There was a time when people traveled to certain Northeast destinations to celebrate love and romance. The thing was, you were already in love by the time you arrived. If you travel to the Pocono Mountains region of Pennsylvania these days, you’ll certainly fall in love again. This time around, however, it won’t be your significant other whom you’ll romance; it will most certainly be golf. With 35 unique golf courses spread over the five counties of the Pocono region, you and your golfing companions will uncover what the area likes to call the “Great Destination Secret.”

Golf in the Poconos is as diverse as the lands through which the region spreads. Lowland courses occupy terrain that sits near the Delaware River. Tracks like Shawnee, Terra Hills, and Water Gap are found in this district near the city of East Stroudsburg. Mid-range layouts sit in the foothills below the higher peaks, offering a blend of vertical movement and stasis. Indian Mountain, Mahoning Valley, and Buck Hill fit this description. Mountain designs provide the tiring climbs and thrilling descents that make for memorable treks. Split Rock, Mount Airy, and Hideaway Hills offer such up-and-down rounds. Having such diversity in a region reveals why the Poconos is the great undiscovered golf destination.

Donald J. Ross is known for designs such as Pinehurst No. 2, Oak Hill, and Seminole. One of his contributions to the Poconos is found in the town of Buck Hill Falls, at Buck Hill Golf Club. The first nine golf holes were laid out at Buck Hill in 1907, then doubled in size over the next 10 years. When Ross arrived in 1918, he took on the task of rebuilding the original 18, adding nuances to the putting surfaces and opening up unused views of the countryside for new fairway routings. In addition, he oversaw the construction of the final nine holes, bringing the course up to its present-day 27 hole total.

Buck Hill places a premium on accuracy of both width and depth. The long and wild hitter is in for a difficult day, as the golf course demands straight shots that do not come up too far short, nor continue too far on. Only half of the par-4 holes extend beyond 370 yards from the tips, while two of the five long holes measure less than 500 yards. Rarely does a par-3 hole demand more than a mid-iron from the tee. None of the Buck Hill nines will overwhelm you with distance, but the ghosts of golfers past will chuckle if you stray wide or long.

The three nines at Buck Hill tend to ascend to a piece of higher ground, stay there a bit, then descend to the finish. The ascending holes are interesting and provide some challenge without over-extending the player at the start. The first on the White nine is a 345-yard par 4 whose gauntlet comes in the approach. Rarely more than a short iron or wedge, a miss short or left is not fatal. An errant shot beyond the green or to the right ensures a reload from the fairway. The second hole on the blue is another fine example. Only 286 yards in length, the hole is bisected by a valley that guarantees that all tee shots carrying less than 270 yards will end up at or near the bottom, leaving an uphill pitch of 60 yards to the green.

Buck Hill does have its brawny moments, however. With three par 5s measuring more than 550 yards, you’ll need some strength to get home in regulation. The fourth hole on the Blue nine tops out at 558, but it’s the final 150 you need worry most about. After a blind right-to-left drive, the fairway opens up and reveals its descent-ascent finale. Ripples of earth trace the downward run, yet it’s a lunar pit that defines the green. When you need more than 15 stairs to escape a bunker, it’s deep! The putting surface on No. 4 is characterized by a false front and a notable rise from front to back. The best misses err to the left and short, to avoid the nasty sand trap short right. Putts from the back of the green have little chance of staying on the short grass. No. 4 sums up all that is required to play strategic golf.
After your final change of shoes and departure from the small, cozy, and efficient clubhouse at Buck Hill Golf Club, you’ll return to our modern era. With luck, the shots hit and the grounds walked will stay with you for quite some time.

Split Rock Resort & Golf Club is a year-round oasis near the shores of Lake Harmony. An indoor waterpark opened in 2008, joining the theater, indoor pool, and fitness institute already in use at Split Rock. In addition to the indoor amenities, guests have access to a number of outdoor entertainment facilities, including lake swimming and boating, miniature golf, tennis and basketball courts, and beaches.

The resort’s 27 holes were designed by landscape architect Robert Sterrett, whose experience in weaving of aesthetic and functional elements is constantly on display. Sterrett was given a unique piece of land and pieced together an engaging series of holes. Easily one of the most densely-treed golfing properties in the region, the North Course at Split Rock presents a fair number of blind and semi-blind tee shots. Thanks to the native vegetation, although a stone’s throw from the I-80 interstate, golf is played in near isolation. Like many other area courses, this is no “grip it and rip it” layout. On many holes, driver off the tee is not the smart play and more often leads to trouble. Fine examples of these strategic demands are found on Nos. 10 and 11. The encroaching right tree line requires a left to right tee shot with enough power to carry to the flat, for a look at the well-sighted green. The next hole, a daunting, multi-terraced par 5, plays down then farther down to a second fairway, before ascending to the putting surface. Along the way, horizontally-challenged shots find bushes and deep undergrowth outside the bunker line. Oh yes, the bunkering. Sterrett was not shy about utilizing enormous sand pits to both define and protect his corridors. If you miss the fairways, there’s a good chance that the sand will get you if the vegetation doesn’t. To call the North Course anything less than a championship layout, a players course, would be a true injustice.

In contrast to the North Course, the nine-hole South Course has more of a traditional resort course feel. Shorter with fewer bunkers and lesser elevation changes, the South forgives the stray shot. There are a few holes with North-style teeth, but the majority of the fairways are less bunkered, the greens are smaller and much less undulating, and the forced carries, if present, are brief. An additional nine holes are under construction and expected to open within the next two years. With 36 holes, Split Rock will rank among the top tier of courses in Eastern Pennsylvania.

The Pocono Mountains region offers so many opportunities to enjoy good golf courses that postponing a visit seems a shame. From nine-hole short courses to championship layouts, the 35 courses in the area provide a level of enjoyment for every caliber of golfer. With true greens, firm fairways and wonderful 19th holes, the Poconos should be on every golfer’s list for 2009.