NEW DAY, OLD COURSE
A 19th-century golf course at Omni Bedford Springs gets a modern clubhouse
Ispent the night before my 8:30 a.m. tee time lying in a bed of anxiety, tossing and turning and running over my schedule for the day like Rain Man. I dreaded hitting that first drive with my vintage 1980s clubs.
Old school clubs are cool, I told myself. It shows I have confidence in my game and don’t need giant Fred Flintstone-style club heads.
I was at the Omni Bedford Springs Resort and Spa for the opening of the Old Course’s new $2.5 million clubhouse. The century-old original was destroyed by a 1983 flood and never rebuilt — until now. The Old Course, one of the oldest in the nation, has been a big draw since it opened in the late 1800s. Even though I hadn’t swung a club in three years, I had to play it.
“The addition of the new clubhouse, as well as the pro shop, locker room and Tillie’s at the Clubhouse for casual dining, is a perfect complement to the charm and character of the resort,” said pro Ron Leporati, the PGA director of golf there since April 2007.
“It definitely enhances the guest experience.”
So do apres tee amenities that include lunch on the patio after an early 18 holes, cocktails after a late round and live entertainment on the patio on weekends.
“Our guests are finally experiencing this phenomenal course in its prime,” said resort general manager Bill Liedholm.
Even for players like me who aren’t quite up to par. Yes, bunkers, bogeys and lost balls were all part of my round.
I fondly remember hole No. 4, the Volcano. Designed 93 years ago by Donald Ross, it’s an infamous par 3 because of its steep slope topped with a slick green. You don’t want to get caught short trying to pitch up from what seems like a 90-degree angle. On my best drive of the day, I landed the ball safely on the fringe of the green. Three strokes later I was feeling great. I escaped with just 1 over par.
The next hole, I had another good drive right down the middle of the fairway. That’s when I made the regrettable decision to use my 5-iron instead of the 3-wood. Still bubbling with confidence from the Volcano, I was crushed by a double bogey.
Matt and Lucas Lyons, brothers from Lambertville, N.J., had a much better day. “It’s a nice course,” Lucas said just before a beautiful drive on the 11th hole. They liked it so much that after a decent morning round, they went out again in the afternoon.
Post-Gazette golf writer Gerry
Dulac, who also played the course during the clubhouse opening in June, said, “I think it’s marvelous because it can be challenging as well as enjoyable. It’s a classic layout that makes you hit every club in your bag.”
His favorite hole is No. 6, the Cathedral — “Set through trees, framed beautifully by bunkers, serene,” he said.
Mr. Leporati also reveres No. 6: “I love the setting of this hole. It is relatively short in length, yet it is memorable and perfect in its simplicity.
“I easily rate the Bedford Springs Old Course in my all-time top 10 favorite places to play,” he said, admitting it might sound biased coming from the club pro.
But he went on to explain, “I factor in course conditions, fairness and my ability to remember the course layout from hole No. 1 to No. 18.”
A design that includes two of golf’s architectural pioneers, Donald Ross and A.W. Tillinghast, only adds to the course’s integrity, Mr. Leporati said.
Spencer Oldham completed the original layout of the Old Course in 1895. Seventeen years later, Tillinghast redesigned it as a nine-hole course. In 1923, Ross added his own genius, taking the course back to 18 holes.
Despite my not so par-forthe-course performance, I will play again with those 30year-old clubs, which seemed perfectly suited for the Old Course.
It’s not your score, your handicap or your longest drive that makes golf so mysteriously enjoyable. It’s about hope, the hope that the next hole will be better. Each time you stand on the tee box is a chance to improve.
So forget the scorecard! I loved being outside with a purpose in a beautifully manicured setting so rich with history. George Washington, Native Americans and black bears have all set foot on the land that is now a storied golf course where U.S. presidents have played.
So when the wind whispers, “Use your 3-wood,” you should listen.