Cobbs Creek Restoration Project to Begin

[Tony McCarthy]

Cobbs Creek in Philadelphia is closing on October 31 for a 2 year restoration project.  It's a historic course and you can read all about its golf history and architecture and falling on tough times story via the Cobbs Creek Foundation.  Anyone who has ever played it should find the proposed routing back to the original version fascinating.  Hole #6 in particular.

I played it yesterday and hope to get another round in before it closes.  They are to the walking-only point, which I would do anyway.  Possibly the best hole, #3 lost its green to a storm this summer (pictured).  The course has always been a little rough around the edges, well, since 1977 for me at least.  Now, Gil Hanse is on the job.  Let's see what he does.

 

Course – Cobbs Creek Foundation

Cobbs Creek Golf Course to close for renovations until 2023

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For Philadelphians who love the public course's tight-knit community, affordability, and convenient location, the renovation is a double-edged sword.

 

[iacas]

Two years? Man. They can build a whole course in about a year. Philly doesn't get that much snow.

[Hardspoon]

Whoa.  Very cool.  Cobbs Creek was the site of the first round of golf I ever played.

That hole (#3) in the picture was absurd.  You had to hit a punch shot...off the tee...because the tree was so low.  EDIT: I'm not sure it was that hole.  It's been a decade.  But the lack of maintenance was astounding.

Edited October 24, 2020 by Hardspoon

[Tony McCarthy]

On 10/23/2020 at 9:33 PM, Hardspoon said:

Whoa.  Very cool.  Cobbs Creek was the site of the first round of golf I ever played.

That hole (#3) in the picture was absurd.  You had to hit a punch shot...off the tee...because the tree was so low.  EDIT: I'm not sure it was that hole.  It's been a decade.  But the lack of maintenance was astounding.

You've got the right hole.  Currently its a bit narrow through the trees but nothing overhanging.

[TrimTheCap]

I am excited to follow this renovation.  And, at the risk of offending, glad to see the wrest of the Philadelphia munis from the grasp of Billy Casper Golf.  We can see how well they did with FDR and Byrne. The latter of which has been taken over by First Tee as of November 2019, and has already begun some improvments.  FDR has joined the 'Il Morte" clubs in golf heaven.

Indeed there can advantages to having a large corporation with almost 200 courses nationally in its portfolio managing your local municipals, but i didn't see much evidence of engagement from BCG at Cobbs, Byrne or FDR in the past half decade.

Edited November 16, 2020 by TrimTheCap

[Tony McCarthy]

21 hours ago, TrimTheCap said:

I am excited to follow this renovation.  And, at the risk of offending, glad to see the wrest of the Philadelphia munis from the grasp of Billy Casper Golf.  We can see how well they did with FDR and Byrne. The latter of which has been taken over by First Tee as of November 2019, and has already begun some improvments.  FDR has joined the 'Il Morte" clubs in golf heaven.

Indeed there can advantages to having a large corporation with almost 200 courses nationally in its portfolio managing your local municipals, but i didn't see much evidence of engagement from BCG at Cobbs, Byrne or FDR in the past half decade.

Not sure if you can offend anyone by criticizing Billy Casper Golf.  It is exciting though. 

 

 

[phan52]

I haven't played Cobbs Creek in years. It has fallen into disrepair but it has great bones. The problem that I see is the creek, It is benign 99% of the time but can turn into a raging, destructive torrent with the right weather conditions. With the development that has gone on in the area over the years, the water has nowhere to go. Good luck to them because Philly needs all their public courses.

[Tampa Tom]

Looking forward to see what comes of this course. I've played it a couple times when visiting family in the area. Always a good time.