Mark Twain Golf Course (Elmira, NY)

If one enjoys Donald Ross golf courses then a trip to Elmira should be on the itinerary to see a course with a very interesting back story. 

(The uphill 185 yard eleventh has one of the most difficult greens on the course. Every par three at Mark Twain plays significantly uphill making them a fearsome set.) 

Mark Twain was designed in 1937. By this time Ross was very well known and established, so it’s quite interesting that he took on this project for the WPA. A theory I read on GCA hinted that Ross lowered his bid to win the job from RTJ who had just did a WPA project at Green Lakes Park to high reviews. 

(Who designs better short par fives than Ross? The 470 yard third green slopes from high right to low left with a bowl on the left side. Misposition your ball and strokes can add up very quickly.) 

Mark Twain is not a very sexy golf course. It literally sits on the side of a large hill. Many of the holes play longer than what is listed on the card, so it comes out swinging the moment one steps on the first tee. 

(Missing a green leaves a very tough up n down. The hill makes the putting surfaces look flatter than what they really are thus the short game requires a lot of skill.)

The greens are particularly strong with severe slopes in them. Staying below the hole is the only way to make par or birdie. 

(The 173 yard fourth is another uphill par three. It’s almost impossible to keep the ball below the hole, so two putting becomes the goal.)

(My favorite hole on the course is the 564 yard fifth. The green lays out across a plateau with the fairway tumbling left below the green side bunker. A flat area ninety yards short offers a fine place to hit a wedge.) 

Mark Twain is a municipal course owned by Elmira. It’s kept in country club conditions and the greens will surprise with both their pace and firmness. 

(The uphill 158 yard seventh reminds me a bit of the eleventh at Conewango except this green has separate levels left and right. A hidden bunker short punctuates the need to take enough club.) 

If the city renovated the bunkers, then Mark Twain would climb into the best municipal course list. It’s a strong layout that will test all your shots. There are numerous uphill, downhill, and sidehill lies to negotiate, and these greens will only accept well struck shots. I give this a 6 (very good)(worth driving two hours). Mark Twain is the highlight of public Southern Tier golf. 

(The 421 yard eighteenth plays downhill to a crease in the fairway before going uphill to another pitched green.)