Deerfield Golf & Tennis Club
About
Deerfield Golf Club in Newark, Del., is a 145-acre public course, billed as a “natural treasure.” The 18-hole championship course gets the moniker thanks to its surroundings -- the ancient forest of White Clay Creek State Park. The 145-acre play, acquired by the state of Delaware in 2005, is a par-70, 6,323-yard golf course that features rolling terrain, smooth bent grass putting surfaces and scenic vistas. The mix of memorable, distinctive holes adds to the difficulty, as does the memorable, heavily wooded setting and dramatic elevation changes. Before or after your round at Deerfield Golf Club, enjoy the large putting green, full-service practice range, or lighted tennis and paddleball courts.
| Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue | 70 | 6323 yards | 71.6 | 136 |
| White | 70 | 6005 yards | 70.1 | 133 |
| Yellow | 70 | 5348 yards | 66.9 | 128 |
| Red (W) | 70 | 5348 yards | 72.4 | 129 |
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue M: 70.4/135 | 523 | 179 | 327 | 432 | 399 | 401 | 346 | 225 | 418 | 3250 | 536 | 158 | 369 | 326 | 406 | 355 | 170 | 406 | 347 | 3073 | 6323 |
| White M: 69.4/133 W: 75.6/134 | 511 | 163 | 315 | 411 | 394 | 331 | 342 | 209 | 404 | 3080 | 520 | 143 | 326 | 315 | 394 | 340 | 158 | 391 | 338 | 2925 | 6005 |
| Blended M: 68.3/134 | 511 | 163 | 315 | 369 | 369 | 331 | 342 | 164 | 357 | 2921 | 520 | 142 | 326 | 315 | 365 | 340 | 158 | 361 | 338 | 2865 | 5786 |
| Gold M: 66.6/125 | 470 | 126 | 279 | 369 | 369 | 317 | 317 | 164 | 357 | 2768 | 437 | 111 | 255 | 300 | 365 | 296 | 146 | 361 | 309 | 2580 | 5348 |
| Red W: 71.7/130 | 470 | 126 | 279 | 369 | 369 | 317 | 317 | 164 | 357 | 2768 | 437 | 111 | 255 | 300 | 365 | 296 | 146 | 361 | 309 | 2580 | 5348 |
| Handicap | 9 | 17 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 15 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 18 | 10 | 16 | 2 | 8 | 14 | 6 | 12 | |||
| Par | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 35 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 35 | 70 |
| Handicap (W) | 11 | 17 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 9 | 15 | 3 | 4 | 18 | 16 | 12 | 2 | 10 | 14 | 6 | 8 |
Course Details
Rentals/Services
Practice/Instruction
Policies
Food & Beverage
Bar, GrillAvailable Facilities
Clubhouse, Meeting Facilities, Banquet FacilitiesAvailable Sports
TennisReviews
Reviewer Photos
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Photo submitted by Eric7672 on 10/30/2024
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Tee view on the par 4 4th hole. Photo submitted by u000003999498 on 07/04/2024
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Photo submitted by rickGcreative on 07/29/2023
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Photo submitted by rickGcreative on 07/29/2023
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Hole 9 on the left hole 4 on the right Photo submitted by scooby6414 on 05/06/2023
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Photo submitted by mlandestoy on 04/13/2023
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Photo submitted by hico on 10/22/2020
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Photo submitted by hico on 10/22/2020
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Photo submitted by hico on 10/22/2020
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Photo submitted by u5675898 on 05/11/2019
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Tee shot on #10 Photo submitted by sorenj on 07/18/2017
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Photo submitted by sorenj on 07/18/2017
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Photo submitted by sorenj on 07/18/2017
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Photo submitted by sorenj on 07/18/2017
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Photo submitted by sorenj on 07/18/2017
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Photo submitted by sorenj on 07/18/2017
Speed
Outstanding course with a great layout and plenty of hills. Tabletop greens. I usually have 28-32 putts per round. I had 36 putts which pushed me into the 90s. Tough course.
Deerfield GC is great
played here several times, great course to play, condition is ALWAYS great even after heavy rain, highly recommended
Tough Test
This is a top notch course which is very hilly. Greens are very fast. You can play this course for a reasonable price.
Best public golf course in new castle county
First of all, Heather in the pro shop couldn't be nicer. She makes you feel like a superstar at the concierge desk of a Peninsula or Meridien Hotel. Greens and traps and tee boxes and fairways are in super shape for a public course.
Best Course
I think this course is the best I've played through Golf Now. One thing that separates this course from most of the ones I've played is the condition of their sand traps. The rest of the course is in great shape as well. It took most of front nine to figure out approach shots to the undulating greens (53 front 41 back).
Played with three other guys who were great. Two guys knew the course which was easy to navigate. Great weather great day. Would recommend.
Beautiful vistas
Great layout ; very few flat lies on the Course ; many elevation changes ; tough , but fair , fast greens with many contours ; beautiful public Course in a country club - like setting. You need to play it.
Very Good Condition but lots of blind shots
Exceptional staff -- very friendly!!! Great Value!!! Plays longer Han the yardage indicates. Very much a shot makers course. A LOT of blind shots. 20+ Handicappers will struggle on this course. Finding balls in the rough can be an issue. You've got to be a goat to walk this track -- lots of elevation changes (which is what makes his course unique). Sand traps are very good and they surround most of the greens -- again take an extra club when in doubt. Greens are tricky and you must stay below the hole or face 8-10 footers coming back. Pace of play at 12:40 pm on a Saturday was surprisingly very good -- although I didn't see a marshal patrolling the course. Superb test of golf.
Deerfield
Not the first time playing this course, layout is very good, conditions were good except for the bunkers. They lack sand in most of them, almost hitting out a mixture of dirt and sand.
Cart path only
Great course, will play again. Only problem was it was cart path only, even though there was not a wet spot to be found. It was a lot of walking for three players in there 70's. Everyone was friendly, they had a cart girl going around which was helpful.
Good
Pretty good, some holes had really interesting layouts, but for the most part nothing really stood out. Solid play for the rate though.
If I had to describe Deerfield in a word, I would say “green, lush, and blind.”
If I had to describe Deerfield in a word, I would say “green, lush, and blind.” I really couldn’t decide between these options, so I’d have to let you choose. I don’t know if I’ve ever had this many blind shots in a round before (Potomac Shores in Virginia might be the closest thing). Between the thick trees, doglegs, and mid-hole elevation changes, it seemed like half my tee shots were taken without having seen the green.
That said, this is a lovely course. Dense vegetation lines most holes and the constant roll of the land keeps your vision largely confined to your own hole (often only half of it at a time) which left me feeling like I was playing largely alone (never a bad thing).
The 6323 distance didn’t give me much pause, but when I looked at the 136 slope I had to wonder where the challenge was. Largely, it is in elevation and direction change. The course features a large number of uphill tee (or approach) shots so it simply plays longer than the 6300+ yards. There are downhills, of course (what goes up must come down); however, in many cases they are the front end of a dogleg so you can only make up so much distance on them.
I’d go so far as to say the course is lightly bunkered (especially in the fairways), but that is just fine due to the large amount of forested area. Where they are needed they are present, for example on the elbow of #17, one of the few holes that isn’t tree lined, so that there is no free pass should you try to cut the corner and miss-hit your drive.
The track was in terrific condition with all of the playing surfaces rich in both color and texture. This was especially impressive for as early in the year as I played. The colors of trees were pretty in the relatively early spring, I can’t imagine how beautiful this course gets in the fall.
The first hole is a proper introduction to the course. It’s a dog leg left par 5 with 360+ yards to the corner. From there, the hole takes significant downhill tack to the green (a surface you will not lay eyes on until your third shot). You can cut off a little of the corner (especially if you on the right hand side of the fairway); however, because of how dense the vegetation is on the left hand side, just know that if you miss left, you are going to your bag for another ball.
My favorite hole was probably number 10; it’s a strong dogleg left from a very elevated tee box. Any notions of trying to cut over the trees below is tempered by a pond that sits just beyond the elbow and runs along the left hand side of the fairway. So, only the biggest of hitters (read: not me) should try to shave anything off here. That said, a good shot to the center of the fairway will leave you 260-270 to the green. This is a par 5, so that may not seem like a big deal, but the fairway gets very narrow as you pass the pond. As if that were not enough, you are then firing into a postage stamp of a green. No matter how you play this hole there is risk involved. But there is no denying it is a fun hole to play.
While Deerfield is not for the faint of heart, it is not indomitable either. I was not at my best and shot an 88 from the back tees. However, I never sniffed a birdie and, to do any real scoring I think you would absolutely have to have you’re “A” game going. Interesting/fun sidenote, I met a guy in the clubhouse (as I was leaving he was getting ready to play) and he sent me a note later on with a pic of his first ever hole-in-one from later that day.
That brings us to the make or break standard for me with new courses, the par three’s. Deerfield did not disappoint here. With distances ranging from 158 to 225(!!) yards, elevation changes, and generally different looks… they certainly provided the requisite variety of challenge.
The staff and groundskeepers were terrific, as were the players I met at Deerfield. Between all of this and a pretty brisk pace of play considering the various challenges the course holds, I can’t imagine why anyone wouldn’t want to play this course.
Great Golf Course
Course is ALWAYS in great condition, could be very challenging for first time players so my recommendation is to play with someone who plays here before. More than 75% of shots are on "non-flat stand" so if U enjoy that then this course is for you. From white Ts it's about 6000 yds but could be playing longer than that because there are a lot of up-n-down. U will have fun playing here, staff is excellent , good to great food... Highly recommend this course
Enjoyable round of golf
The course is in good condition, although the greens were a little slow. The staff, especially Scott, were all friendly and helpful.
A difficult course that slows play
The significant elevation changes, uneven lies, and thick rough add difficulty to this parkland layout. Don't pay attention to the yardage,, pay attention to the slope and rating instead. The greens are very often elevated and severely sloped from front to back. They rolled very nicely, and I discovered not to play too much break. The pace of play was slow considering the few number of groups on the course but understandable considering the difficulty of the course. Not one for beginners!
Seaview Stay & Play Golf Package
Seaview Stay & Play Golf Package