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's Tillinghast routing on a Delaware River island is historically significant and genuinely interesting to play. Jack Frost National adds mountain terrain. The value case is strong, particularly in shoulder season when rates drop further.
Courses included
The trip experience
Two hours from the George Washington Bridge, the Pocono Mountains are among the most overlooked golf destinations on the East Coast. The region has a reputation as a family vacation spot, a ski destination, and a Catskills alternative, none of which prepare a visiting captain for the actual depth of the golf inventory. The Tillinghast and Donald Ross courses here have been in continuous operation since 1912. The mountain public layouts run to over 7,000 yards at elevation. And one resort property combines a 27-hole island course with a Tom Doak short game area in the same footprint.
The architectural pedigree is the editorial story, and it is easy to miss because the Poconos have never been marketed primarily as a golf destination. The region's major courses were built in the golden age of American course design and then played quietly by Pennsylvania and New Jersey golfers for a hundred years while national rankings kept their attention on courses in warmer climates.
"The Poconos have been hiding one of the stronger public-access architectural rosters on the East Coast for over a century."
Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort in Shawnee-on-Delaware is the trip anchor. A.W. Tillinghast designed the original 18 holes in 1911, his first course design, and 24 of the 27 holes that exist today occupy an island formed by a bend in the Delaware River. Bill Diddle expanded the layout to 27 holes in 1964, giving groups the option to play three different 18-hole combinations without repeating more than a handful of holes. The resort offers lodging, dining, and a full practice facility, which makes it the logistical base for the trip. On property, Tom Doak designed a six-hole par-3 short course called the Tillinghast Chip n' Putt, a rare piece of infrastructure that gives a group somewhere to compete on off-hours without leaving the grounds.
Jack Frost National in Blakeslee sits at 2,000 feet and offers something the valley courses cannot: mountain golf with panoramic views of the surrounding range. Terry LaGree designed the layout, which opened in 2001 and won Golfweek's Best New Course award in 2007. The course plays to 7,256 yards with wide fairways and no blind shots by design; Troon manages the conditioning. Ranked among the top 15 public courses in Pennsylvania by GolfAdvisor in 2024, it earns its slot in the rotation as the day that feels most unlike the river-bottom and valley settings of the other stops.
Pocono Manor Golf Course is the trip's quiet highlight for the architecturally literate captain. Donald Ross laid out the original 18 holes in 1912; William Flynn renovated and expanded the routing in the years that followed. The resort's historic inn burned in 2019 and has not reopened, but the golf course was restored to operation and remains public. Ross's routing follows the natural contours of the land in the way that defines his best work: push-up greens, subtle tilts that punish missed approach angles, and a design logic that rewards course management over power. Nowhere else in the Poconos does this level of golden age pedigree play at daily-fee rates.
"Pocono Manor has a Donald Ross and William Flynn original in continuous play since 1912, and most visiting captains have never heard of it."
Great Bear Golf Club in East Stroudsburg is the fourth round for groups extending to four days. Jack Nicklaus Signature design, built in 1997, it is the only Nicklaus Signature course in northeast Pennsylvania. Three lakes, streams, and wetlands integrate throughout the routing, and the Nicklaus design vocabulary is fully present: elevated tee boxes, water carries, and complex green surrounds. Group access on public tee times should be confirmed in advance given the semi-private operating model.
The lodging answer is Shawnee Inn. The resort structure lets a group arrive, check in, play the island course that afternoon or the following morning, and use the property as a base for day trips to Jack Frost and Pocono Manor without changing hotels. The drive from midtown Manhattan runs about 80 miles and takes roughly two hours in normal traffic. Groups coming from Philadelphia approach from the south and arrive in 90 minutes. The Poconos are close enough that a Friday-to-Sunday trip covers the full core roster and still leaves time for the evening activities the resort supports.
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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