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Pelham Split Rock Golf Courses
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
3 reviews for Pelham Split Rock Golf Courses
I was never blessed with natural ability for golf, but I do love the sport. Although I have played here about 5 times, I will enlighten you about my most memorable round at Split Rock this past summer.
I used http://nycteetimes.com and reserved a morning tee time. Upon arrival, I paid a $2 parking fee and met my 3 companions. I walked to clubhouse and checked in. The signin and payment part doesn't happen until they call your name on the PA system.
The Split Rock course was backed up at least a 1/2 hour. At hole #1, after we teed off, light rain poured, but we played through it. At #5, there was slight backup, but we finished the hole. It poured again. This time it was heavy, so we waited an hour under trees. The foursome behind us did the same. We continued playing and realized many golfers had left. The greens were soaked. Putting was terrible. By this my boxers and socks were wet. Imagine the discomfort, yet we decided to continue.
At #8, we started the hole, and it poured again. Now my colleagues were feeling depressed. We already passed 5 holes so we did not qualify for a raincheck for our greens fees. We decided to forget it and head home. As we passed #9, we saw the snack bar so we stopped for a hot dog and beer. We remained quiet and yet we had the look of disgust on our faces. What a waste of money.
The weather miraculously cleared up, so we drove back to hole #8 and played it through. By hole #11, the sun came out and stayed out. My undergarments were still wet, but the game continued.
A lot of golfers left at the first sight of inclement weather (maybe they had plans and only scheduled a 4-5 hour window to play golf). We were there for a while. Yes 7 hours. I understand, we paid with our valuable time, but this was the strangest yet most memorable golf experience to date.
My highlights for me were 3 bogeys in the back nine. You can imagine the double and trip bogeys, along with my double par holes.
The Good:
+ Nice golf course in the Bronx (see photos), part of the largest park in NYC (yes, Pelham Bay Park is larger than Central Park)
+ Split Rock is the better of the two courses, but Pelham is wider.
+ (for round plus cart) $70 for non-residents, $64 for residents (get the ny golfers club card; it's kind of like a county card, but it doesnt have your photo)
+ There is a pitching and chipping area where I can practice for free.
+ At the snack bar (you encounter it at Split Rock holes #1 and #9), there is a special where if you buy 5 of the same beer, you get the 6th free.
The Bad:
- Not all of the yardage signs are up (missing)
- Live game may be wandering on the course, ie on the green.
- No driving range.
- Snack bar and cart girl accept cash only.
The Ugly:
-- Finding droppings on the green. Eek.
-- Delays will back you up, thanks to walkers. People lose their golf balls and take forever to move on. To the sh-tty golfers, bring a lot of balls and maintain pace with the players ahead. I do.
Overall it is a must see/to do in Pelham Bay park/the Bronx.
Here is your moment of Zen: Tell the news, not the weather.
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\ \ \ \ Hurry up, bad luck is following us!
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O O IFHTP 3+ O O
People thought this was:
- Useful (3)
- Funny (3)
- Cool (5)
There are actually 2 courses here...the Split Rock layout, which is shorter but nicer. And the Pelham Course, which is longer but not quite as nice.
I would label this "urban golf." You're going to see things you dont normally see on a golf course...broken beer bottles, people in sweatpants. I saw a guy in a cowboy hat playing, and also a guy in a full-on velour track suit.
It was $62 for 18 holes on a Sunday (for NY residents) which isnt all that bad. I played it on a blustery March day and only had the patience to get through 9 holes. I can only imagine the mind-numbing backups that occur here during the high season (especially on the weekends).
Bottom line: If you are a hacker and just want to go have some fun with your buddies and drink a case of Busch Light, then this course is probably a great pick. If you're a more serious golfer who hates having...to wait....on every...single....shot....then i wouldnt touch this place with a 10-foot pole. Im not trying to sound snobby, but theres a limit as to what makes a golf round enjoyable. The only time i might go back here is for an emergency 9 on a weekday.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (2)
My friends and I were happily surprised to see how beautiful Split Rock was, especially considering it's a municipal golf course. We were expecting brown patchy grass. Instead, there were lush green tree lined fairways, well groomed tee boxes and greens (albeit fast and undulating), and some of the oldest trees in New York which are in full spring bloom. Some looked like gigantic bonsai trees with branches that reach over the greens. There's one major water hazard with creeks that criss cross a couple holes. Various species of birds live on the course including 2 wild turkeys, a flock of Canadian geese, and red winged blackbirds. Golf marshalls were pretty aggressive the first couple holes to move people along but it was pretty relaxed after that. It was an easy ride from Manhattan on the 6 train to Pelham Park and then a transfer to the Westchester Bee Line #45 for free with the Metrocard. Only one stop, the bus drops you off right in front of the golf course. The #45 bus only runs every hour on Sat so plan accordingly. Green fees were very reasonable $39.50 for residents ($6 for a NYC resident card good for a year, just bring a utility bill and ID), $15/ea for a cart ($30 split between 2 ppl). We thought Split Rock might have been especially nice because Mayor Bloomberg had a tournament here last week but the guys behind us said it's always nice. Very pleased, will be coming back.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (1)