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By
Ronald S. Montesano
So
many regions in the United States of America
identify themselves as "Lake Country"
that it would be deceptive to add one
more to the list. While it is true that
the southwestern New York-northwestern
Pennsylvania corner might be defined as
such, the fact of the matter is that Findley
and Chautauqua Lakes will serve as a point
of departure for a golfing tour of the
region.
There
is no denying that Findley Lake is a wee
body of water when compared with its nearby,
larger sibling, Chautauqua. Findley Lake
essentially services one town (also named
Findley Lake) and the nearby Peek'n
Peak Resort. In contrast, Chautauqua
is home to dozens of towns along its 45-mile
shoreline, with small city Jamestown located
at the southeastern terminus.
Peek'n
Peak Resort is currently offering Stay
and Play packages for as low as $119 (USD)
for one night stay and one round of golf
on the Upper Course and one round of golf
on the Lower Course. For those looking
to extend their stay for two nights, packages
are starting at $218 (USD), and include
a $20 dining credit. Peek ‘n Peak
also offers "build your own stay
and play packages" which can be found
by clicking here.
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town is home to a 36-hole base of operations.
For Findley Lake, it's the Peek'n Peak
Resort, while the town of Chautauqua,
located on the western shore of the
big lake, boasts the Chautauqua
Golf Club, consisting of
two 18-hole layouts and a recently-added
short game facility. Both provide enjoyable
and challenging rounds of golf across
all 36 holes, along with a fair amount
of pre- and post-golf opportunities.
For
a number of years this decade, Peek'n
Peak was home to the Nationwide Tour
and was recognized as one of the favorite
family stops for the players. The
Upper Course is the featured layout.
Designed and kept to tour standards,
the holes traverse the wooded terrain
that defines the Allegheny foothill
region. Fairways play down to and
across ravines, up slopes and across
streams and ponds. The Lower course
was built over much flatter terrain
and provides a less-demanding trial
for the vacationing golfer.
Both
courses at the Chautauqua Golf Club
play to some 6,500 yards in length
from the tips. The
Lake Course, across the
road from the Big Lake, was designed
by Donald Ross in the early part of
the last century. The course has a
defined, old-style feel to it, with
parallel (almost claustrophobic) holes,
sharply-angled bunker faces and greens
sighted on hilltops. A true course
aficionado gets the sense that the
course was built with horses and hands,
not the machinery of the modern era.
In contrast, the newer Hill
Course was carved from
the forested rise above the lake,
with hardly a parallel fairway. Angles
are much gentler while green sites
are varied.
Both
towns (Findley Lake and Chautauqua)
might be described as bucolic, yet
it is the later, thanks to the Chautauqua
Institute, that has a bit more going
on during the Summer. Long a gathering
of intellectual, spiritual and recreational
types, the Institution holds courses,
workshops, meetings and lectures throughout
July and August. Photographers, anthropologists,
engineers and artists, among others,
descend on the grounds of the Institute
to expand minds and muscles during
the warm months.
You
can learn more about the region, or
even customize your own Stay and Play
Package by visiting the Chautauqua
Institution website.
The
remaining courses in the New York
portion of the region are nine-hole
layouts built for expedient execution
of a round of golf. Rarely crossing
to the high side of the 3000-yard
threshold, these fun layouts allow
for enjoyable pursuit of a wondrous
game.
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Peek'n
Peak Upper Course
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Chautauqua
Golf Club
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Cable
Hollow
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Pennhills
Club
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Pine
Acres
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Interstate
86 brings travelers from the west into southwestern
New York. A bit farther east, down route
62, lays another golfing mini-Mecca for
sojourners. Warren, Pennsylvania, is a small
city with a fair amount of good, 18-hole
layouts in the environs. Between Warren
and the New York border are Blueberry
Hill, Jackson Valley and Cable
Hollow. All three courses stretch
over 6,500 yards in length from the back
tees, feature incredible vistas of the mountainous
region, and demand shots with every club
in the bag. The hilly region makes putting
the sloped surfaces a rigorous and rewarding
challenge. Best of all, the green fees for
all three courses are always in the $30
range, often venturing near $1 per hole.
Blueberry
Hill offers visitors to the area guest houses
for groups from two to twelve people. Rates
start at $175, and more details about the
guest homes are available here.
Great Stay and Play packages within the
Warren County area are available on the
Visitors Bureau website.
A
beautiful ride east past the Kinzua Reservoir
brings the traveling golfer Bradford, Pennsylvania.
Bradford is home to two marvelous golf courses
of high conditioning and architectural merit.
The Pennhills
Club is a private Walter Travis
design that offers moderate access to the
public golfer. A ubiquitous creek meanders
through 15 of 18 holes, making accuracy
both side-to-side and in distance terms
of utmost importance. Pine
Acres is a public-access venue
that challenges the best golfers of the
border region with tree-lined fairways,
well-bunkered greens and super-fast putting
surfaces. If you can putt Pine Acres, you
should head to Augusta!
The
green fees at our final two courses might
be a bit higher than at the Warren-area
ones, but the golfing experience will be
worth the extra cash.
Whether
you make the trip to this area during the
Summer (cool shade from the trees and wind
off the lakes) or Fall (glorious colors
and moderate temperatures), you'll be at
peace before, during and after your daily
golfing adventures.
05/09
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