Blackwood GC
Douglasville, PA (about 75+ minutes NW of Philadelphia)
1970, David & Bill Gordon
Blue 6403, 68.6, 115, 70
White 6089, 67.1, 112, 70
'07 Fees: $44 Wknd Ride
Directions: From West Chester, take Hwy 100 N, to Route 724 W (just before Coventry Mall), L off exit, drive about 5 miles then look for the directional signs leading to the course.
Fat Guy Review: On top of this being 45 minutes from even suburban civilization, this is your average 1970's wide open back-and-forth layout with a row of pines seperating one fairway from another and moderate elevation changes. But it's a good value in respectable condition for the price (I once played it on an unseasonably warm February Saturday for $12, and even the high season prime time riding rate of $44 is worth it for the Philly area), although the greens are typically pretty slow. Not that hard to walk. Hard to get in double bogey trouble other than 4 or 5 holes with ponds or O.B. A few fun holes on the stretch from #6 through #8, and a couple fun driving holes mixed in with some tough par 3's on the stretch from #11-#15. The bunkers appeared to be raked daily, a refreshing surprise at a lower scale course. It plays a long 6400 from the Blues, but a fun 6100 from the Whites. I play in a charity tournament here annually and it's not a bad track for a drunken scramble. A good place to post a confidence-builder score if your game has been failing of late. Driving range and mini-golf next door. Rating: 6.5
Best Bar Nearby: For an all-afternoon party or a good grill-your-own steak, the 15-minute drive to Tiki Bar (1150 Manatawney Rd, Boyertown) is worth the effort. 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 here forever" feel with discarded knick-nacks in every corner and vacation postcards from regulars adorning the walls. Steaks, kabobs, wings, fish, clams, salads, etc. are sold raw and ala carte from a deli case, and from there it's "cook your own" on the large open grill that dominates the dining room, with sauces and marinades at the ready. The staff is extremely friendly and energetic. The outdoor bar and dining area on the river features a bonfire pit and sees up to 150 people during the Summer. With Jimmy Buffet and a hip, eclectic collection of obscure modern jazz, blues, swing, and soul as the soundtrack, the Hurricane as the house drink, and beads on sale at 4-for-a-dollar, you can see how this place can get pretty crazy. Warning: You will very likely get lost trying to find this place, but it's A Must Find.
Directions To Tiki Bar from Blackwood: 13 miles, 16 mins away
724E to 422W 0.2 mi
R onto 662, 3.1 mi
Slight R onto Old Airport Rd, 1.2 mi
L onto Boyertown Pike/562/Reading Ave, 0.1 mi
R onto Manatawney Rd, 1.0 mi
The only Gentlemen's club in the area is Baby Dolls (1401 Ben Franklin Pkwy aka 422, Douglassville, opens 4PM daily), about 10 minutes away. 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 also once housed a thriving tiki lounge called Rummy's Polynesian House back in the '60's through the early-'80's, according to www.critiki.com. The interior of Baby Doll's 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'd been to that actually offers a nekkid-couch-dance option for $40 after recent regs changes in PA. 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.
For catching the game, Sportster's Bar & Grill (about 15 minutes down 100S) is a full-fledged modern sports bar with a varied menu.
Where To Grub: Steak lovers should head back down 100S a couple miles to Long Horn Steakhouse for good quality meats (get your steak with their well-spiced sauteed mushrooms). There's also a Red Lobster just up 100N from the mall, which isn't bad for chain seafood.
Out towards Tiki Bar is the Yellow House Hotel (Rts. 662 & 562, www.netjunction.com ) featuring seafood & steak, $15-$20 dinner entrees. Those headed towards Reading should stop for BBQ at The Bar-B-Q Pit (13 miles away, 610-678-9696, www.barbqpit.20m.com , 4741 Penn Ave, Sinking Spring PA).
If you're headed back to the Philly 'burbs, further down 100S towards Exton you'll find The Brickside Grille (540 Wellington Sq, in Eagleview, Exton). A large restaurant with nice atmosphere, 2 bars with TV's, and outdoor summer dining. The hot wings were good, as were the very bourbony BBQ ribs, and the beer was cold. The menu features seafood and beef as main staples. Heidi recommends the brick oven pizza as well. Pizzas are $6-$9, entrees are $14-$22. Or Hoss' (100S & 113, Exton) is a great value steak with a good salad bar.
Golfcourse.com Review: This scenic course has tree-lined fairways, but they are typically wide open. The greens are large and have medium speed. There is water that comes into play on 3 holes. The first 6 holes run close together, so beware of other player's errant shots.
Avg. Player Rating, Golfcourse.com: 4.3 / 5.0. Most complained of slow play and slow greens, but raved about the value.