Two upscale golf offerings open in Easton area

EASTON, Pa. -- It's not a golf destination yet, but Easton is moving in that direction, with two new upscale golf courses opening during the 2004 season.

The Club at Morgan Hill opened just south of town and Riverview Country Club opened just north of town. Both courses have much to recommend them and combined with The Architects Club, just a short drive away in New Jersey, Easton's cache as a burgeoning golf getaway is definitely on the rise.

Some of the holes at Morgan Hill actually opened for play in the fall of 2003, but the entire 18 opened this summer to considerable buzz. The course sits atop a hill overlooking Easton and the views are truly inspiring, as is the golf. The layout runs up and down and around Morgan Hill making for a wild ride of a golf course.

"The property dictates the kind of course it's going to be," offers designer Kelly Blake Moran. "It's a large piece of land and it's on the side of a hill, so guess what? The course has some severe slopes. Now to take that terrain and create a fair and playable course, that was the challenge at Morgan Hill."

From the tips, The Club at Morgan Hill plays 6,749 yards with a slope of 135, a rating of 72.8 and to a par 71. Those numbers aren't misleading, you'll be biting off a lot of golf course if you play from the back tees. But the yardage on the card is less important than whether the hole is playing uphill or down. Nos. 4, 11 and 17 are par 4s that play to well over 400 yards, but all are downhill and length off the tee is less important than your position in the fairway.

There is a definite advantage to having played the course more than once. Knowing where to go and where not to, should help you improve your score as you make your way around Morgan Hill. You'll encounter plenty of up and down and side hill lies. But there are also some subtleties in the design that aren't apparent off the tee.

Many of the holes at Morgan Hill have false sides, encouraging the ball to trickle off the green and into a collection area.

"It's about more than just hitting the green," says Moran. "You've got to hit the proper part of the green. As for the chipping areas, I think they are much more interesting than sand traps. You've got options from those collection areas, you can use anything from a putter right up to a metal wood."

Riverview Country Club opened in September and while lacking the drama of Morgan Hill, some golfers will find it more playable. The Jim Blaukovitch design is a par 72 that stretches out to just over 6,500 yards from the back tees.

"We think we've got the right combination of challenge and playability to keep golfers coming back," said head pro Kevin Edwards. "Jim designs courses that offer a test without beating you up."

The front nine at Riverview is pleasant, but the course hits its stride on the homeward nine. The three-hole stretch from number 11 to 13 is all downhill, but a great run of holes. The 11th is a par 4 with a pond in front. The 12th is a par 3 with a 70 foot drop tee to green and a great view of the Delaware River off to your left. You continue your way down the hillside on the 13th, a long par 5 with an approach over a waste area and creek .

The 17th hole is a mid-length par 4 with an island green. "The island green has almost become a signature of mine, though it's kind of against my intention," explains Blaukovitch. "They are obviously unforgiving and I don't like to be too penal. But circumstances or the desire of ownership have conspired and they seem to wind up in a lot of my designs."

Blaukovitch also created an unusual design feature by using bent grass for the interior of his fairways and blue grass along their perimeter. "It's distinctive," offers the architect. "It requires some special watering techniques, but visually and from a playability standpoint it's something out of the norm."

An upscale clubhouse and extensive practice facility were in the works at this writing.

The verdict

If you're feeling especially vigorous, set aside an entire day and play both. Morgan Hill has the drama and difficulty to challenge anyone. Riverview is where you're likely to post your better score. You won't mistake Easton for Myrtle Beach (or any other beach for that matter), but the eastern part of the Lehigh Valley got a major boost with the addition of these two quality tracks in 2004.

Places to eat

If you want to get back to basics, try the City Diner (South 25th Street) and have some their meat loaf and mashed potatoes. An only somewhat less casual option is Weyerbacher Brew Pub ((610) 559-0340) for a decent menu and good beer choices.

Places to stay

The Hampton Inn Easton (610-250-6500) is a comfortable stay that won't break the bank. If you're seeking slightly more upscale, head on over to the Lafayette Inn (610-253-4500) which provides accommodations with a B&B flavor.

Off the course

The top attraction in Easton is the Crayola Factory at Two Rivers Landing (crayola.com). Kids love the colorful, hands on stuff and there's plenty of pointless crayon scribbling too. When the young ones start to wind down, take them over to the Easton Museum of Pez Dispensers (eastonmuseumofpez.com). There's nothing like pez to get the kid's batteries recharged! Some might ask: Why a pez museum? What else would you do with 1,500 pez dispensers?

If You Go

Riverview County Club
1 Riverview Place
Easton, Pa. 18040
(610) 559-9700
Web: riverviewestates.com

The Club at Morgan Hill
100 Clubhouse Drive
Easton, Pa. 18042
(610) 923-8480
Web: theclubatmorganhill.com

September 28, 2004