Course Review – Olde Stonewall, Pennsylvania

Olde Stonewall (Medieval tee’s)
6681 yards – 72.4 Rating – 146(!!!) Slope – 96 Score
Day 33; May 23rd, 2017

 

Sometimes, a course just knows how to appeal to you at a very basic level.  The back tees at Olde Stonewall are called the “Epic” tees; they are also rated a 74.3 and carry a 149 slope; so, as much primal appeal as they may have had, I stayed away.  Which didn’t mean I didn’t get to play from “cool” tees, it was the “Medieval’s” for me (still a knee-knocking 72.4/146).  Beyond the names of the tees, there’s the castle (yes a castle!) clubhouse and a staggering amount of rock work throughout the course.  Visually, Olde Stonewall hits all the marks.

 

 

You can play some golf here as well, and the 140+ slope on each of the first three sets of tees is no joke.  Even the front-most tees play to a 127 and 132 respectively; so there is challenge no matter what tees you choose to play.  Elevation change, water, well planned landing areas, and forest lined fairways are hallmarks of most holes on this robust track which can play from 5241 all the way out to 7103.  Once holding the #50 spot on golf Digests “top 100 courses you can play” list and a “top ten best new courses” winner in 1999, “Epic” seems appropriate.

 

 

There are multiple high vista holes throughout the course with fantastic views of the surrounding areas and really elevated tee boxes; for example, the Epic tee box on the 474 yard par four 16th (which I played because once you stand there, there’s no way you are walking back down to the Medieval tees) turned my 220-230 yard 3 wood into a 281 yard “driver.”  However, for my money, the best golf hole is the far more sedate number four.  This 414 yard treat plays to water on the right and has a small pine perfectly placed at the edge of the opposite side of the fairway, providing just enough to think about on a challenging yet still scoreable hole.

 

 

In general I found the holes to be a good test of golf while still being playable.  There weren’t many “gimmick” holes (unless you consider very elevated tee boxes a gimmick); and while most of the golf was straightforward, there were some “target golf” holes for fans of more extensive “game management” as well.  The course uses its bunkers, and to a lesser degree water hazards, judiciously to defend landing areas and greens without being overly excessive or punitive.  The bent grass greens are also in great shape and play true (which means really paying attention to not just the break of the green but also the flow of the grain or your putting pace could be a real issue).

 

This track does have a couple “sides” to it, with the front a bit more straightforward and flat (comparatively – this should not be confused as me saying the front *is* flat, it’s just not as up and down as the back) and the back being more of a ropes course skirting the foothills, contributing to a great deal more elevation change.  Along with the changes in elevation come numerous bridges and stone wall formations, all of which add to the charm of this course.  Even if you are not the type to snap pictures as you golf, you might want to make sure you have a camera (or at least a fully charged phone) with you when you visit Olde Stonewall.

 

 

The course was in fantastic condition and since I was first out, pace of play wasn’t an issue either.  When I finished and observed the other groups going out and making the turn, there were no signs that anything had changed in that area after I got on the course.  Both the club pro and the starter were engaging and helpful with course information (including an interesting history on how the course came into being), and the grounds crew was attentive and courteous as well.

 

 

Oh, one last thing… this is *NOT* a walking course.  Tons of elevation change and some pretty long commutes from greens to the next tee box.  Even if you are up for the hike, there is no way you can walk it without effecting pace of play unless you are the last person on the course for the day.

 

 

I really enjoyed my experience at Olde Stonewall and look forward to visiting again (which is a cool thing to be able to say about a course that pretty much beat you up, this round was by a pretty good margin my worst played round of the trip).

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