Pocono golf does not compete with Pinehurst or the Outer Banks on prestige, but it beats them both on proximity for anyone in the New York-Philadelphia corridor. Shawnee is the reason to make this trip: a historic inn, the Tillinghast routing across a river island, and a short course Tom Doak designed. Jack Frost National fills the second day with a serious mountain layout. The value case is strong, particularly in shoulder season when rates drop and the courses are at their firmest.
Courses included
The trip experience
The Poconos make their case on proximity, not prestige. For the 25 million people in the New York-Philadelphia corridor, this is a two to four hour drive to serious golf at rates that can't be matched in either city. Shawnee Inn and Jack Frost National are not famous courses the way Bethpage or Pine Valley are famous, but they're well-designed, well-maintained, and part of a region that gets consistently underestimated by golfers who haven't made the trip.
Shawnee Inn is the main reason to come. The property sits on a bend of the Delaware River, and 24 of the 27 holes are built on a river island between the main current and a side channel. The original A.W. Tillinghast design from 1911 gives the routing a historical backbone that most mountain resort courses don't have. The Island Course combines holes from three nines (Red, White, Blue) into the primary 18. It's a shorter layout by modern standards, but the river framing, the humidity at water level, and the period design create a round that doesn't feel like anything else in the region.
"Shawnee's Tillinghast routing sits on a Delaware River island -- 24 of 27 holes built between the main current and a side channel."
The inn itself is a working historic resort with rooms, dining, and the kind of faded grandeur that suits a golf trip better than an anonymous chain hotel. This is not a five-star property, but the setting on the river and the on-property tee time access more than compensate for the dated rooms.
Jack Frost National in Blakeslee is the contrast: 7,200 yards of mountain terrain with elevation changes that alter every club decision. The course occupies Pocono Highland land and uses the topography actively, routing through ridgelines and forested slopes that create a different visual and strategic experience than anything on the valley floor. Distance plays differently at altitude, and club selection on downhill approaches requires recalibration.
"For 25 million people in the New York-Philadelphia corridor, this is a two to four hour drive to serious golf at rates that can't be matched in either city."
Buck Hill Falls is the most historically interesting add-on: a George Thomas design from 1901, one of the oldest courses in Pennsylvania. The club now operates with limited public access as a semi-private. Call ahead to confirm availability, but the vintage routing and wooded Pocono setting make the phone call worth making.
Great Bear in East Stroudsburg is a Jack Nicklaus II design, the most technically polished layout in the region. The fairway corridors are generous but the green complexes are demanding, and the signature holes use Pocono terrain better than most regional courses.
The town of Delaware Water Gap at the southern entry of the gap is worth a stop for dinner. The Deer Head Inn has been operating as a jazz club and restaurant since 1947, and it's the best dining option within 10 miles of Shawnee.
Stay at Shawnee Inn when possible. The on-property access simplifies the schedule and the early tee time priority for guests is real. For groups that need more rooms than the inn can handle, the chain hotels in East Stroudsburg on Route 80 are 20 minutes away.
Book Shawnee's Island Course before any other element of the trip. Summer weekends fill.
Side trips & bonus golf
Jack Frost National functions as a co-anchor of this trip rather than a true side trip, even sitting 40 minutes from Shawnee in Blakeslee. The mountain terrain and the 7,200-yard length provide a design contrast that makes the two-course rotation feel complete without anything else added.
Buck Hill Falls is the best add for groups doing a fourth or fifth day. The George Thomas design from 1901 is one of the oldest courses in Pennsylvania, now operating as a semi-private with inconsistent public access -- call ahead to confirm before building a day around it. Great Bear in East Stroudsburg is the premium complement: a Nicklaus II design with the most technically demanding greens in the region, worth the premium rate for one round.
Hideaway Hills fits as the low-stakes morning round before the drive home: easy to get on, close to I-80, no logistics. The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is the non-golf argument -- swimming holes, Appalachian Trail access, and the river corridor between the Pennsylvania and New Jersey banks. For a group with non-golfers, Bushkill Falls (the Niagara of Pennsylvania) is 20 minutes from Shawnee.
Is this trip right for your group?
- ✓Book this trip if you are within two hours of the Poconos and have been defaulting to Myrtle Beach out of habit.
- ✓Book this trip if historic golf architecture is what sells the itinerary and a Tillinghast river island sounds better than another resort course.
- ✓Book this trip if the group wants rafting, hiking, or spa time between rounds without leaving the property.
- ✓Book this trip if a Tuesday through Thursday trip on a tight budget works, Shawnee locals rates are $55 on weekdays.
- ✓Book this trip if Jack Frost National and Shawnee together represent two genuinely different mountain and parkland experiences.
- ✓Book this trip if someone in the group wants to stay in a historic inn with a porch on the Delaware River.
- ✗Skip this trip if you need strong on-site nightlife; Shawnee is a family resort and the evenings are quiet.
- ✗Skip this trip if course quality diversity across 4-5 courses is the goal; the Poconos have options but quality drops off below the top two.
- ✗Skip this trip if you want warm-weather golf year-round; this region is seasonal, May through October.
- ✗Skip this trip if the group is flying in; the Poconos only make sense as a drive trip.
When to go
- June through August is peak season at Shawnee; the resort fills with families and summer getaway groups.
- The Delaware River is warm enough for rafting by late June, which is a legitimate add-on for non-golf afternoons.
- Jack Frost is busy in summer and runs 218 rounds per day; book early or expect a wait.
- Course conditions are generally strong through July before heat stress on the river-adjacent turf.
- May and September are the two best months for golf in the Poconos on conditions alone.
- Shawnee in September has firm fast fairways and greens that reward precise approach play.
- Jack Frost in October has fall color along the tree-lined fairways that matches anything in the region.
- Shoulder rates at Shawnee are the best value, particularly on weekday packages.
- Golf courses in the Poconos close by late October and reopen in May.
- Shawnee Inn operates as a ski resort in winter with access to Camelback Mountain.
- There is no off-season public golf option in this region; winter is a ski trip.
- If the group arrives in early May, check conditions before booking as some courses open as late as mid-May.
What a Pocono Mountains trip costs
| Item | Peak | Shoulder | Off-Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tee fees (4 rounds) | $180–$250 | $140–$200 | $100–$160 |
| Lodging (3 nights) | $120–$220 | $90–$160 | $70–$120 |
| Food & drink | $50–$90 | $40–$70 | $35–$60 |
| Rental car (3 days) | $50–$80 | $45–$70 | $40–$65 |
| Total (est.) | $400–$640 | $315–$500 | $245–$405 |
| Item | Peak |
|---|---|
| Tee fees (4 rounds) | $180–$250 |
| Lodging (3 nights) | $120–$220 |
| Food & drink | $50–$90 |
| Rental car (3 days) | $50–$80 |
| Total (est.) | $400–$640 |
How tee times and lodging actually work
- 1Shawnee tee times can be booked online, by phone, or in person at the Golf Shop; tee times are required and the course recommends advance booking.
- 2Locals rate at Shawnee is $55 Tuesday through Thursday; ask for it specifically if you qualify.
- 3Jack Frost National books tee times online at jackfrostnational.com and by phone at 570-443-2414; the course runs 218 rounds per day at peak and does sell out.
- 4Shawnee offers stay-and-play golf packages that include accommodations and breakfast; book through the resort directly for the best package rate.
- 5Cancellation policy at Shawnee requires advance notice to avoid no-show charges; confirm when booking.
Common mistakes
- !Treating Shawnee as a driving-range warmup courseThe Tillinghast routing on a river island with the Red nine opening over the Delaware is a legitimate piece of golf history. Respect the round.
- !Not booking the stay-and-play packageShawnee golf packages with accommodations and breakfast simplify the logistics and often cost less than booking separately.
- !Missing the Tom Doak short courseShawnee has a nine-hole par-3 practice facility designed by Tom Doak. It is not a round on a top-100 list, but it is a Tom Doak product and worth a late-afternoon session.
- !Expecting the Poconos to look like VermontThe mountains are lower and the scenery is more forest than alpine. It is very good, just set expectations accordingly.
- !Not planning the drive to avoid Friday afternoon trafficThe Route 80 and Route 209 corridors from New York fill up after 2pm on summer Fridays. Leave before noon or after 7pm.
What to pack
Sample itinerary
- Day 1Arrive + Shawnee Island CourseDrive from NYC or Philadelphia (under 2 hours). Afternoon round on Shawnee's Island Course. Check in at the inn.
- Day 2Jack Frost NationalMorning drive to Blakeslee (40 min). Full day at Jack Frost National. Return to Shawnee for dinner.
- Day 3Shawnee White nine + DepartMorning nine-hole add at Shawnee White nine. Late morning drive home.
Where to stay & eat
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