FRENCH CREEK GOLF CLUB
Course Architect: Gil Hanse (Renovation work scheduled in the near future)
Year Opened: 2003
Location: Elverson, Pennsylvania
Slope: 138. Rating: 73.2
Par: 71
Yardage: 6,725
Hole-by-Hole: 1 - Par 4 360 Yds 10 - Par 3 172 Yds
2 - Par 4 475 Yds 11 - Par 5 544 Yds
3 - Par 3 216 Yds 12 - Par 4 490 Yds
4 - Par 5 539 Yds 13 - Par 4 456 Yds
5 - Par 3 117 Yds 14 - Par 4 382 Yds
6 - Par 5 564 Yds 15 - Par 4 292 Yds
7 - Par 4 361 Yds 16 - Par 5 518 Yds
8 - Par 3 186 Yds 17 - Par 3 231 Yds
9 - Par 4 404 Yds 18 - Par 4 418 Yds
Par 35 3,222 Yds Par 36 3,503 Yds
Awards Won: Ranked top-30 Best New Courses by GolfWeek (2003), Ranked #52 by top100golfcourses.com in Pennsylvania (2025).
Events Held: AJGA Coursemax/Philadelphia Runner junior (2005).
Website: frenchcreekgolf.com
HISTORY: Not much history to speak of, as the course has only been open a short period of time, however, French Creek seems to have been around forever.
Located on the rolling terrain of the French Creek Valley and Watershed about an hour outside of Philadelphia, the land was once called home by the Lenni-Lenape Indians.
Moving forward to the 21st century, local golf architect Gil Hanse, who has designed some notable gems, such as Applebrook Golf Club in nearby Malvern, PA and Rustic Canyon Golf Club in California, was brought in with the natural surroundings in mind. The Hanse
design team draws its inspiration from nature and all its splendor. "The study of the land and respecting it in the design and construction is foremost in importance," commented Hanse.
As a design associate of the hottest architect in the land, Tom Doak, Hanse did much of the field work for Doak and also had a hand in restorations at Merion Golf Club's East Course, Kittansett Club south of Boston, and Fishers Island Club in Long Island Sound.
Hanse's work at French Creek is beautiful, sculpting bunkers in their truest form. The industry buzzword that is thrown around more often than not is minimalism.
COURSE REVIEW: French Creek opens with somewhat of an easy par four. I say,
"somewhat", as the hole is only 360 yards from the tips, but plays uphill all the way to the green. The fairway is quite accommodating, but don't miss the short stuff, as bunkers protect the sloping fairway to the left, 220 yards from the tee and a quartet of traps lay quietly 270 down the right. Even with a big tee shot, club selection will be key, as you try to reach one of the longest greens on the course, stretching 47 yards. The putting surface slopes from right to left and back to front, and is quite undulating. Sand and thick fescue grasses await any errant shot left and right. When all is said and done, making par is quite a good score.
The second is a majestic par four, doglegging to the right and stretching downhill 475 yards. Though it drops 20-30 feet from the tee, this hole plays every bit of its yardage. Your tee shot must favor the left side to avoid the difficult bunkers guarding the corner of the fairway, leaving mid-iron to another difficult putting surface, just 26 yards in depth. A deep swale sloping left to right fronts the green, while sand and fescue are left and the back of the green falls off the table. In a nutshell, be precise with your approach, or you'll have little chance of making par.
One of the prettiest -- and most difficult -- holes on the course is the par three third. From the tips, the hole plays 216 yards and is all carry over marsh. The green is quite wide, but very narrow with a deep trap left and woods right. The putting surface features a ridge in the center, then runs from back to front with a shaved chipping area short and left. It's too early in the round to be suckered into going for the stick with a back-right flag, so play your shot to the center of the green, two-putt and move on.
One of the most difficult driving holes, the fourth is an outstanding par five that moves right, then left towards the green, once again playing longer than the posted 539 yards would indicate. The tee shot first must carry 200 yards over marsh and fescue to the fairway, then another 60 yards to reach an uphill ridge in the fairway. The longer drive will leave an easier shot to the landing area for an approach with your third, or set up a chance to get home in two. Realistically, there are two choices here. The first is a lay-up short of the thick rough dividing the fairway that leaves you 150 yards to the green. The second option has you taking a little more club to carry the rough and reach the second fairway, leaving just a short pitch. Either way, do not miss right at all costs. Thick rough and marsh will snare all errant shots, while left of the green is virtually death due to sand and tall fescue. The putting surface is only 24 paces deep and slopes from left to right, with
chipping areas surrounding the green. Don't get coy, take your par, as birdie holes await.
All you need to do on the fifth is choose the right stick. Just a wedge should be sufficient on this 117 yard, uphill par three. The green slopes from back to front and should yield plenty of birdies. However, if the wind is up and you underclub and come up short, then you'll have a tough time making bogey, as a sandy, fescue fate awaits some 15 feet below the green.
The sixth hole presents another birdie chance, though you must be able to negotiate plenty of sand in the process. At 564 yards, this is the longest hole on the course and requires both accuracy and length to conquer. A tee shot down the left side is the best course of action, however, this does bring sand into play. After a solid tee ball, your approach must carry 190-200 yards
to clear the crossing bunker that juts out from the right. This trap, slightly reminiscent of Pine Valley's seventh, is 40 yards in depth and a whopping 60 yards wide, so it is not to be taken cavalierly. Clearing the bunker will leave a simple wedge to a raised green that slopes from back to front, with sand left and right. This "r" shaped surface plays most difficult with a back-right flag, but as with most par-fives, should be attacked.
The par-four seventh is another hole that can be had, but all depends on your play off the tee. A 250-yard wallop down the left-center, avoiding the deep traps on the right will set up a little wedge to an uphill green, 32 yards in depth. The putting surface slopes from right to left, so play right of your target and let the ball feed towards the hole. Missing left and long could spell danger, with sand and thick rough.
The final par three on the outward nine, the eighth is a downhill beaut of 186 yards and features a great view of a nearby farm and town. Don't get caught up in the ambience of the hole, because you'll be tested severely. First up is club selection. Dropping some 30 feet from tee, the hole is susceptible to the wind, making your choice quite difficult. A mid to short iron should get it done, but if the pin is back-left, then who knows. The putting surface, although only 30 yards deep, is quite severe, with a large slope riding through the center. Left is jail, with three bunkers and deep rough and trees, while right is no bargain either, as it falls off sharply into rough. Your short game will be tested as you try to save par.
Talked about visually intimidating, the ninth is just that. Although only 404 yards from the back buttons, the hole features a split fairway with a carry of 230 yards. The upper portion of the landing area on the left leaves the best approach to the green, usually with a mid to short iron. The right side, with a wider fairway, plays below the green and leaves a difficult, blind shot to the surface. Factor in a putting surface at just 24 paces in depth that slopes hard from left to right, well you get the message. Miss left and you'll have virtually no shot at getting up and down and right, well two deep bunkers and fescue will be hell. The bottom line, below the hole and two putt for par.
The home nine opens with a downhill par three, 172 yards in length. From the elevated tee, a mid-iron is required to reach the putting surface, which cants from right to left and is just 26 yards in depth. Sand flanks the right side with deep rough, left and long. The hole is quite exposed, so if the wind is up, club selection could be difficult.
The par five 11th is a gem, with a forced carry of 250 yards from the back tees. Favor the left side off the tee, as a group of trees guard the right landing area. With a big tee ball, reaching this green in two is possible, but, and there is always a but, danger lurks. First of all, a rock wall, 27
yards short of the green protects the entrance. Second, the green falls off severely on the left side into deep woods and the right side and deep are no bargain either, with more trees and marsh. The sensible play is to layup short of the wall, leaving yourself a short pitch to set up a short putt. Although narrow, the putting surface is 30 yards long and slopes from back to front, so stay below the hole for your best chance at birdie.
One of the most difficult holes on the course, if not the hardest is the 12th. Stretching a mighty 490 yards from the tips, this par four requires length and accuracy. A blow of 230 yards is needed just to reach the fairway, which is protected down the left side by marsh. After a successful tee shot, the hole doglegs left with a creek cutting through the fairway and down the right side through the green. Your best chance at par is to play left and short of the green and then chip close. Now is not the time to be brave. Use your head and worse case scenario is bogey, not bad on this monster par four.
The 13th seems to be a pushover compared to the last, but guess what, it's 456 yards, uphill! 260 yards off the tee is required to reach the crest in the fairway. The landing area is guarded on the right by sand and deep tall grass. Although its the longer way, play left off the tee to the ample fairway and then add two clubs to your second shot, as it plays straight uphill to the putting surface. This means a long iron or fairway metal to a receptive green. Do not make the mistake of going short and left on your approach, as two deep sand traps can make a mess of this hole. The putting surface runs back to front, so stay below the flag for any chance of par.
On paper, the 14th seems benign at just 382 yards, but don't be misled. This hole can bite you where it hurts at a moments notice. The dogleg left par four has one of the tightest fairways on the course, followed by one of the narrowest greens at French Creek. The ideal play is a fairway metal off the tee, thus setting up a short iron to the green. The problem here is that if you miss the fairway left, you're in jail with sand, rough and woods. Missing right you'll have to contend with trees and out of bounds. Although the fairway extends downhill on the right, using driver is out of the question. Next up is the approach, a downhill shot to a putting surface that falls off,
left, right and deep. Once again, back to front slope, so with your short iron, play below the pin to give yourself the best shot at birdie.
Risk-reward. That's the call on the 15th. A great short hole of just 292 yards, this par four can be had, but alas, perfection is key. From an elevated tee, a blast of 250 yards is needed to clear the sand and slope before the green and to the right. The putting surface is elevated from the left fairway,
which is not a bad place to come in from. Using a long iron or fairway metal down the left side, will leave a short uphill pitch of just 70 yards to a very narrow putting surface. Missing to the right with driver or three metal should be enough to carry to the upper fairway, leaving roughly the same distance. However, any shot off line, left, right or long spells trouble. Thick fescue and deep sand traps loom everywhere, making this, the perfect go-for-broke hole.
The final par five on the course, the 16th is another hole where you can take a chance, with consequences. A big, slinging draw off the tee can set-up a shot at getting home in two, as the fairway on this dogleg left, slopes downhill towards the green. A couple of problems creep into the equation. If the tee shot is left or short, then sand and marsh will gobble up your strike. Right, well, trees and out of bounds. Next is the layup. The fairway narrows considerably as you get closer to the hole, which brings the out of bounds on the right into play and a deep trap on the left, 23 yards in length in the zone. Finally, the putting surface, although long, is very narrow and raised,
which means any shot just missing the green to the right, will kick away towards the white stakes, which are dangerously close. The green slopes back to front and right to left, so to err, go left.
At 231 yards, the 17th, by far is the longest and most difficult par three on the course. Not to mention that it's uphill to boot. There is little margin of error here as well, as the putting surface is just 26 yards in depth and slopes from back to front. Missing right spells all kinds of trouble with sand and deep rough, so if you are to miss, short-left is the call. Making par here is a blessing.
When the south-west winds are blowing, the 18th could be one of the most difficult holes in the region. At 418 yards from the gold tees and doglegging left, the last at French Creek is a dandy. With a view of the clubhouse in the background, your tee shot needs to favor the right side of the fairway, thus avoiding the deep trap and marshlands left. From there, a mid-iron remains to
a fairly small green at just 30 yards in depth, guarded left by a large pond. With the match on the line, this is one of those holes that brings out the best (or worse) in you. The play is to shoot towards the right side of the green and draw it in to set up the winning shot. A classic finishing hole.
OVERALL: From top to bottom, French Creek is an outstanding layout with all of the amenities. Let's start with the 20,000 square-foot clubhouse, a colonial fieldstone building with elegance and charm. With beamed vaulted ceilings and gigantic windows providing breathtaking views of the surroundings, there might not be enough adjectives to describe the clubhouse.
The pro shop is well-stocked with quality merchandise and the staff, well to say their accommodating would be an understatement. The first-class practice facility is outstanding. By the way, even the name of the facility is classy, it's called a practice field.
Next, it's the golf course. Wow! Nothing fancy, just a solid, classic venue, reminiscent of Scottish links courses with all the extras. Except for the 16th hole, which I believe the slope on the right
side of the green might be slightly unfair, as it could shove a marginal shot out of bounds, this course is phenomenal.
For a golf course that is spread out beautifully over this Revolutionary War-era style colonial farm, the final three holes are a little close together, but I might be too critical. This course is very fair for all levels and quite challenging to boot. Ranging from 4,900 to 6,725 yards, French Creek is a course for all players. The low handicapper might think this is a pushover, but he'll soon find out that this is the toughest and longest 6,700-yard venue he's ever played. French Creek also has seven different membership options to choose from.
Take notice. This course looks like its been around for years. There is not doubt that French
Creek Golf Club will soon become the most sought after destination in the area and it’s only one hour from Philadelphia. I just hope I get invited back.