It's not everyday that you can play on a scenic mountain course, built in the 1920's, that hosted a major tournament played by many legendary golfers. That's what you get at Water Gap Country Club, the historic course in the Delaware Water Gap and the site of the Eastern Open in 1926-1928.
The links style course, designed by Robert White, the first president of the PGA, is extremely hilly. It's not very long, but the hills produce many blind shots, with water on five holes and bunkers throughout that make it a real shot-makers course. There landing clear landing areas amid the hills, so you'll have the opportunity for some big drives, with clean approach shots to the undulating greens. The rolling greens are fast, but true, so you can sink a few putts if you hit them straight.
The par 72 course plays 6,237 yards from the tips, with only two par fives and seven short par fours, less than 350 yards. There are three shorter tee areas, so the course is accessible to all levels of play.
Course conditions are exceptional, with rye and Kentucky bluegrass fairways, bent poa bluegrass greens and bluegrass tees.
The signature hole is #4, a 120 yard par-3 nicknamed Hagen's Folly, after the famous 11 Walter Hagen scored in the Eastern Open back in the 1920's. The 120 yard par three, which plays from an elevated tee to an elevated green, is only a pitch shot away. If you overshoot the green, you're liable to drop 45' down the hill, producing a recovery shot that even Walter Hagen couldn't handle. You can avoid Hagen's demise by playing a safe tee shot to the middle of the green. The longs holes are #6, a 418 yard par-4 that is uphill, so it plays 50 yards longer. You'll need driver and a fairway wood to reach the undulating green. The 10th is a 568 par-5 with a sloping fairway that demands length and accuracy to keep your ball in play.
Two other great holes are the thirteenth and fourteenth, a 374 yard par four and a 450 yard par five, respectively, that play back and fourth from elevated tees across a ravine with a pound near the thirteenth green and a stream running parallel to both fairways.
There's lots of great golf to be played at the scenic Water Gap Country Club, the historic course at the gateway of the Pocono's, providing delightful mountain views and challenging golf to players of all abilities.
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