Pros:
Many of the holes have very nice tee signs, and all but 2 of the tee boxes are in great shape There is good balance here, about a third of the holes are mostly open, the remaining 2/3 have varying degrees of tightness.
Very well maintained, they even shovel the snow off the tees! Friendly group of of club members were very welcoming.
No one throwing style has a big advantage here. Those who play it right to left ( rhbh,lhfh) have it a little easier with 7 of the holes favoring them. However, flickers have their chances, too, with 4 holes that clearly favor them. The rest are more or less neutral.
This is still a relatively new track, and, judging from what I've seen, it will only get better.
Cons:
As mentioned, number 11. 18 finishes a long way off. Hole 5 could use a bit more fairway definition. Just a bit though, because it is close to being a great hole. Number seven shares a parking lot and sometimes has to be played from a an alternate tee. The trailers parked off the fairway and the nearby debris show a sharp contrast to the rest of the course.
Other Thoughts:
A nice addition to the growing number of courses in Northeast PA. Geographically, this is a perfect fit, as a couple of nearby population centers needed a closer course.
The course requires a number of specific shots. Execution, rather than creativity, is needed here.
You start off with a wooded downhill tee shot at just under 300 feet. This sets the stage for much of the course. It's tight, but playable. Number two is a fine hole. Shorter than the first, but a little uphill to a neatly guarded basket. Three is longer and level, with plenty of trees on either side. One thin tree right off the tee has to be contended with if you throw rhfh. Hole 4 is a downhill right to left, open and ob on the right, and trees if you fade it too much. Number 5, 288, slightly uphill, very, very hard to get through. Hole 6, ob right, heavy trees left. At 400, it still manages to play as a par 4, as the basket is tucked well in on the left and is tough to get at. Hole 7 is a straight shot with a few trees standing guard across the fairway. The alternate tee is a shorter sharply right to left shot. Hole 8 is a fun and challenging hole. Uphill to a very open fairway, followed by a tight approach to the basket. If you land in the trees, getting out is not easy. Hole 9, another favorite, downhill right to left to another neatly guarded green.
10, short, narrow right to left with a low canopy. Matter of fact, much of the back nine has a low canopy. 11 is longer, wide open, across the field. 12 requires a very precise, low right to left tee shot. Missing the fairway is costly. 13, a good flick hole....straight at first with a left to right bend at the end. Woods on both sides and a couple of trees along the way. 14 a couple different routes along the wide downhill fairway. Trees if you miss it. 15 is a tough, but doable par 3. Like most of the back nine, you have to keep it in the fairway. A mid-range flick or turnover around the corner will set up your second shot through more woods. 16 is another that rhfh will like, birdie chance if you can avoid the lumber. 17 is a fun downhill drive with trouble left and right, but a good amount of room. A few fairway trees for you to go around. 18 is slightly uphill, trees on the right and in the fairway, open green.