Rocky Golf Weekend
South Philly, PA
A true Rocky golf weekend could only be done one way: South Philly style.
It's a little hard to imagine to the original Rocky Balboa on a golf course. You could almost see him standing on the first tee in the full-on black leather jacket, hat, and half-finger-gloves, whiffing at the ball 6 or 7 times before he walked off to go chase a chicken around. Maybe after he got rich, like in Rocky III, he would have joined a country club, but even so you could imagine him walking off the course 3 holes into his first round. Nonetheless, here's how to make your own Rocky story on the golf course, from a transplanted local.
Friday
The quintessential (and only) South Philly golf experience is Franklin D. Roosevelt Golf Course (known locally as FDR Park, 1954 Pattison Ave, 215-462-8997, www.fairmountpark.org/FdrGolfClub.asp). Only $31 to walk, $41 to ride, and just driver/wedge from the South Philly stadium complex. Short, flat, relatively open, gently undulating greens, and a canal touches 10 holes. The drainage here is terrible, so avoid it after a rain storm. The website labels it a "Florida style" course, but if you can imagine anything remotely resembling Florida at this run-down city muni, you have a better imagination that I do. Although, it is easy to imagine a young Italian kid from the neighborhood learning the game here.
Near FDR Park, hit Popi's (20th & Passyunk) for some very good upper-mid-scale Italian. Or, South Philly is home to many of the city's best family-run Italian restaurants, such as the homey feel at Tre Scalini, the exclusive uber-upscale La Famiglia, or the raucous Triangle Tavern, featuring piano sing-alongs. Or try the nearby Penrose Diner, with an extensive menu, where there's something for everyone.
After dinner, hit quintessential South Philly sportsbars Chickie & Pete's (order the buffalo chicken fingers and the crab fries), named as ESPN's 2011 Best Sports Bar in North America, or McFadden's, a massive sportsbar/restaurant located at the Phillies' Citizen's Bank Park right in the center of the stadium complex. Most of the waitresses at McFadden's tend towards hot, but this place is worth a visit for one waitress in particular... the skinniest blond with the biggest, most perfect natural rack you'll ever see. I don't know her name, but she was working the dining section (to the right of the entrance) on my last visit there. Pray she's working the night you come to town.
Saturday
Fat Guy only runs when chased, but you flat-belly types will want to rise and shine early to work off last night's pasta by retracing Rocky's famous run through Springsteen's streets of Philadelphia. Download the original Rocky theme, Gonna Fly Now by DeEtta Little, along with Survivor's quintessintial 1980's rock anthem, Eye Of The Tiger, and add them to your favorite workout mix on your iPod. Don a hooded sweatshirt and pair of Chuck Taylor's (if your feet can take the pounding), then wrap a towel around your neck. Consider the breakfast drink of raw eggs to be optional. Start at the Italian Market in South Philly. Run east on South Street down to the riverside Penn's Landing for a brief jaunt north along the docks of Columbus Boulevard, then west on Market and get your jab working, and around City Hall to the Ben Franklin Parkway. Work up to a mean left hook as you head for park-lined Kelly Drive, winding along the Schuylkill River and past Boathouse Row. Make a left over the bridge and return via West River (recently renamed Martin Luther King) Drive. Now queue up the Rocky theme and push for the famous finish, with a sprint up the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum. Stomp in Rocky's stairtop sneaker prints, turn towards City Hall, and pump your fists in air. If that doesn't get you pumped for a day on the course, nothing will. "Arright Rocko!"
Once you're showered up, it's time to shift into nouvelle riche Rocky III mode. If you've seen too many straightforward, Ross-esque par-4's in your day, then make it a Jersey swing, starting with Scotland Run in Williamstown, NJ. A quick half-hour hop over the Delaware River via the Walt Whitman Bridge onto 42 South brings you to this stunningly unique target layout. Diabolical architect Stephen Kay twisted the routing through the New Jersey pine barrens and a former sand quarry. By borrowing design elements from both Old Tom Morris' Prestwick and legendary nearby Pine Valley, Kay achieves the same Stateside visual stratosphere as Mike Stranz' target masterpiece Tobacco Road (Sanford, NC). A study in extremes, the Run offers numerous quirky elements such as severly elevated tees, cape holes over yawning sand pits 3 stories deep (don't worry--there's a staircase if you don't clear the carry), dual greens, blind shots, stacked sod pot bunkers, railroad tie walls as crossing hazards, and sandy lies next to rusting quarry equipment and abandoned airplanes. Cart paths spill randomly into massive, free-range waste bunkers, adding to the sense of adventure. The dog right par-5 18th, with water creeping in off the tee and an uphill approach over a sand cliff, is a memorable finish. Whether going for it or laying up, the second swing on the 18th is one of the most nerve-racking middle shots anywhere. Noise from the nearby small airport is offset by the visuals of the colorful parachutes of skydivers falling out of the sky. The overall experience is closer to X-Box than traditional links. But for the adventurous, Scotland Run is the most grin-inducing 18 daily fee holes the Philadelphia area has to offer.
If you're more of a traditionalist... While you'll never get on Philly area U.S. Open venues like Merion, Philadelphia Cricket Club, or Aronomink, you can play a classic George Fazio routing at semi-private Downingtown Country Club. Design elements reminiscent of Philadelphia's U.S. Open courses, such as challenging elevated greens, deep fronting bunkers, and plush fairways boldly guarded by mature tree lines, provide a perfect compliment to its shortish length. Core conditions are very good, although some of the cart paths are overdue for a good paving. The greens fees are a hair steep at $81 weekend prime time, but you can knock the fees back to $63 by walking, and it's a very walkable course. After the round, grab lunch and microbrews across the street at P.J. Wheelihan's Pub, with a hottie waitstaff.
The search for the obligatory Philly cheese steak will likely lead you to Pat's King Of Steaks, or Geno's Steaks, both among Philly's best (and both caddycorner at the epicenter of the cheesesteak world, 9th & Passyunk, South Philly). Preference between the two is an endless source of local debate (I'm a Pat's man myself), though out-of-towners may struggle with the distinction. Be sure to order in true Philly style, simply: "Whiz wit' " (meaning a Cheese Whiz steak with fried onions). Be quick about it, and speak English, or you'll find yourself at the back of the line again. Then hit the eclectic shopping and fun watering holes along famed nearby tourist stop South Street (below 5th). Later, stave off those late night munchies with Will Smith's favorite pizza at Lorenzo's, or local's choice Tommy Gunn's American Barbeque (630 South, www.tommyguns.net). Sample another of Philadelphia's gastronomic contributions to the American palate, the soft pretzel, best served still warm off the oven at Federal Pretzel. Pressed for time? Make your Saturday tee time for mid-afternoon, and beforehand enjoy all of the Brotherly Love specialties in one shot during the Taste Of Philly Food Tour at Reading Terminal Market (Wed & Sat 10 AM, 12th & Filbert, reservations required, 215-545-8007, www.readingterminalmarket.com, $15 adults $9 kids).
Sunday
Proximity to the airport makes Glen Mills Golf Club in Glen Mills, PA a logical choice for your pre-departure round. Carved out of the hilly, forested grounds of a school for troubled boys, you'll be pleasantly surprised at the level of service provided by the students who serve as cart and bag boys. Named to many Best New Course lists after its debut in 2001, the professional staff and pro shop are top notch. Designer Bobby Weed believes that the Achilles' heel of modern, earth-moving course design results in the shaping of every mound and edge, leaving most new courses with an almost-subconscious manufactured feel. Weed prefers to leave the rough edges of the natural landscape. This subtlety sets Glen Mills apart, and makes it visually intimidating as well. Weed left plenty of tee carries and other natural hazards, including boulders, wetlands, meandering streams, drop-offs, natural bunkers, rock outcroppings, and fescue. The routing features elevation changes, pinched fairways cut into the base of surrounding hills, and a few blind shots. Narrow and targety in spots, Glen Mills offers up some tricky little torture chamber holes (the tempting risk/reward double-dog par-5 4th and the sliver of fairway at the short par-4 11th leap to mind). The layout forces forethought off the tee and accurate shot making, but also leaves you the occasional bail out area. Perhaps the best features include the tee times, which are set 15 minutes apart, and there's nary a Toll Brothers monstrosity in sight. All of which makes for a very relaxing round. However, if you love more traditional layouts, this rugged course may not be up your alley.
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Even as a Philly transplant, I was surprised to learn that many of the filming locations for the original Rocky were actually in L.A. So I guess that means this would have to be a bi-coastal golf experience.
The opening boxing match was filmed at the Oscar de la Hoya Boxing Youth Center, 1114 S Lorena St, East L.A.
Rocky works out pounding sides of beef at Shamrock Meats, 3461 E Vernon Ave at Alcoa Ave, Vernon, just south of the L.A. River and southeast of downtown.
The climactic fight with Apollo Creed was filmed at Olympic Auditorium, 1801 S Grand Ave, at Olympic Blvd, downtown L.A. Originally built for the 1932 Olympics, it was also used for boxing scenes in Raging Bull and Million Dollar Baby.