Pelham Bay at Pelham/Split Rock Golf Course

The tee boxes were mostly muddy with missing tee box colors. The greens had many divots and hole 3 had plastic over green, making them create a hole on large fringe to accommodate, but awful to putt on.

Understandable that the course in January would play rough but not having someone tending to the motorized golf carts that we paid for and leaving it to us to figure out which ones work and which don’t isn’t right when charging full price. Every golf cart was a mess and they were all covered in water (including the roofs which as soon as you moved dumped all their water into your golf bag). If you are going to be open, staff accordingly or don’t open.

It was a cold morning but livable,

staff were friendly and sent me out as soon as they could,

Course was in good condition considering we are a week before Christmas

It was a nice day to play golf.

All courses were well maintained and golfers were playing enough time to follow one to the other groups.

I lost some balls under leaves on the fairway. I forgave some balls into bushes because I could not find a golf ball at all. It was little windy but not so breezy wind at that moment. If I have another chance to buy tee time at GolfNow with low cost, definitely I’d like to come back again.

I played Split Rock. First time since I walked the course 43 years ago. I was very rusty. Have not played much due to a project.

So, was happy to come and get out at this 1901 treasure. Mind you: this is the Bronx. It is a publinx, and so the carts are a bit beat up, there's no water until you finish each nine, and I don't recall seeing a lot of ancillary ball washers or spiffy markers for the tees. Just straight-up stuff. Plain and simple.

I didn't get the name of the young man who checked me in, but he was very polite and nice. We joked about the MLB World Series banner ads on the broadcast that was showing in his pro shop.

He handed me my slip, and I didn't realize I was playing Split Rock, and drove to the Pelham Bay tee. "You're playing Spit Rock" the starter told me after I fetched a cart from the almost last row in the cart area (it was pretty much DIY getting the cart. Keys not needed, the locks are turned "on", so off I went.

Found my way to the Split Rock tee, and a very nice woman checked me in. I played a four ball with three locals who were fine fellows, although one was bent on conquering Old Man Par from the tips.

Now, I'm getting up there in years, and am beat up from building a house, so was happy to join the two other members of our group on the Whites.

And a good thing too: I dribbled my first two tee shots, and flubbed my pellet around heading out in 46.

But the condition of this golf course was just super. I still remember back in the 1980s when I played out here, and the hardpan was everywhere. Kudos to the Superintendent, and crew, for making Split Rock a venue all New Yorkers ought to find is a source of pride.

I never 'roll'' my ball. If I played off a frozen lake I'd play the ball down. All through the entire round I cannot think of an instance where the course conditions were anything but stellar.

I have played a lot of golf, looped as a caddie for years to make a living, and appreciate how hard it is to keep a course in good shape when the round counts are high to pay the bills.

We are talking about the Bronx baby. This courses get slammed!

I saw the ranger several times. He had nothing but a smile as he could see we were keeping pace. He even found a few straggler balls and threw them to us. What a guy!

At the turn, I thought I'd get a cold drink. I didn't bring cash, and 90% of the courses I play never let you charge a single drink. Always a minimum, if they even take cards.

Well, I'm riding not walking. I pull up to a guy, maybe my age, sitting in a cart with an apron on. I know he's the cook. Ask him if he's having a rest.

He responds, and I realize I asked in a way that may have sounded sarcastic. But he was wise to me, and knew intuitively I wasn't being rude to him.

"I don't have any cash".I said. "I just want a drink. Do you have a credit card minimum? Do you even take cards?, I asked the man. (Again, I failed to get his name.)

"You can have a drink on your card," this man in the apron told me in a very welcoming way. "What would you like"', he asked.

This is the Bronx, and this fellow probably grew up here as he was very old school, and just wanted to help. How rare in this day and age.

He told me about the logo on his shirt, how the tree was New York's oldest before it fell. I mentioned I saw the sign that noted the course was where we stood off the Brits in the American Revolution, and he told me the stone wall bordering the 220-yard par 3 6th was where we Americans turned the tide and made this great country possible.

This is the Bronx!

Our four ball group decided to join our A-player from the tips on the homebound nine. This A-player was a good golfer, easy 50s, and I know how it feels to want to maintain my youth!

The nine holes heading home are a good mixture of straight and doglegged 4-pars, a longish five, and two par 3s one can score well on (the par 3s!). I loved them all, although my tuning fork golf clubs indicated otherwise on a few holes lol.

Maybe it is just the time of year, but if you can get out here do so now!

After golf, I went into the Grill where a gent named Charles works Sundays to support his young, growing family. The bar is classic varnished wood, long, and lots of TV going on to showcase the sports.

There, sweeping the floor was a gal who actually oversees the wedding party brides when those events occur, and works in the pro shop to boot. Both she and Charles oozed with personality, hospitality, and genuine kindness of the sort one might not expect to find in the home of the Bronx Bombers, but at Pelham Bay and Split Rock, there are many hidden gems.

If you enjoy crushing your driver this is the course for you. Not in bad shape. Definitely a bit overbooked. Greens are in good shape. They need to update their carts. I would play the course again!

The tee time was booked, the fog was thick but burning off, I did not cancel. The course was almost empty, in spite of the crew cutting and blowing and mowing, it was not that bad.