Philly golf review: Rancocas GC continues to impress, improve

It’s rare to find a golf course in the Philly area that combines a great layout, great conditions, great location and a good price.

RancocasGolf Coursein South Jersey comes as close as any area track, offering a Robert Trent Jones design and friendly staff striving to make the course better.

Wally Tittelmayer, the PGA pro at Rancocas and his crew recently sent their superintendent to Cornell Univeristy to check out the Robert Trent Jones society and what they learned was shocking.

“We found out the greens have drains in them that no one knew about,” Tittelmayer said of the course, first built in 1966. “We have been slowly finding the drains and replacing them. We are re-soding the collars and fixing the areas. It’s going to help the health of the turf.”

As the course returns to the conditions of its former glory, the current inclination is still challenging and a fun ride, with 96 bunkers challenging approach shots and doglegs everywhere intimidatinggolfers off the tee.

“For a first timer, definitely you can see by the layout the doglegs and everything,” the pro said.”When he sat down and laid out this golf course he wanted you to sit and think.”

The course is tucked into the woods in Willingboro, NJ and even your short game gets a test on the long, thin sloping greens.

“They are small very undulating greens,” Tittelmayer said. “That’s the defense of the old golf course. When the speeds aren’t rolling the undulation is the defense. These greens become really treacherous when the speeds pick up.”

Local knowledge tip: “You need accuracy off the tee, and driver is not always needed here. It’s a position golf course you have to keep it in the right spots.”

Price point: Wednesday special, $23.95 with cart

Website: rancocasgc.com