(Credit: Macoby Run Golf Course/Facebook)
In the world of public golf, planning can be essential, especially in the Philly area where everyone seems to be playing these days. If you want a weekend morning tee time at a local public course, you had better commit two weeks ahead of time, call in at precisely the right time, and hope nothing comes up during those two weeks. Then you have a guy like me. I barely know what I’m doing tomorrow, let alone in two weekends.
This personality disorder limits the courses and times I can play on the weekend. Which is why I really don’t play much on the weekend. But when I get the hankering to get a round in, my favorite late afternoon course is Macoby Run Golf Course in Green Lane. Their twilight weekend rate starts at 3pm, which, if timed correctly, can easily get you through a round before dark. It’s only a 30-minute drive up 63, over the rolling foothills of northern Montgomery County. There have been quite a few afternoon calls to Macoby to see if there are openings after 3, and there usually are.
Don’t let the late availability on a weekend fool you. Macoby is a wonderful course, well-kept, with challenges and scenic beauty. Greens are well taken care of and run true. Pace in the late afternoon is standard and can actually be fast. I consider it a hidden gem because it is further away than most courses and somewhat unheralded, thus twilight availability. The price point is also excellent, lots of bang for the buck.
Macoby is owned by the Hersh family, who have owned the land since 1919. Floyd Hersh was a farmer and golfer who had wanted to convert some of his property to a golf course. His vision became a reality in 1990 when he opened Macoby Run. The course takes full advantage of the hilly landscape and wooded surroundings. In my younger, cheaper days, I walked the course. But it isn’t an easy walk and there are some steep climbs, so I recommend splurging with a cart.
The love/hate hole on the course is probably number 3, which I call “The Wall” and Macoby calls “The Monster”. Either way, it is an intimidating Par 5 that demands a precise drive down the middle because your second shot is not just between a narrow opening of trees, but it goes up a steep hill that looks almost like a wall from the tee. If you’re lucky enough to reach the top in 2 (or 3 or 4) shots, you have a difficult two tiered green to contend with. The hole is quite a wake-up call after two fairly benign holes to begin the round.
Another Macoby Run favorite is hole 9, a long par 3 that has a 110-foot elevation drop. You begin with a beautiful view of the landscape below and a postage stamp of a green. 200 plus yards away, hole 9 is difficult to hit for any level player. It is a great way to release your frustrations or confidence after a tough front 9. Just don’t go too far left as the hole borders the course driving range and your ball could end up lost among a sea of practice balls.
Another great perk of Macoby Run is their post-round bar and restaurant (the 19th hole for those in the know). The Wetlands Bar and Restaurant is a cozy after-round spot, but also good for a nice dinner for those with no interest in torturing themselves. The course is also great for a “picnic style” outing with a covered outdoor deck which can accommodate up to 200 people.
Like all courses on the weekend, you will likely need to plan for a morning weekend tee time. Just know that for all you more impulsive and haphazard golfers, like me, Macoby Run is here for you with excellent conditions, a fair price, and late afternoon availability.
(The Back Nine is a biweekly op-ed column submitted to North Penn Now, courtesy of Edward Levine. The views expressed are his own and are not representative of North Penn Now or Montgomery County.)
