Note:  This year, we are handling the golf season a little differently.  Michael Dill, a local college student at Pitt, is going to profile a local golf course each week.  But instead of writing about it from a player’s perspective, he will talk about the entirety of the course including amenities, features and insider knowledge that you only get from people who play there all the time.  In addition, he will offer his Best list (what makes the course stand out) and his Before/After list, where he will let you know what you can before or after your round.  Leave your comments and let Mike know if you think he missed out on something or if you would like to see him include your favorite course.

Fox Run is a family-oriented golf course that has matured into an enticing destination since opening to the public in 1992.  The course initially consisted of only six holes and was built for private use by Richard Dill and his family, the original owners.

The course was sold to current owner Pat Worley in 2001, but Fox Run strives to maintain an atmosphere where everyone is family.  The course’s original clubhouse, which is Worley’s home, can be seen off to the right of the sixth hole’s fairway.

The earliest version of the course was built on a smaller piece of land, allowing for only six holes.  In order to play nine holes, players had to zigzag across the course.  After the fourth hole, golfers would play the third green from a different direction, creating the fifth hole.  The second and eighth holes shared a green as did the seventh and ninth holes.

Of the original six holes, three are still in use today.  What was the second hole is now the sixth, while the old third and fourth holes are now the seventh and first holes, respectively.

The course’s signature hole, No. 5, has a memorial plaque for John “Jack” Dill just past the green.  Another plaque further back marks the grave of Fritz, the Dill family’s Labrador Retriever.  The fox-shaped 150-yard markers painted by the Dill family are still in use at the course.

Fox Run continues to grow.  The trees planted during the early years of the golf course are large enough to define the fairways.  A few of the greens and tee boxes have been relocated in order to allow smoother transitions from hole to hole.  This transformation allows golfers to use drivers to their advantage on the wide fairways.

Three natural ponds on the land have been rehashed to form six ponds that stretch across the course.  Pat Worley also added the challenge of sand traps, which did not exist in the early years of the course.

Even though much has been done in terms of advancing the course, more improvements need to be made. Some of the cart paths near the clubhouse were paved, but most of the paths are pretty rough. Potholes and rocks are frequent; small dirt and rock piles also blocked a few paths. A few benches could be found at tee boxes, but they tended to be dilapidated and dirty.

One of the nicer features Fox Run offers is the rest stop located between the second and third holes.  A grill and a vending machine are available for those who are hit by cravings after teeing off.  At the very least, the rest stop provides shelter in case of extreme weather.

The clubhouse is another place golfers can go to put a roof over their heads.  A small pro shop is just inside the entrance, but the Fox Den is the central attraction of the clubhouse.

The main room features a recently renovated bar as well as around a dozen tables and multiple flat screen televisions.  Wi-Fi is available for those who may need to access the Web.  Giant windows and a wraparound porch overlook the course to the south.

The smell of meat on the grill combines with the laughter of the golfers to form a welcoming environment for visitors.  The food served at the Fox Den is homemade; it isn’t a place where pre-packaged concession items are heated up.  Golfers aren’t allowed to bring their own beer, but they are able to buy some at the clubhouse.

The clubhouse and a small putting green are pretty much the extent of what the area has to offer in terms of places to go before or after playing a round of golf.  Still, a lack of options doesn’t mean Fox Run has nothing to offer.

Pat Worley has done an admirable job in building upon the foundation the Dill family created.  The surrounding Waterford area was largely undeveloped when Fox Run was first built.  The only other place of interest was a cemetery with graves dating back to the early 1800’s.  Currently, Fox Run serves as the community’s main attraction.

Fox Run is constantly being updated, but the history of the course isn’t disappearing.  The course has formed a friendly community that convinces people to keep making trips out to Waterford.

Golf season, thank heavens, is just around the next bend from the next (first?) warm spell of the spring. You can help your friends and neighbors gear up by making sure your tournament listing gets into the Erie Times-News Golf Guide.

Listings are included free of charge, but must be received by April 15, 2011, at 5 p.m. The guide will be published May 13.

Listings should include the date and time of the tournament, cost, registration deadline, names and phone numbers of contacts and other information.

E-mail to sports@timesnews.com with Golf Guide calendar in the subject line; fax to (814) 870-1808, attn.: Sports Dept., with Golf Guide calendar somewhere on the page, or drop off or mail to Erie Times-News Sports, Golf Guide Calendar, 205 W. 12th St., Erie, PA 16534.

See you on the course.

My golf game sat dormant for a year until I played Union City Country Club on Thursday.

I hadn’t played because of a lack of time — or making time — than anything else. Yeah, I know, a poor excuse for not enjoying a great game. Hopefully, I can change that in the near future.

With a lack of playing under my belt, I was eager to hit the course and curious to see what shape my game was in.

The first hole at Union City, which is located off Route 8, is a 350-yard par 4 that goes up the hill. It’s a nice, inviting way to start off a round.

And I passed my first test.

My 3-wood off the tee hooked, as it usually does, but I still was left with about 100 yards to the green. Unfortunately, there were some trees blocking my approach. I took out my 60-degree wedge and sent my ball into the air.

It clipped some leaves but still landed on the green in regulation, leaving me with about 30 feet for a birdie.

I left it short — man, I hate leaving a birdie putt short. I had about 4 feet for my par and sank it, catching the left side of the hole and falling in.

First hole, first par.

For me, it could only get worse. And, believe me, it did.

I will say I managed par on the last hole of the front nine, a 375-yard par 4. You need to clear a small stream with your tee shot. It shouldn’t come into play, unless you top your shot and load it up with topspin. From there, the hole curves back to the left, with sand on the right-hand side of the green.

My tee shot wasn’t very promising, hooking back into the fairway on No. 8. However, I had a clear shot from 150 yards. If I went long, the sand would enter the picture.

It was a needless worry as I stuck my 8-iron onto the green. I salvaged a two-putt for par from about 35 feet.

Union City could be considered two courses in one. The front nine (par 36, 3,285 yards), which opened in 1960, is fairly open, which is helpful for someone like me who turns a draw into a hook too often. There are trees than can enter the picture, but I didn’t encounter trouble like I did on the back.

It was perfect for someone like me getting back into the swing of things.

The back nine (par 36, 3,010 yards), however, is a different story. It opened in 2000 and has plenty of trees, which is nice on warm, sunny days like the one I had.

However, you need to be accurate off the tee, or you’ll be looking for your Titlist in the woods.

You’re challenged right away on the back, where you need a strong tee shot on No. 10 to clear a pond. But clearing the water isn’t the only tough shot. Spray it left or right, and you’ll be in the trees.

I love the finish of the round on Nos. 17 and 18. Both set up well with my draw/hook. No. 17 is a 275-yarder that doglegs left. I love swinging away on those holes, not caring how much hook I get. The green is sloped, so you need to leave the ball below the pin for an uphill put.

The round ends up with a 315-yard par 4. I hit my best tee shot of the day on 18. It was a perfect draw, going up the slight hill.

The course has charm, and the staff from general manager Bill Dinsmore on down was very friendly and helpful.

I was impressed with the relaxed feel and didn’t feel nervous bringing my 8-year-old and 10-year-old sons with me. In fact, any worries left after I saw on different occasions a couple kids playing with their mom, a non-playing girlfriend tagging along with a boyfriend, and a wife watching while her husband played. It was very family friendly.

Playing in August after a dry, muggy summer, I wouldn’t have been surprised to see a lot of brown on any course. Union City was full of color and the greens were soft.

I missed playing the past 12 months, but I’m glad I ended my hiatus by hitting the links at Union City. Hopefully I don’t wait as long for my next round. And I definitely want to return to Union City Country Club in the future.

Course details

Union City Country Club

36-36—72

3,285-3,010—6,295

9400 Club Road, located off Route 8

Union City, PA

Phone: 814-438-2810

Website: unioncitygolfclub.com

Notes: Check out their website for a coupon. Also, the clubhouse offers a bar and restaurant.

– Rick Green, rick.green@timesnews.com

– Reviewed by John Dudley on Aug. 3, 2010

You know how there are places from your youth that always provide a sense of comfort and nostalgia? Maybe the ice cream stand you visited after Little League games? Or the beach house your family rented every summer?

For me, one of those places is Venango Valley Inn and Golf Course. I grew up in Crawford County and spent my formative golf years slashing around Venango Valley back when it was a cheap, accessible dog track whose promise was concealed by overgrown flora, shaggy trees and bumpy greens.

The good news is that Venango is still cheap. But aside from the hole routing and the name, it’s nothing like the course I played as a teenager spraying tee shots all over the lot with my old Taylor Made Burner.

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The first green appeared saturated by last weekend’s heavy rain.

Even with the bright sunshine and warm temperature on Monday, July 26, it didn’t have enough time to dry. So I figured the greens at Crab Apple Ridge Golf Course in Waterford would be slow.

Then my opening putt of the morning – a 15-footer for par on the 485-yard, par-5 first hole – rolled 6 feet past the hole. So of course, I tapped the 6-foot bogey putt. It stopped 2 feet short of the hole.

After finally tapping in for double-bogey, I knew my putter and I were in for a long, unhappy day.

At first glance, the greens on this otherwise short and relatively easy course – it ranges from 5,157 yards from the red tees to 6,484 yards from the blue tees – appear inviting. But looks are deceiving.

When I thought a putt would roll left, it rolled right. When I thought a putt would roll right, it rolled left.

When I thought putts would roll straight, they didn’t. When I thought putts would turn, they didn’t.

When the greens felt damp and spongy earlier in the round, I put more speed into my putts. They rolled well past the hole. When the greens seemed drier later in the round, I took some speed off my putts. The putts stopped short of the hole. Only my level of frustration remained consistent throughout the round.

I failed to one-putt a single hole that day. I had nine three-putts in all, including a stretch of four straight and six in eight holes (No’s. 5, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 12). That lack of success on the greens was especially disappointing on the par-4, 390-yard 17^th hole. I fired a 7-iron approach shot within six feet of the pin, which in itself was a borderline miracle given my lack of golfing ability.

I was poised to record the first birdie of my life on a course other than a par-3, pitch-and-putt. Better yet, I would rebound from missing a short birdie putt and settling for par on the par-3, 92-yard 11^th hole.

The putt on No. 17 appeared straight when I lined it up. The ball rolled straight until about the three-foot mark. Then it slid to the left of the hole. I settled for a par, which again is a borderline miracle but still made me shake my head and roll my eyes.

After hitting two uncharacteristically solid shots, I wanted to be rewarded with a birdie. But that hasn’t happened on many other courses over the years. It didn’t happen at Crab Apple Ridge either.

But Crab Apple Ridge is worth playing, as much for the course as for the relatively inexpensive fees (I paid $29, including a cart, on Monday). Just ask my 14 year-old son Anthony.

He gave it two thumbs up. Anthony hasn’t stopped talking about where he played his first official 18-hole round of golf. He especially has shared the story of his first par on the par-3, 124-yard second hole.

He sank an 8-foot put on that hole. But he experienced his share of difficult putts. He used my putter.

– Victor Fernandes

Beautiful Over Lake.

That’s usually how you are greeted when you call for a tee time for Over Lake Golf Course, located at 10601 Ridge Road, Girard.

Just take Route 20 one mile past Girard, and you can’t miss the well-manicured patch of land on the left.

It has been about four years since I played Over Lake. I remembered plush fairways and a friendly staff.

I consider Over Lake one of the gems of the area. They meticulously take care of the fairways.

During one of my rounds seven years ago, I noticed a course maintenance worker driving something that seemed to place a white substance, kind of like a soap lather, on the fairways. I was afraid to walk on those fairways, but he told me it was OK. I don’t know what it was they put on the course. It was almost like they shampooed the fairway. It was different and an example of how much they care of the course.
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The poll is closed for the course we’ll review the week of July 25, and Crab Apple Ridge Golf Course is the winner. Thanks for voting this week.

Victor Fernandes is planning his strategy for Crab Apple Ridge — where Times-News managing editor/news Doug Oathout recently played 100 holes in a day — and will report back by Friday on his round and the course.

In the meantime, be sure to vote for where our reviewer will play next. This week you can choose from:

• Culbertson Hills Golf Resort (last week’s runner-up)
• Union City Country Club
• Venango Valley Golf Course
• Scenic Heights Golf Course

The poll will close Friday, July 30, at 5 p.m.

The poll is closed for the course we’ll review the week of July 18, and Over Lake Golf Course is the winner. Thanks for voting this week.

Sean Heilman is planning his strategy for Over Lake and will report back by Friday on his round and the course.

In the meantime, be sure to vote for where we will play next.  This week you can choose from:

• Culbertson Hills Golf Resort (last week’s runner-up)
• Crab Apple Ridge Golf Course
• Elk Valley Golf & Recreation
• Riverside Golf Course

The poll will close Friday, July 23, at 5 p.m.

The first summer that I played golf, in 1974 at the age of 21, my friends who had just graduated from Gannon College, as it was known back then, and myself, who was a few credits short of my degree in accounting – yes, accounting – made our way to Gospel Hill, the first 18-hole course that I played.

It’s 2010, and my inconsistency in the game and the unique par 33-37 course a few blocks east of Station Road have not changed much.

Sure, I play a better game now, but I still can shank, chunk, hit a hideous shot about 30 yards following a perfect drive, swear, say that “I quit,” “I reek,” “I don’t know why I play this game,” then make a par and get that feeling that I can’t wait to play again.

In the 70s, Gospel Hill was one of the few options where a golfer who was not a country club member who wanted to play 18 within a few miles from home could go. Then the course-building boom came in the late 80s and early 90s, with the addition of 9-hole courses like Fox Run, Lake Pleasant, Mound Grove, Crab Apple Ridge (the latter two are now 18). Elk Valley and Green Meadows both expanded from 9 to 18, and so forth. Thus, there were many more 18-hole short-trip options.

I had not played at Gospel for several years until the past Columbus Day, when I joined a couple of guys from the Times-News. Shot an 88 and had fun. It was October, one of my last rounds and best score of the year, which shows the caliber of golfer that I am. Low 90s to low 100s.

To review the course, on Tuesday, July 13, I got together with Jimmy Feeney to play 18. (his brother, Larry, who has been a friend since the 60s while at Cathedral Prep and Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity brother, was unable to make our usual Tuesday morning round). Gospel has a Tuesday special, $24 with a cart, with a sandwich and drink at the turn. Nice deal.

In my mind, the place just never changed. Sure, Penn State Behrend has agreed to buy the property owned by Becky Kathman and Linda Milton, but I was told the course will remain in operation for several years.

Anyway, you make the turn east off of Station Road to Reese, then a right on Steimer, which is like a driveway. You see the same parking lot on the left, with the same clubhouse, the same short walk to the first hole, then the tight 2,230-yard par-33 front with no par-5s, and the 3,300-yard par-37 back with three par-5 holes. Throw in the par-4 13^th hole that seems like another five-par. Don’t think I’ve ever reached that green in two, even in my bomber days, when I could smack the dimpled spheroid with a real wooden driver 280 yards once in a while.

Ironically, as the equipment has changed for length, so does the body’s equipment when getting longer in the tooth.

I don’t classify Gospel Hill as ever being a lush course along the fairways, nor have the greens been fast. The greens, which are pretty-well maintained, also don’t have many undulations or tricky breaks. But the average bogey golfer can put up a nice, confidence-building score here, and it’s a comfortable walk or ride with nature.

It was cloudy and muggy when Jimmy and I played. By the way, Jimmy Feeney, who heads up the mathematics department at Mercyhurst College and is the youngest of four of the Feeney brothers,, has improved immensely by playing a lot more. It also helps when you buy some new equipment. About 10 years ago I gave Larry my 23-year-old clubs made for a 6-foot-6 guy, and he still uses them to hit the balls that he finds while spending half of his round searching for lost balls. He has a couple thousand logos, and the scratches on his knees and arms to show for it.

On the 325-yard first hole, the second-longest on the front, tired, aching while failing to stretch – stretching properly would be a stretch for me – I hit a weak drive into the trees on the left and could not find the ball. One shot, one lost egg. I managed a double-bogey 6.

The second hole is the first of four 270-yard par 4s on the front reachable from the tee for any good amateur. I remember in the late 1980s, the EDGA Amateur first round was at Gospel Hill when the tournament was played at three different courses, and the players had to wait on every tee and took about four hours to play the first nine. They flew around the long and open backside with enough time to make dinner, or the last minutes of Happy Hour.

I flailed around the front. I’ve always said that I play Snowflake golf, that no two swings are alike. I’ve been putting better, but not this day. I made nothing, to add to the atrocious short game woes, since I have no touch or confidence in what I’m doing. I had three double-bogeys and six bogeys for an icky 12-over 45. Arthritis. Yeah, that’s a good excuse.

We stopped and got our sandwich and drink. I’ll tell you what, the Kielbasa was very good while washed down with a lemonade. It was key.

Started off the 526-yard par-5 10^th with a good drive, good fairway wood, then just missed the green to the left and bogeyed. But I was energized. Swung the club better. A horrible chip led to a double on 11, but I parred the par-5 12^th for the first par of the day, had a five on the 458-yard (yeah, right) par 4 ¾ 13^th, parred the uphill par-3 16^th, and on the 550-yard 18^th hole, laid up before the water and was about 15 yards right of the green. Missed a long putt for par, but happily settled for a bogey and another 45 (but only 8-over-par) for a respectable (for me) 90.

Jim Feeney finished with a 46-50-96, with some of those holes that you just can’t do anything right and finish with a snowman (8).

I played the last seven holes at plus-5. For a 20-something handicapper, it made me want to play again soon. Thanks to a relaxing, pleasant outing at Gospel Hill.

– Bob Jarzomski

Gospel Hill Golf Club

4415 Steimer Road (Off of Reese Road, east of Route 430, Station Road)

899-5700

5,527 yards, par 33-37—70

– Reviewed by John Dudley on July 9, 2010

Until this assignment, I hadn’t played Fox Run Golf Course since a few years after it opened in 1992.

I remembered it as a lush little nine-hole layout with just enough water and just enough distance to make you hit most of the shots in your bag.

So when I rolled into the parking lot on a steamy day this week, I knew what to expect, although this time I would be playing with my sons Austin, age 14, and Logan, age 12.

The day we played, it was so hot that my Powerade didn’t want to come out of the vending machine. I pumped in $1.50, heard a clunk and a whine and then nothing. Finally, about 10 seconds later my drink slid reluctantly down the tube and into the 90-degree heat.

Aside from the conditions, though, Fox Run was just as I remembered it — a pleasant, modestly challenging test of a course tucked away in the rolling hills of southwest Erie County.

The boys and I had decided in advance to walk the course, and even with an 8:56 a.m. starting time it was sweltering when we walked from the small, well-manicured practice green to the first tee.

Fox Run opens with a bang, a par-5 that plays 503 yards from the blue tees with an approach shot over a pond with a cascading fountain.

I normally play at Whispering Woods, one of the tightest courses in the area, so I immediately noticed the expansive landing area, with only one fairway trap to catch tee shots left to the right.

I hit a solid drive that left me about 243 to the pin, but I elected to lay up rather than risk dumping a 3-wood into the pond. I hit 7-iron to the left side of the fairway to about 130 yards, then dumped a wedge to about 12 feet and two-putted for par.

I bogeyed the 377-yard, par-4 second, primarily because I pulled my tee shot a little left and wound up behind a small tree, leaving me a punch shot back to the fairway. The second is a bit of a tester because it plays uphill all the way with a green protected by a false front. A pair of ponds flank the fairway, but they only come into play on badly shanked drives. Otherwise the hole shows its teeth with its length and an uphill approach shot that is tough to club if you haven’t played the course before.

The third is a 410-yard par-4 that falls away from the tee to a dogleg right. Approach shots are to a green protected in front by a large sand trap that catches anything short and a pond on the right. I was able to cut my drive just enough to shorten my approach a little, leaving me with a 135-yard wedge into the green. I missed the birdie putt.

Aerial shot of Fox Run Golf Course from the course website.

By now, we were all sweating enough that we had to stop and dry our faces and hands before every tee shot. A Fox Run groundskeeper was out watering tees for the second time that morning, which is why we found the course to be very lush and forgiving despite a week of searing heat.

We managed to keep up a good pace for the rest of the round despite the rising temperatures. The boys held their own, and Austin hit a number of good shots, proving the course isn’t too much for a junior golfer of modest experience. Logan struggled a little, but not so much because of the length or difficulty of the course but because he was having trouble off the tee.

I pounded out four straight pars after the bogey on No. 2, but I had a little trouble figuring out the speed of the greens. Most of the putts I hit were short, probably because I am used to playing on slightly faster greens.

I ran into trouble on one of the course’s shortest, easiest holes, the 318-yard, par-4 seventh. The seventh is a classic risk-reward hole which leaves you to decide between hitting driver over a pond that demands 241 yards of carry or laying up and having a mid-iron to the green. I belted a drive that cleared the water but bled right, leaving me about 35 yards to an elevated green. I chunked my pitch, then chipped to around eight feet and missed the par putt, leaving me two over with two to play.

As we walked to the next tee a rooster crowed, a reminder that we were definitely in the country at a course that is situated in some of the prettiest farmland in Erie County.

The eighth is an all-uphill, 187-yard par-3 with two traps situated to catch short tee shots. I hit a 6-iron that wound up about eight feet below the cup, but again I missed the putt and settled for par.

Fox Run finishes with its longest hole, the 509-yard par-5 ninth, with a fairway that snakes to the left from the tee box and out of bounds right. I hit my worst drive of the day, a push bordering on a slice that wound up along a line of trees only about 210 yards from the tee. I punched back onto the fairway with a 4-iron, leaving me with a 130-yard approach to a green that falls away from the fairway and isn’t completely visible from where I was.

I decided against walking ahead to see what was in front and instead hit a wedge, figuring it would bounce short and roll on. It bounced short and stayed short, and I boned a chip shot to about 20 feet and missed the long par putt. The finishing bogey gave me a three-over 39 for the round, and I wasn’t unhappy given the fact that I hadn’t played the course in about 15 year and was carrying my bag for the first time this summer.

The boys enjoyed themselves, although they both wanted another crack at it right away to take advantage of the experience factor. Austin shot 46 and Logan carded a 66.

Overall, I was impressed with Fox Run. The tees and greens were in good shape, which to me is the true mark of a quality course. The fairways were consistent and the rough wasn’t punishing, making it ideal for someone who doesn’t always hit the ball on a string.

Yet there was still plenty of trouble, including at least six ponds that come into play on at least five holes, and some thick stands of trees that can claim errant shots.

The clubhouse has a cozy feel and the small pro shop has all the essentials.

Fees to walk are about $12 on weekdays, less for seniors.

Fox Run Golf Course

Par 36

2123 Strong Road

Waterford, PA 16441

Phone: 796-6400

Yardage (9 holes)/slope rating/course rating (18 holes): 3,217/129/70.6 from the blue tees; 3,031/128/69.2 white; 2,438/109/63.4 gold; 2,262/109/66.4 red.

Our scores: John 39, Austin 46, Logan 66

Our pace (walking): 1 hour, 46 minutes.

– John Dudley