Golf Course Review: Rich Valley Golf

Where: Mechanicsburg, PA

Cost: $19 to ride 9, $26 to ride 18

So I got out this afternoon to play some golf and decided to give this course a try after not playing it for 2 years. I got my clubs, shoes and a couple extra balls and made my way to Rich Valley.

Upon arriving at the course, you realize that the name is very fitting of the surrounding neighborhoods but is quite the misnomer for the course itself. The clubhouse and restaurant reside in the same building, a building that can be mistaken with the equipment shed.

a bad sign

The course itself is quite short, so much so that even on longer par 4s a decent drive (225-250) will usually leave you a shot in the range of 70-120 yards. This is a good thing right? Nice and easy pitch to the green. Most average golfers like myself love these kinds of courses because it gives us a change to score high and build confidence. Well, this is where the trouble starts.


The 100 and 150 yard marks are woefully inaccurate and you might as well make a guess just based on your gut feeling. Supposed 100 yard shots flew far past the intended landing point and into the woods on several occasions. To make matters worse, the scorecard yardages are completely different than the yardages at each tee (which are spray-painted on the ground no less). The tee boxes on the back 9 have recently been aerated, they are uneven and the ground is so hard I thought I was going to need a hammer to get my tee in the ground. Several holes offered blind drives where you couldn't even see where you wanted to land the ball and no yardage indicators to the landing zone. In other words, take your best guess and hope you made the right choice.

These golfers are dreading the back nine

Now there were a few positives. The pro shop is actually well staffed an organized. I teed off right on time and the starter was a seasoned vet, keeping the groups moving along. Rich Valley has the best driving range in the area with both grass and mat surfaces to practice on, although it is a tad on the expensive side.

But probably the best feature of this course is the "practice course" they offer. It is comprised of three par 3 length holes with different tee options so beginners can make it as hard or as easy as they wish. It is not crowded so those who are intimidated of the full c0urse can get their feet wet on the practice course without feeling rushed or hurried by crotchety patrons. I found this feature unique to the area and quite a high point for Rich Valley.

In closing, Rich Valley offers a mediocre 18 holes and better courses can be played for the same price locally. The practice course and driving range however are great and should be at the top of the list if one needs a place to practice. If you must play here, stick to the front nine and avoid the back nine at all costs. You'll be much happier you did.