Any golfers out there? (NCC/Cecil County) (Pike Creek, Smyrna: home, live)

[phlydude]

Anyone out there golf much? Recommendations on courses in NCC or Cecil County?

Deerfield looks to be nice and so does Frog Hollow...

One decent driving range (non-course range) in all of the area in Stanton...am I missing any? (I still need the protection that the divider boards afford for the errant shot from time to time)

[jwkde]

In NCCO I think WHite Clay is top of the line. Deerfield and Rock Manor are also very nice.

Frog Hollow and Odessa national south of the brige are also in nice places.

In Cecil County I would say Cheaspake Bay-Rising Sun.


Back Creek(middletown), Pike Creek (the old 3 little bakers) and Patriots glen are all trying to make comebacks. I have not played the first two in 2010

At the lower end - Delcastle and Porky Olivers are out there.

Most of the courses have driving ranges - the only stand alone driving range that I know of in NCCo is in STanton. There is one in Elkton on rt 40.

Enjoy

[phlydude]

yeah, the Rt 40 range uses a mix of "found" balls (I am assuming from Patriots Glenn and the Country Club on Rt 213) and old range balls - all are worn and a horrible mix of some decent balls and old, chalky recycled beyond their life range balls.

The range on Rt 4 in Stanton is a much nicer facility with some grass hitting stations.
I'm just not good enough to hit the ball cleanly each and every time to hit a range without divider boards...had a couple ricochets that would have zinged someone.

The Rt 4 one also has a putting green - not in the best shape (and not grass) but a putting green nonetheless

[jwkde]

Yes you are correct about the elkton range - but it is on my way home so easy to stop and hit some in the evening.

Drop me a note if you want to tee it up some time

[phlydude]

I'm right down the street across from the county park but I don't get home generally before 7 PM or so...while that would be OK in the summer, right now, it is a bad time with the sun position in trying to hit balls but I will let you know as the days become longer

[James420]

I used to play Deerfield with my dad when Dupont owned it, I'm one of the few that walked that nightmare course and when Dupont had the LPGA Championship a few LPGA golfers played that course and thanked god the Championship wasn't played there. Deerfield is probably one of, if not the toughest course in Delaware. Same for TLB or now called Pike Creek although I think Deerfiield is kept in better shape. Delcastle, like Deerfield or TLB is a hilly course, except you play with the hills instead of against them. I haven't played any of those courses in years though, Deerfield and TLB are way to tough for me and I always had tee time problems at Delcastle (long story, well many long stories and one you wouldn't believe). White Clay is only about five years old maybe and is a nice course but expensive. Rock Manor was just re-done a few years ago and its in good shape. Porky Olivers is under new management, it isn't the toughest but its been in GREAT shape the past few years. The courses below the canal won't have the hills that upper New Castle have but they have some challenging courses as well like Frog Hollow and Odessa National. Also I was thinking about Back Creek but I'm not sure if its still open or not. Garrison's Lake in Smyrna used to be a really difficult course that closed for a few years and just re-opened a few years ago as well, lots of trees and long that place was a nightmare for hacks like me, I haven't been back since it re-opened so I can't say if its still a nightmare or not. Although I heard some trees were removed. Baywood in Rehoboth or Millsboro off of Longneck rd is the nicest course I've ever played anywhere. That place is beautiful. Unless you're a 15 or under, stay away from Deerfield or TLB, I know, we say its for fun but those two places will make you want to quit playing. At least at Garrisons you don't get penalized for hitting good shots.


BTW, Kids and parents from all over sled at TLB, its one of the best sledding areas in the STATE, that should tell you all you need to know about that place.

[phlydude]

Nice info - I did hear Porky's was getting better and I drove into Deerfield to check it out on Saturday but I heard TLB (Pike Creek) was getting worse and worse - no money being dumped into it

[jwkde]

Pike Creek (the old 3 Little bakers) closed this week. Unlikely it will re-open