I can tell you right off the bat that this won't be the most exciting course review I've ever done. South Mountain Golf Course, located in the woods of southern Pennsylvania, isn't the sort of golf course that lends itself to particularly insightful criticism. It is, essentially, a glorified field with some flags stuck in it.
But there are bigger issues at play, namely the existential threat hanging over the course's head. South Mountain resides in Michaux State Forest, and the land is rented from Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The DCNR however wants to build an upgraded headquarters on the site, and has decided to end the lease with the golf course on Dec. 31, 2026. I'll reserve my thoughts on this for the end of the review, though, and stick to talking about the golf course itself for now.
While South Mountain is thoroughly unassuming, it's actually a pretty old golf course, with golf first being played on the site in 1921. Doctors working at the South Mountain Sanatorium – a place with its own sordid history – laid out three holes as a recreation site for patients, with six more holes appearing in the early 1930s. The course existed like that for 30 years until 1964, when the state bought the land and converted the entire area into a park. South Mountain Golf Course went unmaintained and wild for three years before a local group of golfers leased the land and brought the golf course back from the dead. And while some holes have been changed, the status quo at South Mountain has remained pretty much the same since.
The first hole is a slightly awkward 360-yard par 4 that doglegs slightly left through a narrow gap between trees; any drive that doesn't flirt with the left tree line and goes further than, say, 225 yards will have a group of pine trees between them and the hole. Provided you've managed to keep the tee shot in line, the second shot is a wedge to a small green with sand on both sides. This is one of the holes that's been changed in the past 50 years; the second half of this hole is actually new. The hole used to be curve off to the right, being noticeable longer as it played to what is now the second green. While this hole is a little weird as is, I think the change was beneficial to the course overall, as we'll eventually see.
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| The first hole. |
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| Approaching the first green. |
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| The first green. |
The second hole, a 160-yard par 3, is of course not an original part of the design, being the second half of the former first hole. That said, it's not a particularly interesting hole. Other than trees right and long, there's no hazards, and the green itself isn't anything to write home about. This hole just kind of exists, if we're being honest.
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| The second hole. |
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| The second green. |
The third hole is 340 yards and does at least present a bit of a challenge. While the fairway is wide, trees eat into it from the left, and with a line of trees very close to the right, if you want to hit driver here, you either need to stick close to that right tree line or hit a fade around it. A pulled drive will quickly run out of space and end up in jail. Since the hole is quite short, you really don't lose too much by playing safely; even a long iron off the tee will leave just a wedge. The green here is actually best approached from further back as well, as it's got two bunkers closely guarding the front, and with a small but noticeable falloff behind, you don't want to miss the green long.
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| The third hole. |
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| Approaching the third green. |
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| The third green. |
The fourth hole is just 285 yards, but while you can certainly reach the green with the tee shot, there are some complicating factors. In particular, the back tee is quite often placed off to the right, which places a cluster of trees about 75 yards out directly between you and the green. These trees can be cleared with a big, high drive (or a giant fade), but that's not a shot a lot of people can hit ... well, not without it actually going somewhere. And while you can bail out left, if you go too far, you'll have a very awkward pitch shot over a bunker to a small, firm green. The smart decision is the lay-up, leaving a full wedge into the green.
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| The fourth hole. |
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| The fourth green. |
The fifth hole is about the same length as the fourth, and on the surface it appears like an absolute green light. No trees blocking the way, just a wide-open fairway. And while all that is true, this green very small, elevated on all sides, and is protected by a bunker left and a tree short-right. Being roughly green high but missing on either side will present a tough chip shot. Of course, laying up on the tee shot presents its own issues, particularly if you find the right side and have to go over that tree. Obviously, this isn't a tough hole, but it isn't quite as simple as it looks.
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| The fifth hole. |
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| The fifth green. |
The sixth hole is a very short, downhill par 5 that bends hard left around dense trees. The fairway is wide open, inviting you to cut off as much of the dogleg as you can. But don't cut off too much; you don't want to find the left side of the fairway. That's because there are a few large trees in between the landing area and the green, doing a very thorough job of guarding the green. If you want to go for the green in two, you need to find the far side of the fairway. That will leave anything from a wood to a short iron into a slightly elevated, bunkerless green. As long as you stay right, this is an excellent birdie or even eagle opportunity.
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| The sixth hole. |
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| Approaching the sixth green. |
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| The sixth green. |
The seventh hole is a thoroughly modest 130 yards, making it the shortest hole on the course, but this short little par 3 is definitely no picnic. The green is very small and has two bunkers in front, and with a falloff behind into forest, long is a very bad miss. It's not an easy approach, but since the hole is so short, it works. And if you do manage to hit a solid tee shot, odds are you'll walk away with a birdie. Or, if you're my younger brother ten or so years ago, a hole in one. I've only witnessed a single ace being made (other than my own, of course), and it was right here. You don't often lose two shots to someone after making a par, but that's what happened to me.
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| The seventh hole. |
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| The seventh green. |
The eighth hole is the longest hole on the course, though at 485 yards it's hardly a back-breaker. However, while the length is modest, the drive is fairly tight, with dense forest lurking down the left side the entire way. However, the more immediate and obvious hazard is the single pine tree smack-dab in the middle of the fairway, about 250 yards out. It isn't exactly the most strategic hazard in the world, but it certainly grabs your attention.
Provided you can skirt by that central tree, the green is reachable in two; however, it's tucked behind a bunker and is elevated, making it extremely difficult to hit with a long iron or fairway wood. Aiming just right, leaving a pretty simple chip, is the best course of action on the second.
Fun fact, as you're walking off the tee here, you'll notice a green off to the left, sort of on its own, looking very incongruous. That's actually the original seventh green; the current eighth was once a par 3 and a par 4, combined into one hole. While the old first hole looked fun, I think avoiding two short par 3s in a row works to South Mountain's benefit. The unused green doesn't look very interesting, and I don't think a short par 4 eighth would be as interesting as the par 5 eighth is.
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| The eighth hole. |
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| Approaching the eighth green. |
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| The eighth green. |
The ninth hole is about 400 yards, and the tee shot is pretty easy, save for a fairway bunker left of the fairway about 250 yards out. Hit a good drive and you'll have just a wedge or short iron into the green, which is open in front but has a bunker and a hedgerow (not a usual golf hazard) behind. So basically, don't miss long and you're fine.
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| The ninth hole. |
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| Approaching the ninth green. |
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| The ninth green. |
As I said at the start, South Mountain is not a particularly interesting golf course. Obviously, no golf course is completely devoid of strategic interest, but South Mountain is, by and large, just a nice, friendly place to play golf for a modest price. You can play nine for as little as $10, and in a day and age where everything feels ridiculously expensive, South Mountain's cheap walking rate is a breath of fresh air. Not to mention how inviting it is for literally everyone to play. There's no need for tee times or dressing up, you can literally just show up and play. And it would be a terrible shame to lose a course like this. Golf needs more of this, not less.
To no one's surprise, I am not in favor of the DCNR closing the entire golf course just to build a single building that not many people will even use. Certainly fewer people will visit the property than do now. Michaux State Forest covers 85,000 acres of forest, there must be another place within its borders that could do as a suitable site for their new HQ building. Or, you know, they could just upgrade the building they've got at Caledonia. That building is right off U.S. Route 30, which has to be easier for employees to get to than this course, which isn't close to any sort of major road or town of significance.
One could make the argument that golf courses aren't great for the environment, but there are two major problems with that theory. First off, South Mountain is as basic as it comes; only the greens see any real management. In the summer, nearly the entire course is allowed to dry out, becoming brown and insanely firm. No pesticides or unnecessary watering going on here. Also, Caledonia State Park, home of the current DCNR building, has a golf course of its own. One that belongs to the park and the DCNR itself. I even did a review of it way back in 2014.
Quite simply, the idea that the DCNR needs South Mountain Golf Course in particular just feels so wrong to me. There are so many other options, and virtually every local leader has spoken in favor of the golf course. I know my voice probably doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, but consider me on South Mountain Golf Course's side as well.
