If you’ve ever driven through the rolling, wooded hills of Monroe County, you know the vibe. It’s quiet. It’s old-school. Honestly, it feels like a different century, and that’s exactly why Buck Hill Golf Club PA remains such a fascinating outlier in a world of cookie-cutter resort courses. While everyone else is busy building massive, water-hazard-heavy layouts that feel like they belong in a Florida retirement community, Buck Hill is still leaning into its 1907 roots. It’s gritty in the right ways and polished where it needs to be.
Golf here isn't just about the score.
It’s about surviving the terrain. You’re playing on a piece of history that was originally carved out by Donald Ross and Robert White. If those names don't ring a bell, just know they are basically the royalty of early American golf architecture. Ross, in particular, had this uncanny ability to make a course look simple from the tee while making you want to throw your putter into a creek once you reach the green. At Buck Hill, that tradition is alive and well across 27 holes of undulating, ridge-line golf.
The Weird, Wonderful History of the 27 Holes
Most people don't realize that Buck Hill didn't just pop up overnight. It started as a nine-hole project back when people were still getting around the Poconos in horse-drawn carriages. Eventually, it grew into 27 holes, divided into three distinct nines: The Red, The White, and The Blue.
The White and Blue nines are the "classic" Ross experience. They follow the natural ridges of the mountain. You’ll find yourself standing on a tee box looking out over miles of Pennsylvania forest, realizing that if you slice this ball, it’s not just out of bounds—it’s essentially in another ZIP code. Then there’s the Red nine. It was added later, around the late 1960s, designed by Jo-Anne Washam. It has a slightly different feel, a bit more modern, but it still respects the "mountain golf" ethos that defines the property.
You’ve got to appreciate the topography here. This isn't flat land. You will have side-hill lies that make you feel like one leg is shorter than the other. You’ll hit "blind" shots where you just have to aim at a distant pine tree and pray to the golf gods that your ball is sitting in the middle of the fairway when you crest the hill. It’s challenging. It’s frustrating. It’s brilliant.
What the Scorecard Doesn't Tell You
Look, you can check the slope and rating online, but that doesn't capture the actual experience of playing Buck Hill Golf Club PA.
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For starters, the greens are fast. Not "I might miss this" fast, but "if I breathe on this ball, it’s rolling off the front of the green" fast. Because the course is built on a mountain, every putt wants to break toward the valley. Even when your eyes tell you the putt is uphill, the mountain tells you otherwise. Local tip: always trust the valley.
The par 3s are particularly stout. You aren't just hitting a wedge and moving on. Some of these require long irons or hybrids into narrow targets guarded by deep bunkers that look like they were dug out by hand a hundred years ago. They probably were.
Why This Isn't Your Average Poconos Resort
A lot of folks get Buck Hill confused with the big-box resorts nearby. It’s different. Buck Hill Falls is a private community, but the golf club is open to the public, which is a bit of a loophole for golfers who want a "country club" experience without the five-figure initiation fee.
The atmosphere is decidedly un-stuffy. You’ll see members who have played there for forty years chatting with groups of guys on a weekend trip from Philly or New York. There’s a sense of shared respect for the difficulty of the course. It’s the kind of place where you can grab a burger at the 19th hole—the Fairway Grille—and actually talk to the person at the next table about how the 5th hole absolutely wrecked your scorecard.
The Donald Ross Connection
We need to talk about Donald Ross for a second because his fingerprints are everywhere. Ross was famous for "crowned" or "inverted saucer" greens. While Buck Hill has seen renovations over the decades, that spirit remains.
- Natural Integration: He didn't move much dirt. The fairways follow the dips and swells of the Earth.
- Strategic Bunkering: The traps aren't just there for decoration; they are placed exactly where a "good" drive might end up if you aren't paying attention.
- The Short Game Test: If you miss the green, you aren't just in the grass. You're usually facing a delicate chip from a tight lie that requires actual touch, not just a lucky whack.
Dealing with the "Mountain Factor"
Playing golf in the Poconos means dealing with elevation changes that mess with your yardages. At Buck Hill Golf Club PA, a 150-yard shot can play like 130 yards if it's severely downhill, or 170 if you're hitting up toward one of those ridge-top greens.
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It’s a mental game.
You have to be okay with hitting a 7-iron when the distance says 9-iron. You also have to deal with the wind. When you’re up on the Blue nine, the wind can whip across the ridges, turning a gentle breeze into a club-and-a-half difference. It’s basically nature’s way of keeping you humble.
One thing that surprises people is the wildlife. It’s not uncommon to have to wait for a family of deer to cross the fairway, or even the occasional black bear wandering through the deeper woods. They don't care about your backswing. Just give them space and enjoy the fact that you’re playing in a literal nature preserve.
Practical Realities: Condition and Pace
Is it perfect? No. If you're looking for Augusta National levels of manicured perfection, you might find a rough patch here or there. It’s a mountain course in Pennsylvania; the weather is tough. But the greens are almost always in fantastic shape, and that’s what matters most.
The pace of play is usually decent, especially on weekdays. Weekends can get a bit crowded with resort guests and locals, but it rarely feels like a five-hour slog. The staff generally keeps things moving, and because the course is so difficult, people tend to realize pretty quickly that they shouldn't spend ten minutes looking for a ball in the laurel bushes.
Planning Your Trip to Buck Hill Falls
If you're coming from out of town, don't just drive up for the day and leave. The area around Buck Hill Golf Club PA is worth a look. The community itself is full of stunning stone cottages and historic architecture that feels more like the English countryside than Northeast PA.
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- Stay: Look for local B&Bs or small inns in Skytop or Mountainhome. They have more character than the chain hotels.
- Eat: The Fairway Grille at the clubhouse is actually good. It's not just "golf course food." The outdoor seating overlooks the course and is one of the best spots for a post-round drink.
- Seasonality: Peak season is June through September. However, if you can get there in early October, the foliage is unreal. Just be prepared for colder mornings and faster greens as the grass starts to go dormant.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception about Buck Hill is that it's "too old" to be challenging for modern golfers using high-tech drivers.
Wrong.
The course protects itself with angles and green complexes. You can hit a 300-yard drive, but if it's on the wrong side of the fairway, you might have a blocked shot to the green because of a massive, century-old oak tree. It forces you to think. It forces you to use every club in your bag. In a world of "bomb and gouge" golf, Buck Hill is a refreshing reminder that strategy still matters.
Actionable Insights for Your Round
To actually enjoy your time at Buck Hill Golf Club PA without losing a dozen balls, keep these points in mind:
- Forget the Driver on Several Holes: Many of the par 4s reward a 200-yard shot into the fat part of the fairway over a long drive into the woods.
- Aim Below the Hole: This is non-negotiable. If you get above the hole on the White or Blue nines, you are looking at a guaranteed three-putt.
- Check the Layout: Since there are 27 holes, make sure you know which two nines you are playing. The "White to Blue" rotation is the most traditional, but "Red to White" offers a nice mix of styles.
- Walk if You’re Fit, Cart if You’re Not: It’s a beautiful walk, but it is grueling. There are significant climbs between tees. If you aren't used to mountain hiking, take the power cart.
- Warm Up: The practice range isn't the biggest in the world, but the putting green is essential. Spend at least 15 minutes there just to calibrate your brain to the speed of the mountain turf.
Basically, go there with an open mind. Don't obsess over your handicap. Just enjoy the fact that you're playing on a piece of history that hasn't been ruined by modern over-development. It’s just you, the ridges, and some of the trickiest greens in the Northeast.
Once you finish your round, take ten minutes to just sit on the veranda. Look out over the 18th (or 27th) green as the sun starts to dip. You’ll see exactly why this place has survived for over a century. It’s got a soul. And in the modern golf world, that’s becoming harder and harder to find.
Your Next Steps:
- Check the Tee Sheet: Call the pro shop directly. Sometimes the online booking portals don't show the full availability, especially for the rotating 27-hole schedule.
- Download a GPS App: Because of the blind shots and elevation changes, a standard rangefinder might struggle. A GPS app with a "plays like" distance feature is a lifesaver here.
- Verify the Rotation: Ask which nines are open for your time slot. If you have your heart set on the original Ross holes, make sure the White and Blue nines aren't closed for maintenance or a private outing.
- Pack for Two Climates: Even in mid-summer, the temperature on the mountain can be 10 degrees cooler than the valley, and the weather changes fast. Bring a light windbreaker just in case.