NEPA Golf Guide

“The Hidden Gem of NEPA”

Rock Creek Golf Course, or what I like to call it “The Hidden Gem” is an 18 hole course located in Nicholson, PA, just off interstate 81. The drive to the course is just a beautiful as the course itself. The course features a long and very challenging front nine, and shorter but even more challenging back nine with a picturesque back drop to every shot and every inch of the course. In my opinion, Rock Creek is the coolest and most scenic course in the area.

Rock Creek Course Details

Address: 2783 PA-347, Nicholson, PA 18446

Phone Number: (570) 222-2500

Cost: $30 for 18 holes w/ cart

Credit Cards Accepted: Yes

Par: 67

Front Nine: Par 36

Back Nine: Par 31

Total Yardage: 4,387

Holes: 18 Regulation

Reservations Required: No

Carts: Yes. Walking allowed

Course Type: Public

Club House: Yes

Amenities: Driving range, putting and chipping green, restaurant, bar, outdoor dining deck, food and drinks, small pro shop.

Pro Shop: Yes, small but they have some gear

Club Rentals: No

Driving Range: Yes

Putting Green: Yes

Dress Code: None

Rock Creek’s Front 9

Rock Creek’s front nine is a very scenic, green, and hazard filled round of golf. Consisting of 2 par 3’s, 5 par 4’s, and 2 par 5’s, Rock Creeks front nine is one of the longer fronts in the area coming in at a par of 36. The course offers long holes, followed by short par 3’s and runs along a river so hazards are everywhere on the course. As for me, a lefty, Rock Creek is not. friendly course to us lefty slicers out there.

My personal favorite hole on the front nine is hole number 7. Hole number 7 is a 227 yard par 4 that with a safe tee shot (or aggressive) you can easily be set up for a birdie putt. Surrounded by trees on all sides, and a peninsula green surrounded by water, this hole is on the tougher holes on the course if you do not play it right. For me, I always choose to lay up short of the water and chip on for a birdie putt, but the hole is incredibly tempting to just send it and test your luck with the small green with woods and water hazards everywhere.

Rock Creek’s Back 9

The back nine of Rock Creek consists of 5 par 3’s and 4 par 4’s coming in at a par of 31. The back nine is the reason that I absolutely feel in love with this course. Holes number 10 and 11 are located just beyond the parking lot. To access the rest of the back, you have to cross the street and drive up a gravel road to the top of the mountain across the way from the front and clubhouse. The drive to the back takes about 5 minutes in the cart.

The coolest part is from the back, you can look down on the entire front 9 and the rolling hills and large house in the distance. Let’s just say, it is one the of more stunning 9 holes in the area. From the high stone walls surround the fairways, the scenic trees and water hazards, the back nine is my favorite 9 holes in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Favorite Holes

As for my favorite hole, I have a tie. Hole number 18 and hole number 12. Hole 18 is a 217 yard dog leg right par 4 which can play like a par 3 with a good tee shot. 18’s tee box sits high above the fairway with a pond short of the green. The best part of the hole is the 3 tiered green which features on of the toughest putts you will face on any course in the area.

Hole number 12, is a 245 yard par 4 with the coolest feature of any course in the area, a towering rock wall located along the right side of the fairway and surrounding the green. To the front of the green, is a large boulder blocking the view of most of the green but makes the hole that much more challenging. It is an absolutely cool hole and once you line up for your tee shot, you will see why.

Amenities at Rock Creek

Rock Creek offers golfers the opportunity to hit the range and the chipping and putting green before their round. The driving range is a little smaller than most typical ranges but wide enough that you should be able to hit any club of your choice. Inside the club house, there is a kitchen for some food and and outdoor raised deck for patrons to sit and enjoy their meal or drinks and look down and out on the course below.

If you find yourself looking for a new course to try out in NEPA, Rock Creek should be your first course hands down. Rock Creek is located about 20 minutes north of Homestead Golf Course and 25 minutes north of Sleepy Hollow Golf Course. The course is typically not busy and you can easily get out and have a rush free round.

“One of Pennsylvania’s Longest Courses”

Panorama Golf Course, or “Panny”, home course to my local Chargers of Carbondale Area, is one of the longest courses (from the Blue’s) in Pennsylvania. This 1960’s era course is designed for high risk high reward play. Originally farmland back in the day, Panorama features long open fairways and at time can be filled with deer, birds and other NEPA wildlife. This course is absolutely gorgeous. Dog legs with ponds and forest, short par 3’s, hazard at every turn, and picturesque landscapes make Panorama a golfers haven in NEPA.

Panorama Golf Course Details

Address: 1124 State Route 2023, Clifford Township, PA 18241

Phone Number: (570) 222-3525

Email: info@panoramagolfcourse.com

Cost: $38 for 18 holes w/ cart, $23 for 18 holes walking

Par: 72

Front Nine: Par 37

Back Nine: Par 35

Total Yardage: 5,571

Holes: 18 Regulation

Reservations Required: No but highly preferred

Carts: Yes. Walking allowed

Course Type: Public

Club House: None

Amenities: Driving range, putting green, food, restaurant, bar, outdoor patio, and leagues.

Pro Shop: Yes. Locate inside the club house the pro shop is small but has everything you will need

Club Rentals: Yes

Driving Range: Yes but you have to use your own balls (I know that seems strange)

Putting Green: Yes: Located next to there club house

Dress Code: None

Front 9 of Panorama

Panorama Golf Course’s front nine is a wide open and very long round of golf. The front nine consists of two par 5’s, six par 4’s, and one par 3 which depending on the day and how you are hitting them, can be very rough on the scorecard.

My favorite hole in the front nine is hole number 7. Hole 7 of Panorama is a 305 yard par 4 from the whites, but I personally play from the blue tee’s for this one as you get to hit over the iconic pond separating hole 7 and hole 12. Miss to the right and good bye ball, miss to the left and hello dense trees, sand traps, and 8’s fairway and maybe some unhappy golfers. This hole sums up Panorama as a difficult yet rewarding course.

Back 9 of Panorama

Panorama’s back nine is my favorite set of 9 holes in NEPA. Compared to the front, the back nine can be more rewarding and less devastating tot he scorecard. From uphill par 4’s to downhill par 3’s and long, long, and longer par 4’s the back nine is incredibly scenic and challenging. Consisting of 8 par 4’s and 1 par 3, the back nine is where it’s at!

My favorite hole of Panorama’s back nine, is hole number 15. Hole 15 is a 357 yard par 4 dog leg right, with a pond to hit over, dense forest to the right, and a barn and hill to the left. For this beauty, you have to lay up on the fairway for a challenging approach shot at a small green with sloping hills on 3 side leading to the forest and down hill sand traps to the left. Hole 15’s second shot is one the most difficult shots on the course.

Panorama is a must if you plan on golfing in NEPA. Located across Crystal Lake from Elkview Golf Club, and up the road from Homestead Golf Course and Sleepy Hollow Golf Course. Make sure you book a tee time and get out hit the links of Panny when you come to NEPA.

BRICK

“19 Holes”

Sleepy Hollow Golf Course, besides having a killer name, is one of the most popular courses in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The course features a shorter more open front nine, and a windy, scenic back 9…well 10. Yes I know it seems weird, but Sleepy Hollow has 19 holes. The course has daily leagues for both men and women, happy hour specials in the bar, and scenic NEPA backdrop of rolling hills, trees and farms.

Course Details

Address: 140 Sandy Banks Rd, Greenfield Township, PA 18407

Phone Number: 570 254 4653

Website: www.sleepyhollowgolfcourse.com

Email: info@sleepyhollowgolfcourse.com

Hours: 10am-4pm

Cost: $36 for 19 holes w/ cart

Par: 72

Total Yardage: 5,186 yards

Holes: 19

Reservations Required: No

Carts: Yes

Course Type: Public

Club House: Yes

Amenities: Food,Dining Hall, Bar, Restaurant, Sun Room Patio, Leagues

Pro Shop: No

Club Rentals: No 

Driving Range: No

Putting Green: Yes 

Dress Code: No dress code for playing a round but golf shirts, and pants for tournaments.

Sleepy Hollow’s Front 9

Sleepy Hollow’s front 9 is more open than the back. The front nine features par of 34. The front 9 consists of 2 par 3’s and 7 par 4’s which makes a challenging yet do able round. Most fairways run parallel to each other with a small row of trees dividing the holes. Typically the grounds crew does a very nice job of keeping the fairways nicely trimmed and making the rough not too difficult to hit out of, which if you are an average golfer like me, you could appreciate.

My personal favorite hole on the front 9 is hole number 4. Sleepy’s hole number 4 sits nestled in back corner of the course enclosed by a row of trees and right next to a neat little pond, usually filled with duck and geese. This par 4 plays like a long par 3, so a birdie opportunity is always in play. As a local golfer, I can appreciate the difficulty that the front 9 offers and enjoy playing here as I can always leave without feeling too bad about my game.

Sleepy Hollow’s Back 10

Sleepy Hollow features a very scenic, windy and challenging back 10. Par for the back is 38 with the 19th hole making the course a solid 72 par. Sprinkled with 3 par 3’s, 6 par 4’s, and 1 par 5, the back 10 at Sleepy Hollow offer a challenging round of golf. Most of the holes run alongside forest and trees, so out of bounds hazards are abundant.

My personal favorite hole on the back 10 is hole number 13. Standing on the tee box of 13, your target is the fairway about 200 years straight ahead of you. From there, the hole takes a 90 degree left turn and your next shot is uphill to a small green with a large bond in front and small layup area. The hole is challenging when you take in to account that on both sides is dense forest and make it difficult if you miss the fairway with your drive.

Things to Know about Sleepy Hollow Golf Course:

Sleepy Hollow offer morning and evening leagues for all ages, including work leagues and leagues organized by a group of friends looking for competitive rounds. As of now, Sleepy Hollow opens at 10am daily with leagues teeing off at that time, so be prepared if you choose to go out when it opens. Most of the time they will let you tee off on either the front or back depending on where the league is playing.

Sleepy Hollow is also a great place to catch a game or enjoy a bite to eat before or after your round. They offer a full bar and restaurant for all their patrons. The course is located just up the road from Homestead Golf Course.

Sleepy Hollow is a fantastic course if you are looking to head for a relaxing and leisurely round of golf in NEPA. I highly recommend checking this course out.

“9 Holes Year Round”

Scott Greens Golf Club is a premier 9 hole course located in Scott Township which offers year round lessons, indoor swing simulator, miniature golf, lessons from a top 100 instructor, and a golf academy for all ages. Scott Greens Golf Club is a relatively smaller course as it is only 9 holes. It is located in a very nice neighborhood surrounded by a few businesses and down the road for my favorite driving range in the area, “Pops“.

Course Details

Address: 455 Green Grove Rd, Scott Township, PA 18447

Phone Number: 570 254 6979

Website: www.scottgreensgolfclub.com

Email: aswingforlife@aol.com

Cost: $15 for 9 Holes with a cart, $9 walking

Par: 34

Total Yardage: 1,934

Holes: 9

Reservations Required: No but available

Carts: Yes

Course Type: Public with memberships

Club House: Yes

Amenities: Food, Outdoor Patio, Indoor Swing Hitting Center with virtual golf, Golf Lessons, Golf Clinics, Golf Academy, Miniature Golf

Pro Shop: Yes

Club Rentals: Yes

Driving Range: No

Putting Green: No

Dress Code: No dress code for playing a round but golf shirts, and pants for tournaments.

Scott Greens is a 9 Hole Course with Endless Opportunities

Scott Greens Golf Club is rather small in comparison to most of the courses in the area. Tight fairways and short holes make up the majority of the course. A few scenic holes nestled between trees and bends make the course very scenic and challenging for a 9 hole course.

Scott Greens Hitting Center

Scott Green offers an indoor Golf Simulator fixed with a variety of different courses for year round play for $25 per hour. Reservations are preferred but not required with daily specials available. Make sure you go to their website to reserve a spot.

Swing for Life Golf Academy at Scott Greens Golf Club

The Academy has been in operation for 25 years offering instruction to juniors and women looking to advance their abilities. The academy offers clinics periodically throughout the season as well as short game clinics. Lessons available at request and reservations can be made via their website.

Memberships

Scott Greens offers a limited number of memberships er season with special perks and benefits to their members. Ranging from $250-$999 per year memberships give players access to lessons, course play, hitting center and golf simulator. Check out their page for details regarding memberships.

Scott Greens Golf Club is an enjoyable course if you are looking for a round of golf with limited wait times and a good pace of play. Definitely check this course out if you are in NEPA.

Brick

“The Course with the Peacocks”

Homestead Golf Course is located just on the outskirts of Carbondale, PA. Constructed in 1962, this 18 hole public course is a great course for a leisurely round for all levels of golfers and features all of the Northeastern Pennsylvania scenery. The courses front nine is more open than the back. Six par 4’s, one par 5 and two par 3’s make up the front. The back nine of the course is more of an iron’s game. Six par 3’s, and 3 par 4’s comprise the back nine.

Course Details

Address: 524 Fallbrook Road, Carbondale, PA 18407

Phone Number: (570) 282-5197

Email: golf@homesteadgolf.net

Cost: $15 for 9 holes, $30 for 18 holes

Par: 65

Front Nine: Par 35

Back Nine: Par 30

Total Yardage: 4,839

Holes: 18 Regulation

Reservations Required: No

Carts: Yes. Walking allowed

Course Type: Public

Club House: None

Amenities: None

Pro Shop: No

Club Rentals: No

Driving Range: None

Putting Green: None

Dress Code: None

Front 9

Vast Open Fairways

Homestead’s front nine is more of your traditional NEPA golf course, wide, longer fairways, with fields and rolling hills in the back drop. The play of the course is relatively easy for the average golfer but it does offer a few dog legs with close tree lines and out of bounds markers to each side which makes for more of a challenge. The course is very well kept and you will always see the grounds crew out there working on the course each time you go to play a round.

Back 9

Irons and more Irons

Homestead’s premier back nine is one of the more challenging aspects of the course. If you struggle hitting your irons off the tee, then this is not going to be your favorite 9. On the other hand, if you love your iron game then there back nine is something special. The back nine feature tough hole locations, smaller greens, and roads and obstacles to the left and right of a few of the holes. this is definitely the harder of the 2 that the course has to offer.

Things To Know about homestead Golf Course

A few things to know when planning your round at homestead:

The house located at the course used to open ad a club house but is no longer accessible to the public. The owner roams around the course on his golf cart fixed with scorecards, cart keys, balls and tees. If he is not there right when you show up, you may have to wait for him to pop down and pay. It is a cash only course but they do typically have change for you.

Homestead offers weekly leagues, typically starting at 5pm throughout the week. If you plan on playing a round in that time beware of the possibility of not being able to go out on league nights. To the left of hole number 13, there is a large barn which acts a chicken, and peacock coup. Stop and take a look at the beautiful creatures as the course has about 10 of them that are always visible. The last thing to take into account is that holes 17 and 18 are not accessible by golf cart, so you’ll need to park by the walking bridge at 18 and walk to the fairway and green on 17.

Homestead is a great course if you love NEPA golf. It is very laid back and is a great course to go out and have a relaxed round of golf. I highly recommend you check it out.