CC
  • Inness
  • Congaree
  • Corica Park South
  • Black Sheep
  • Spring Lake
  • Lincoln Park West Skyway
  • San Gabriel
  • Black Creek
  • Somerset CC
  • Wanumetonomy
  • Morris County
  • Meadow Brook
  • Meadowbrook
  • Piping Rock