Pros:
To those who put in all the hard work on this place in 2010..thank you very much. The new back nine at Roland is flat out awesome. I live an hour away, been to old Roland once, been to Buchmiller a lot more. From where me and my friends live you could make a nice day trip out to Lancaster and hit up both Buchmiller and Roland. But I've only ever played one course or the other when venturing out that way, and usually I prefer Buchmiller.
After playing Roland once last year, I'd rather go to Dutch Wonderland than play it again. Why? Because it was confusing as hell. But when I heard there was a new layout I was curious to go back and check it out. Bedsides, at least I knew there was that one cool over the pond hole that I kinda-aced last time. Kinda because it wasnt on my real drive...its one of those holes you want to throw every disc in your bag on.
A newcomer will still have a tough time navigating this place. Once you know the layout then its a fantastic place to play a round. Like I mentioned in my scorebook, the next tee signs and orange flags helped me find every hole but they werent great. Ultimately I found every single tee and basket, but there were still many times I had to walk ahead and do some re-con.
Previous reviews actually helped me navigate, so this next part might help others. I dont play here regularly so forgive me if I'm not totally accurate, but this is what I found here when I came:
Tee 1 was up on the hill overlooking the pond. There is a pavillion and a red port-o-potty there. I parked down by the pond in the cul de sac shaped lot and walked up the hill to the first tee. Basket 1 is about 320 and slightly downhill. Very ace-able, great starting hole. I also threw several discs here to warm up.
Tee 2 is to the left of basket 1. A short left to right fairway with a mando left pole on the right side. Probably 250 feet slightly uphill.
Tee 3 is new since my last time here. Its up past basket 2 and has you throw your drive out into the open field from an elevated perch. One of the longest holes here, probably more than 500 feet across the open field, corn field on the left..prob why I kept turning my drive over, if you go left its gone. Might also be a short tee for this one down by basket 1.
Hole 4 tee is to the right of basket 3 and brings the pond into play. The basket is located up over the edge of the pond, about 300 feet from the tee. Between the trees.
Hole 5 you walk back towards tee 4 and follow the edge of the pond. Tee 5 has the pond to your back and a yellow basket in the left corner of the field, a drive of about 300 feet gets you there, with some nasty rough behind the target.
I believe hole 6 is the first one with two baskets. Tee is straight behind basket 5. You will see tennis courts to the left of fairway 6. This hole has some rough in the middle, a choice for your drive to go to the left or right side. Short basket is maybe 400 feet, long one is about 90 feet past it.
Go to the left to find tee 7. There is one basket up past the volleyball court and towards the road. A good drive on this one can net you a nice deuce-putt opportunity. Not sure if there is a long basket for this one. Theres a bunch of nice land across the road that seems ideal for inclusion in the course.
Hole 8 I assume you use the road as the tee. Its a big open drive to a basket that is maybe a little over 400 feet from the tee area. The pond is to the left so be careful, the basket is out in the field to the right of the pond. I had a nice anhyzer throw with my stalker land 20 feet away. Missed the putt tho (of course)
Nine throws over the pond. No long tee to my knowledge, and the tee itself is a very short concrete slab.
Hole ten has a short tee to the right of basket 9, and a long tee back and to the left. This is the old number 1, I think. Basket on top of hill to the left of tee 1.
Tee ll is to the left of basket 10. A downhill drive to a basket that is reachable from the tee on a good day..and certainly a nice chance for a deuce. Just dont hit that house.
I believe 12 has two tees and two baskets? Long tee is straight past basket 11 near the road. There is an old rusty basket about 400 feet back up the hill into the woods. An un-numbered basket is installed another 60 or so feet past it.
Hole 13 also appears to have two tees and two baskets. The to the left of fairway 12 I found the long tee for 13 and played this hole through the trees and to the left about 600 feet to the second basket.
Seems 14 has two tees and one basket. Tight uphill shot.
Following the orange flags to the left, 15 is your first taste of what the back nine will be like. A gorgeous mowed fairway with a few scattered tree obstacles, and thick and disc-eating rough on both sides. I only found one tee and one basket for 15..its a straight shot about 350. Got a deuce here.
Hole 16 seems to have two tees and two baskets. Long tee to long basket is probably over 500 feet...you go straight through a tight wooded fairway then downhill where I found one basket on the right and a longer one about 75 feet past it.
Hole 17 seems to have two tees and one basket. From basket 16, walk up to the left to find two tees on the same fairway line. A tight tunnel shot turns to the right to reveal basket 17 sitting atop a slight hill with a very dense background of trees. A very fun hole.
Hole 18 is one of the most intimidating tee shots Ive ever seen. Uphill through a wall of trees. A short basket is waiting about 300 feet up, and the long basket is about 75 past it.
Signs and orange flags bring you to the tees for 19. I believe there are two tees and one basket. The fairway goes slightly downhill than back up, tightly wooded. Basket is old school, yellow tray and rusty chains.
Follow the orange flags uphill to the left to find tee 20. One tee, two baskets. You def wanna stay on the fairway here.
Same advice for 21. Tee shot needs to bend slightly right..another hole with one tee and two baskets that I found. An S-Turning fairway with dense rough for those who stray off it.
The next few holes are real easy to find and navigate. A few of them dont have the tees built yet it seems... but I teed off from the spots where it looks like they will be built.
Hole 27 has a new tee box looking down a fantastic fairway. A downhill tunnel shot through the tree will be your last drive on this course. I couldnt find a basket, I think people are currently using the long 18 basket for 27. Its down the hill and to the right, maybe 500 ft from the tee. There is also another basket in that vicinty, and there is no number on it. Its the one I assumed was the long 12 but I'm not sure.
This is the layout I played, not sure if its right or wrong but I think that this course is a lot more fun to play when you dont have to wander around figuring it out. I hope its helpful if someone needs it. I played the course as a par 3 x27, total par of 81. Shot 88 first round and 86 second round.
Pros include a very scenic park with rolling hills and nice views of Lancaster farm land. A far cry from the city and suburbs I'm used to.
Great variety on the 27 hole layout..open holes, wooded holes....short and long, you get it all here. A very fun course to play.
There is a water fountain near hole 7 but it was out of order. Not sure if there are bathrooms but I assume there are
Cons:
Cons- Still a little confusing, only because a newcomer doesnt know which holes have multiple tees/baskets and which ones dont. Its no reason not to come here though. I imagine they are making constant progress. There were a lot of non-dgers on the front nine..kids playing soccer, volleyballs, picnics. No big deal tho.
Some of the tees are in rough shape. Ive never been a tee nazi tho so it doesnt matter that much to me. But some of the newer tees make you with they were all that nice. Same thing with the baskets..some are seasoned but they still work fine. Some are new and shiny. Most are numbered, some are not.
Other Thoughts:
Considering the wide variety of holes you get to experience here I would say that Roland is well worth the trip for me now. If I lived closer I would love to get invloved, because this place has the potential to be 4 star course in my opinion. Thank you to everyone who works on this course, your hard work is very obvious and I can honestly say its one of my favorite places to play golf in pennsylvania.