White Clay Creek Country Club at Delaware Park

I played White Clay Creek last season and decided it was time to play again so I could review it.  Located just 45 minutes from Philadelphia, it's a quick trip down 95, White Clay Creek in Wilmington, Delaware is located on the same property as Delaware Park.  Those of you unaware, Delaware Park is a casino and horse racing track, which makes for the horse racing theme at this course.

(A view of the driving range and first tee from the clubhouse)

The Course

I would like to share pictures of the course but due to "user error", my camera did not function properly (ok, I forgot to put the memory card in).  The only surviving picture is the one from my phone above. 

The course is certainly deserving of the 72.2/135 rating and slope the USGA has given it.  On every tee box and fairway you will be forced to think about what club to hit.  On 12 of the 18 holes I was faced with a "forced carry" situation either from the tee box or the fairway.  The course does sell yardage books and every cart has gps.  Most days this would be helpful rain the two days earlier kept us on the cart paths. 

The 6,467 course (7,007 from the tips) offered a variety of challenging holes.  The use of doglegs, blind shots, carries, and elevation changes makes this course extremely challenging to anyone playing it for the first time.  The gps in your cart is helpful and hopefully my tips below can lend some advice on what to look for on this course but with gps and having played it in 2009, I still lost 5 balls. 

The #1 handicap hole on the course is a 559 yard par 5.  Although the fairway is wide, the left side is woodlands and the right side is a lake (which you also borders the 9th hole).  Hit a good drive in the fairway and most golfers will be forced to layup as the approach to the green is an elevated forced carry over a small ravine.  Avoid the bunker on the left side of the fairway to make life easier. 

The 8th hole is unique because you must play two forced carry shots, one off the tee and the next to the green.  The 486 yard par 5 is reachable in two for the long hitters but a forced carry off the tee and then again off the fairway make accuracy a priority on this hole. 

The Par 3's

The par 3's are challenging.  My favorite is the 17th, it plays 145 yards with water to carry and water left.  The right side of the green is protected by hills and anything left slopes towards the water.  If you miss the green left, your ball will be wet. 

The 17th is by far the easiest of the par 3's.  The front 9 offers two par 3's both playing at 208 yards.  The longer hitters can use and iron while some players are left hitting a 5-wood or a hybrid.  The 183 yard 13th is over water and has water guarding the right side.  Too far left and you have an uphill approach shot. 

Five Tips for Playing White Clay Creek

• 1st hole:  Bail out for your approach shot is left.  Right of the green is jail.
• 9th hole:  If you're playing the black tees, this green is reachable off the tee but you have to carry about 230 yards of water.  You can bail out left from the unique tee placement.
• 10th hole:  Keep your tee shot left either over the bunkers (there is room) or past them.  Anything right is blocked out.
• 17th Hole:  Right is your bail out.  Anything left bounces into the water.  Anything right leaves you with a tough chip towards the water but you'll be dry.
• Birdies:  The backside offers good birdie opportunities with some short par 4's.  Hole 12 is 304 yards, hole 14 is 325 yards, hole 16 is 361, and the 18th plays at 337.  Choose your club wisely off the tee and you have a short iron or wedge in.

Overall

The conditions were "ok".  The rain a couple days earlier had made the course a little soggy which surprised me.  It's been a dry summer so I thought it would have dried out by now.  The course is not walkable due to the distance between holes and finally I thought the fairways could have been cut shorter (my playing partners agreed).  I'm going to assume they couldn't be cut due to the rain.

If you're looking to "grip it and rip it", this could be a frustrating place to play.  This course requires patience and careful shot selection.  If you're up for the challenge and don't mind hitting every club in your bag, you'll enjoy it here.

 

 Location:  Wilmington, DE

Cost:  $80 includes cart (with gps), driving range and practice area

Rating/Slope: 72.2/135

Proshop: Yes, they have everything you need.  

Range:  Yes and practice area

My Score:  90 (46-44)

Play Again:  Absolutely

Website:  White Clay Creek Country Club

 

 

Comments

[Philly Golf Guy]

Good reviews and a good site. White Clay is one of those public courses in the area that gives you a great challenge with all the perks you usually only get at a private club. I go there regularly. They were closed for 3 weeks after Hurricane Irene, but I swear the conditions are better since then. Maybe it was all the water.

[WAMGolf.com]

Thanks for the comment Philly Golf Guy! I enjoy White Clay Creek and I think they do have trouble with excess water. I've played there a couple times when it was cart path only... it makes for a longer round. Fun layout where accuracy is key!