Little Mountain Country Club (Concord, OH)

When I wrote about Little Mountain twelve years ago, it had just co-hosted the Ohio Open and was considered by many to be one of the best public courses in the state. Since that time, it has settled in as a solid option and is best known for being the home of Jimmy Hamlin, a golf personality who visits premier destinations with LPGA pro Natalie Gulbis.

Michael Hurzdan and Dana Fry designed Little Mountain in 2000. It features the “Hurzdan Hump” prominently to the point of redundancy. There’s at least eight greens where a ridge shows a pitched space towards the golfer with the rest of the putting surface sloping away to the rear. This rise can be in the beginning of the green, in the first third, or in the middle. It’s a maddening characteristic and you’ll see more balls skip off the back here than anywhere else.

(The 582/519 yard par five opening hole has plenty of width to advance the golfer in quick fashion but the green with its false front and runoffs will make par a good score.)

(The 366/327 yard par four third is fraught with trouble all around the green. The creek is the most feared hazard but the mounded front with the putting surface pitching away hides the real challenge. Only a well strucked iron shot will hold. A four is a good score.)

Little Mountain has gone through a few tweaks since 2014 starting with multiple bunkers being grassed over. It was a good choice from both a playability and a maintenance standpoint. Also, long grass is growing around the creek, giving it a rich texture, and slowing the water as it passes. The course looks and feels more natural than it previously did.

(The 471/447 yard par four tenth doglegs left around a deep ravine. Locals view it as a par five and play it down the right to avoid penalty strokes…

…this view shows how perched the green is, and if you compare it to the previous photo, the hump becomes apparent which can send your ball off the putting surface. For a long par four, it’s a devious green complex.)

(The 135/123 yard par three twelth is basically a short pitch shot, yet the back of the green which abuts the ravine terrifies players into making a sloppy pass. I love little par threes like this that require precision and confidence.)

Little Mountain’s reputation hinges primarily on three half par holes (10,13,18) that would be short par fives at most public courses. Each one hugs a steep ravine on the left and demands the player challenge the hazard to secure an easy par. (Regulars are happy to write 5 three times on these holes) The par threes are on the forgiving side, spare the long sixth, and the three par fives are each birdie opportunities. I still see it mentioned as a top 10 public Ohio course, but I feel it’s happy just pulling players between Cleveland and Erie. I give it a 5 (good)(worth driving an hour to play).

(The 471/452 yard par four eighteenth is one of the better finishing holes in northeast Ohio. Long hitters have the advantage of finding the speed slot and reaching the bottom of the hill…

…most players will be looking to shoot it up short of the right bunker and take their chances with a pitch n putt par. Only the longest or best players will take it over the ravine. A four is an excellent score.)

(As much as I enjoy Little Mountain, it has taken the position that it’s the best course in the area and is leading the charge with the highest greens fee (at least on Saturday morning) in the area. Because it’s 30 miles outside the city on the east side, I feel they’re insulated from the glut of municipal courses that dot the southern suburbs.)

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Pitch Shots - New Northeast Ohio Clubhouses

In a bit of an anomaly, two local municipal courses are opening clubhouses this summer, Ridgewood in Parma and Ellsworth in Hudson.

The whole new clubhouse phenomenon is usually reserved for private courses, but recently I’ve noticed that public courses are going this way too, or more precisely, municipal courses. Several years ago, Twinsburg invested in a new clubhouse, a move that was split among its residents, but it gave the city a place to host events, and in my opinion, is geared more towards the restaurant inside than golfers. Fast forward to last year where Cuyahoga Falls renovated their clubhouse at Brookledge, which honestly, would benefit tremendously from a new building, but they focused more on egress and moving players between purchasing golf and food. Even the Metroparks got into the act when they built the new clubhouse for Big Met. Everything boils down to what each city is trying to accomplish. Unfortunately, I feel Parma took Ridgewood’s new clubhouse as an opportunity to compete in the event center game. It’s a huge sterile building that required them to expand the parking lot in both directions. Like Twinsburg, it will have a pub/restaurant attached to it. They did invest a bit into the course, most notably redoing the eighteenth green (soon to the ninth when they reverse the nines) and pulling out the trees so people have a great view of the par five seventh (sixteen) and the lovely short par four ninth (eighteen). Now Hudson on the other hand put in a really wonderful clubhouse that almost competes with Lake Forest and CC of Hudson as a third, albeit public, country club. In fact, I expect the new clubhouse will make Ellsworth one of the best, if not the best, stop on our schedule at CNCGA. As I’ve gotten older, the clubhouse has become a bigger part of the golfing experience, and I expect the guys will love it!

Galen Hall Golf Club (Wernersville, PA)

As a peruser of British Isles golf, I’ve always been fascinated by the hidden gems and out of the way courses that writers gush about when they bring the little corners of each fiefdom to life. Part of my desire to blog is to find such places here in America, or at least within the landscape that I’m traveling. Occasionally, I find one that fits that description. Galen Hall is such a place.

Galen Hall’s quaint clubhouse is easy to miss as you drive past the stone wall that lines the road. It’s very much like an English cottage complete with a sign hanging from a wooden post. The golf course is the product of two legendary architects. Alex Findlay designed the original nine holes in 1910 (1-6 17-18) before A.W. Tillinghast expanded it to eighteen holes in 1917 (7-16). It is an out and in track that takes you on a journey down South Mountain all through the valley before ascending the steep terrain up to the clubhouse. If you believe a great routing is like a great hike, then you’ll appreciate Galen Hall even more.

(The 475/465 yard par five second plays uphill before the hole turns left and drops dramatically (and over a public road) downhill. My second shot finished fifty yards short of the green where I pitched my third off the sloping fairway into the hole for an eagle three!! The picture doesn’t do the hole justice as the drop is way steeper than it appears.)

(The 195/170 par three fourth plays in the corner of the property along the boundary line. A creek cuts diagonally across just short of the green…

…it’s a daunting shot and laying back might be the play. This is a great example of Findlay’s lay of the style where natural features are used to defend par.)

(The short uphill 325/300 yard par four fifth finishes at a pulpit green. Long hitters must guard against pulling it into the hazard…

…the 480/470 yard sixth follows with a reachable par five. Findlay’s ability to gracefully route golf holes is quite pleasing. This three hole stretch (4-6) allowed Tillinghast to expand down the valley corridor.)

(The 500/485 yard par five eighth drops downhill to a right to left cambered fairway. Notice how Tillinghast turned the fairway around the edge of the mountain. If one fails to use the dominant slope properly then the next shot requires more skill to get into position…

…the green is not exactly built for a long iron shot. Being in the fairway for a short pitch is the best way to secure a four.)

(The downhill 164/155 yard par three tenth is a lovely hole and is the furthest point from the clubhouse before we turn back.)

While the Findlay holes are natural albeit quirky at times (you’ll hit over a public road twice), it’s Tillinghast’s valley holes that are the highlight of the round. Many of the greens are on high points with offsetting bunkers. You’ll also find the “Moat Hole” at the center of the routing. You first spy it on the par five eighth before the thirteenth and fourteenth circle around it to mentally challenge the player before stepping on the tee.

(The 520/500 yard par five twelth is a gorgeous par five that bends to the right…

…with the fairway cambering left to right, the player wants to be on the high ground hitting to the green. The iconic barn poses an unusual hazard and I’m not sure if any relief is granted for it’s interference…

…a kickplate just past the bunker will nudge balls onto the green. Anything left will find the tall grass that protects from bailing out to that side.)

(This is the first good view of the “Moat Hole” dubbed America’s first island green..

…it’s much wider than it appears in the picture. Laying up is an option. The hole is 193/132 yards. I have an inkling that William and David Gordon inserted the back tee when they expanded the yardage of Galen Hall in 1955…

…this is the view from behind. Yes it really is a moat!)

Galen Hall rates high on my cool meter. If I lived nearby, I’d be itching to play it often. It reminded me a lot of Kebo Valley in Bar Harbor Maine with how well the golf intertwines with nature in a rustic fashion. I liked it so much that it’s my favorite round of the year. Add in the $52 cost and It makes my list of best values (Pacific Grove, Dale Hollow, Punta Borinquin). I give Galen Hall a 6 (very good)(worth driving 2 hours to play).

(I played the the white tees at 5,876 yards and shot my best round of the year. The course has 5 par fives, 5 par threes, and 8 par fours. I played the par fives -2 but was +4 on the par threes. The one shotters are very good.)

(Credit to Galen Hall Instagram)

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Philadelphia Country Club - Spring Mill Course (Gladwyne, PA)

#95 Top 100 USA Classic (Golfweek)

The Philadelphia school of architecture has always been a phrase I’ve read but never conceptualized until I had the opportunity to see William Flynn’s Mill Spring course. It sits on a robust piece of property with a bold routing that flows naturally over the most dramatic parts. Instead of eschewing the slopes and the abrupt rise and fall of the ridgeline, the fairways plunge, scale, and slide across them. It’s a conscientious decision to get the most out of the golfer and promote a strong repertoire of shots.

(The 601/535 yard par five third was the finishing hole during the 1939 U.S. Open. Sam Snead needed par to win, bogey to tie, but believed he needed a birdie. He found two traps on his way to the green ultimately making a triple bogey eight to miss the playoff by two strokes.)

Philadephia Country Club was established in 1890 and is one of the six founding members of the USGA. In 1899 it held the U.S. Women’s Amateur on the Bala course (Ruth Underhill 2&1 over Margaret Fox). The club decided they needed a new championship course and moved to their present day location where William Flynn and Howard Toomey designed the Spring Mill course in 1927. Twelve years later, it hosted the U.S. Open (1939). Byron Nelson won in two eighteen hole playoffs over Denny Shute and Craig Wood. The U.S. Women’s Amateur came in 2003 where Thailand native Virada Nirapathpongporn won 2&1 over Jane Park. In 2005, it co-hosted the men’s U.S. Amateur with Merion during the stroke play portion. This summer, in 2026, it will once again co-host the U.S. Amateur with Merion.

(The 500/470 yard sixth is a par five for members but will play as a par four for the Amateur. The climb up the hill is steeper than it looks, and anything short of the putting surface will roll back 40-60 yards to the left. I love the look of the cross bunkers visually highlighting the rise of the terrain.)

(From the tee of the 193/175 yard par three eleventh, one can see the green, the cascading sixteenth to the left, and uphill tee shot of the twelth in the background…

…with a creek flowing in valley below, the entire hole pops in this natural setting. The left greenside trap is 10-12 feet below the putting surface. As the pin slides further to the left, the player will have to be more aggressive to get close. It is a terrific hole that serves as the centerpiece of the club with a comfort station complete with tables and chairs for those to watch the action…

…the look back to the tee box reveals the steps for walkers and the proximity of the clubhouse.)

Playing Spring Mill, the biggest reveal to me was how great Flynn routed the golf course. The dominant feature is a long ridge with an expansive valley between it and the clubhouse. Both nines tack out to the ridge but each returns to ensure one plays in the beautiful setting of the valley. On the front, those holes are five and six while the back is eleven, sixteen, and seventeen.

Tom Doak pointed out in the Confidential Guide that Flynn designed Spring Mill with the intent of making the most interesting holes and not necessarily the most difficult. I agree with this view as some of the holes are unlike any I’ve seen, however, it is still a stiff challenge. The greens are angled with tight entrances and the tilted putting surfaces have plenty of contouring. As the caddy was giving me reads, I noted to myself that I would have read it the other way. The bunkering is very deceptive. Even when you see it, the depth of it is not evident. The concave design flattens out to the eye, and one can be goaded into attempting a shot that is more dangerous than one realizes. The fairway traps are short to mid iron advances. It’s a real punishment to be in them. It’s also very difficult to pitch over them when you’re by the green.

(The 401/375 yard par four sixteenth plummets downhill to a slender green that arcs behind a set of bunkers…

…this view shows just how severe the fairway tumbles. My playing partner hit a shot well short of the cross bunker where it took the contour and trundled all the way onto the putting surface. When I was in the left greenside bunker, I purposely hit backwards so the ball would go the hill and back onto the green. It’ll be very interesting to see how the youngsters play it at the Amateur.)

(The 434/420 yard par four seventeenth is the best hole on the course, and arguably, the best in the Philadelphia area. It’s an uphill tee shot to a roundhouse fairway that bends around a deep ravine. An aggressive drive over the inside traps can find the speed slot and roll into mid iron range…

…the second is then struck to a green tucked against the hillside. It was here during the second playoff that Byron Nelson holed out a 1-iron for an eagle to essentially win the U.S. Open…

…the view looking back shows how much bend and slope the fairway has. A par is a very good score.)

I feel very fortunate to play Philadelphia Country Club. I’ve always said that truly great courses have an aura about them that you can’t put your finger on. And, believe it or not, even the ones high in the rankings lack that characteristic too. Overall, even though there are a few bland holes (8,9,13) the 4-6 10-12 stretches are very good and the 14-17 is excellent. I’d place this high on my list as one my favorites. I give it an 8 (excellent)(worth spending a weekend to play).

(This was my first Fried Egg event. We had two rounds of golf (net best ball)(alternate shot), breakfast, lunch, hors d’eouvre, and a goodie bag. The cost was $800. At first glance, that’s a pricey day of golf, but when you compare it to a day at Bandon, or Sand Valley, or any other high end destination, then it’s actually reasonable. Would I do it again? Was it worth it? Unequivocally yes! It was a fantastic experience.)

(My playing partner Steve (right) and I was twelth out of forty eight teams for the informal competition. I only helped on a few holes which tells you how well he played.)

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Jeffersonville Golf Club (Norristown, PA)

Jeffersonville’s reputation has been reverberating across Pennsylvania as one of the better municipal courses in the region. Most of the credit belongs to Ron Prichard who did a wonderful job renovating and remodeling it in 2000. It was designed in 1931 by Donald Ross with today’s eleventh and sixteenth holes occupying the ground that used to be an oval horse racing track.

The routing at Jeffersonville is a bit disjointed. The ninth hole actually plays away from the clubhouse with the tenth coming back. A jaunt through the parking lot will take you to the eleventh tee, and after you putt out on the sixteenth, you’ll cross the entrance road to play the final two holes. It seems like a mishmash setup, but Prichard eliminated a couple par threes, including the old eighteenth, and combined a few others to make this routing work.

(The 348/337 yard par four second doglegs right around a group of bunkers before playing across wetlands to a built up green. There are huge nets up at this corner to prevent balls from damaging someone’s vehicle…

…this photo shows the nest bunkers that Prichard reintroduced to the course. Note the mounding that outlines each one. They’re really cool hazard.)

(The 135/120 yard par three fourth has a tiny green squeezed between two bunkers. Note how you can use the backside of each trap to kick the ball towards the flag. My ball did exactly that finishing five feet from the hole.)

(The 195/178 yard par three eighth is a dangerous downhill shot that must carry the false front, otherwise it will retreat backwards into the hazard. Most balls invariably find the rear portion of the green where the crashing slopes demand a soft touch.)

A good set of greens is what makes Jeffersonville stand out. My favorites are 3,4,8,12,16,18. These six holes have a low profile green set at ground level with a few mounds outlining the high points. You can hit so many different shots into each one. The other greens all require more of an aerial shot. The eleventh stands on its own, placed on the highest spot on the property. A flat area short right allows the ball to bounce in, but the further left you go, the more you have to carry it to the pin.

(The 430/408 yard par four thirteenth is most people’s favorite hole as it features a beautiful green set above a shallow valley. The putting surface slopes quickly from back to front while extending further left than you think. It’s the third longest par four on the course.)

Jeffersonville recently held the GAP (Golf Association of Philadelphia) Mid-Am championship. It’s the first time in the association’s 100+ year history that a public course has held one of its majors. This fact is an indicator, in my opinion, that Jeffersonville has been christened the best public course in the Philadelphia area. (I would not be surprised if Cobb’s Creek becomes the second public course to hold one of their majors when its renovation is done) The Jeff, which it is affectionately called, is the type of place, affordable, interesting, well kept, that every city deserves. I can see why the regulars are so proud of it. I give it a 5 (good)(worth driving an hour to play).

(The 545/516 yard par five eighteenth is a double dogleg bending left off the tee and then back to the right the last 120 yards.For long hitters, it’s a great chance to finish on a high note, but this green has the most slope of any on the course. It slopes hard from back right to front left. I reckon it only has three to four legitimate pin positions mostly sliding along the left side. When the pin is front right, five becomes a great score.)

(We played the green tees at 6,123 yards par 70. After getting up at 3:30am and driving seven hours, I felt my 84 was a decent score. I hit the ball very well the first five holes but some loose swings unraveled my game starting with a poor drive on the sixth. Surprisingly, I had the only birdie in my foursome. Two of the guys hit it far and hit a lot of wedges and short irons but couldn’t convert. It was challenging getting the ball close to the flag. The cost was $100 but I paid a little extra for a third party to secure a tee time.)

(This is the view of the seventeenth green. The card says it’s the longest par four on the course, but like the opening hole, the long hitter can cut off the dogleg and hit a much shorter approach.)

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