Arrowhead GC (Red/White 9s)
Douglassville, PA
1954, John McLean (Owner)
Red/White: 6040, 73.4, 124
$16 Walk, $26 Ride Wkdy
$32 Wknd Ride
$23 Wnkd Ride Off Season
*****CASH ONLY!*****
Directions: (Allow 65-75 mins from home)
100 N for 13 mi
R onto 422
to 662 N (near Pottsville) to Weavertown Rd.
Fat Guy Review: A complete time warp back to the early '60's when you walk in the clubhouse/snack bar, and my favorite touch is a sign nailed to an oak tree out front which says, "Please Do Not Take Acorns." Definitely a mom & pop operation, and overall this thing is not the best course in the land. Three 9's, Red/White is best combo. Maintenance is decent-to-borderline, fairways are cut long. When it's Path Only the carts have these weird regulators that sound an alarm and shut the cart down when you get off the path (yes, it's walkable).
HOWEVER, for the price, it has 4 of the toughest finishing holes I've played: #15 245-yard uphill par-3, nearly impossible to reach, let alone par. #16 tight down-and-up par-4 hurtling down into narrowing woods with a brutally sloped green, almost a guaranteed 3-putt. #17 might be the tightest hole I've ever played (keep your jokes to yourself), MUST hit a 185-200 yard draw to a landing area between a creek and a bank that's only about 30 yards wide, then hit an approach through a similar area over the creek to a small green. I made 10 on this hole once. #18 is a straightforward par-4 with a well-bunkered green and OB left, a welcome sigh of relief after that brutal stretch. The 14 holes of ho-hum are nearly worth the wait for the finish and a trip to nearby Tiki Bar (see below). Rating: 6.25
Best Bar Nearby: Snack bar on premisis.
A golf buddy of mine Alan always raved about Tiki Bar (1150 Manatawney Rd, Boyertown: 662 N to 562 E, L onto Manatawney, bear L @ "Y", www.tikibarpa.com), 10 mins away, so I had to check it out. If you're anywhere up Rt. 422 and hungry or thirsty, you gotta make the effort to get to this joint. This self-proclaimed "Island-theme restaurant on the ragin' Manatawney River" is a unique experience out in the middle of nowhere. Proprietor Jim Finegan is well-travelled and well-partied, and he modeled Tiki Bar after the great bars of the world in places like the Carribean, New Orleans, and Key West. It pulls off that "been there forever" feel with discarded knick-nacks in every corner and vacation postcards from regulars adorning the walls. You'll see Philly suburbanites dressed in Tommy Bahama next to mulleted Nascar-fan locals, but all of them managing to get into the laid-back island mindset.
Steaks, kabobs, wings, fish, clams, salads, etc. are sold raw and ala carte from a deli case. From there it's cook your own on the large open grills that dominate the dining room and patio, with sauces, spices, and marinades at the ready. Try the spicy cajun steak, it's outstanding. Douse it in hot sauce and grill it on a hot spot.
Extremely friendly and energetic staff. Outdoor bar and dining area on the river features a grill and bonfire pit, riverfront seating, lush vegetation, is surprisingly bug-free, and sees up to 150 people during Summer. With a soundtrack of Jimmy Buffet and a hip, eclectic collection of obscure modern jazz, blues, swing, and soul, the Hurricane as the house drink, and beads on sale at 4-for-a-Buck, you can see how this place can get pretty crazy.
3 Warnings: You will very likely get lost trying to find this place, but it's a Must Find. You will likely end up HAMMERED way out here in the middle of nowhere, so plan ahead with a designated driver. And get there early and eat a snack before you go, especially on weekends; it's popular despite it's remote location. So much so that they valet park (free) out of necessity despite a large lot, and cars often queue up on the road, waiting for spots to open up. Table wait times can exceed an hour when it's hoppin'. The experience is worth the hassle. It does empty out semi-early despite the crowds.
Check out various Tiki-themed bars nationwide at http://www.critiki.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi?
The only Gentlemen's club in the area is Baby Dolls (1401 Ben Franklin Pkwy aka 422, Douglassville, opens 4PM daily, R on Old Airport, L onto 422 aka BFP). Taken for the dive that it is, you gotta love this joint. The outside of the place is just run-down enough that you almost wonder if it's even in operation anymore (it is). It's hard to believe this same building once housed a thriving tiki lounge called Rummy's Polynesian House back in the '60's through the early-'80's, according to Critiki.com. The interior is so dark when you walk in that once the door closes behind you, you actually have to just stand still for a few seconds to let your eyes adjust enough to see where the bar is. Then you realize the floors of the joint are unpainted particle board, with a small stage 15 feet behind a V-shaped bar. The talent is limited but passable (as you'd expect for a joint this far out in the sticks), but the couch dances are worth the $20, and it's the first place I've been to that actually offers a nekkid-couch-dance option for $40 after a change in PA state regs a few years ago. And I'd be remiss if I didn't give a rare recommendation for the Champagne Room. Despite Carmella's protestations that there's a camera back there, there didn't seem to be a lot of rules, and no direct bouncer supervision.
Where To Grub: Bob recommends The Bar-B-Q Pit in Reading (13 miles away, 610-678-9696, www.barbqpit.20m.com, 4741 Penn Ave, Sinking Spring PA). This place has history: "Lucky" Deligiannis came over from Greece and opened a restaurant in 1979. For the restaurant's 5th anniversary party, Lucky set up a barbeque pit out front to serve barbeque chicken platters. Little did he know the pit would transform his business. It was an instant hit and Lucky ran it for the entire two week anniversary celebration. The following summer he did the barbeque pit again for the entire season. The smoke enticed passersby to stop in. Year after year saw additions to the barbeque shack, including beer taps and a permanent pavilion. Lines for the barbeque kept getting longer. In 1992 a fire burned down the original restaurant and "The Pit" became a permanent substitute. The 90's saw more growth, a cabana bar, and more seating to become the restaurant it is today.
In addition to having solid "Q", their all-you-can-eat specials are unbelievable. All-you-can-eat BBQ chicken is only $8 and comes with (get this): two sides, AND a soda AND TWO DRAFT BEERS. Most places cost more than that for two drafts. The all-you-can-eat ribs, chicken, and sliced pork is only $12 for the same deal.
Open 7 days a week, 11 AM - Midnight
OR, Yellow House Hotel (Rts. 662 & 562, www.netjunction.com) features seafood & steak, $15-$20 dinner entrees.