Play Day: Concord Country Club
Every Wednesday on the golf blog we feature another place to play. Today it is a private club in Delaware County near the intersection of Routes 1 and 202: Concord Country Club.
If you like a challenge, you're going to love the back nine at Concord Country Club.
Not that the rest of the course is an easy walk in the park... but after you make the turn, Concord really bares its teeth with a mix of holes that throw different things at you: difficult greens, demanding uphill approaches, an interesting downhill par 4, water, and more.
If the mark of a good private club is one you can play every day and never get tired of it ... well, Concord members certainly have that here. It is hard to imagine playing this course the same way twice, because most of us are simply not good enough to consistently hit the shots that are demanded of us on this William Flynn design. Maybe a tour player could, and there's even one of them who calls this place home -- Sean O'Hair.
But the rest of us? We'll have to come up with creative ways to make up for those missed shots. Play here regularly and you should have a nice short game because you'll get plenty of chances to work on it. Concord is a strong and very enjoyable test of your skills.
Best Hole:
There are several candidates, but I'll go along with the club's "signature hole" ... the 13th, a downhill par 4 with a creek that divides the landing area and makes you think about the way you want to attack the hole. The left side requires a longer, more precise shot but rewards you with a flat lie for your uphill approach. Play down the right side, and you'll be hitting your second off a downhill/sidehill lie, tricky at best. That second shot is also complicated by the winds that swirl in that corner of the golf course. Tough hole.
Best Change of Pace:
After a fairly difficult opening hole with a tee shot that has to avoid a large pond ... you head to #2, a sporty par 4 that is only 314 yards from the back tee. It gives you a choice off the tee -- lay back and you'll still only have a wedge in... or blast a driver up there closer to the green but be faced with a touchy pitch. The green is very, very difficult, and if you leave it above the hole, say goodbye to a two-putt par. It is a lot of fun early in the round.
Deal:
Like most private clubs in this economy, Concord has a membership drive underway. It is an opportune time to get in: right now, the club is waiving its initiation fee.
More Info:
You can find all the contact information and a video tour of the golf course at TeeItUpPhilly.com.
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Ed Abrams anchors mornings on KYW Newsradio, and you can hear his Golf Reports there on Fridays and Saturdays. He has also created a pair of websites: www.DealTrackerGolf.com, featuring leads on the best golf equipment deals… and www.TeeItUpPhilly.com, with video course tours, audio swing tips and local golf deals
