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Great Hope A Great Escape From Waterfront Courses

By Jason Barbato
Daily Times Sports Writer

Westover -- Great Hope is one area golf course that is on the rise. Head Professional, Sean Fischbeck, and Course Superintendent, Lee Simms, have made sure of it.

"We're ahead financially, and we're ahead of where we were last year as far as play, and a lot of that is due to the shape of the golf course," said Fischbeck, midway through his second full season as the pro at Great Hope. He and Simms both inherited the facility, located on Route 413 on the way into Crisfield, before the 2004 season began. "We've made a conscious effort. Really we're just now seeing the stuff that has been implemented, it's taken until now for that stuff to kind of blossom." The impressive, and noticeable improvements around the daunting par-72 track make one wonder just how it would compare to the several resort courses that dominate the waterfront areas in and near Ocean City, clearly a popular tourist attraction during golf season. In fact, Fischbeck would love to see how Great Hope would measure up.

"We're an hour away from the resort, and I live there," he said. "I know what type of drive it is. But for anyone that lives within a half an hour from here, what product they're getting for what we're charging, you're getting more than what you are paying for. A lot of times down there you might not, so that's something we're really happy with."

Fischbeck adds that location has always been the one downfall of Great Hope. There isn't too much around, including an abundance of people.

"The one thing, that is always a constant, kind of difficult thing for us to approach is, how do we get people here for the first time, since we are where we are?" Fischbeck said. "We've run some promotional stuff, and we've tried to do some advertising with the Ocean City area. A little came back, but not as much as we had hoped for."

Once you are there, however, your trek through a winding course that offers a little bit of everything to the average golfer, especially considering the pace of play and the price tag, might encourage a return trip much sooner than you think. Great Hope's terrain stretches 6,565 yards from the black and most challenging tees, while the blues span 6,565 yards, the whites 6,109 and the golds 5,656. Still, from any angle, or any distance, the condition and challenge of the course tends to speak for itself.

"The course itself, I mean, you go all the way to the back tees, it could be the hardest course around," Fischbeck said. "Especially when the wind blows. This is definitely a wind-effected golf course."

A slight breeze, or the occasional gust can come into play at any time. Trees, water, and bunkers decorate the landscape at Great Hope from the first tee until the final chip up to the 18th green, and make for an honest, and humbling golfing experience. Add to that the refreshingly landscaped grounds that welcome you to a small, but comfortable pro shop and snack bar, and your trip to Great Hope, from anywhere you might depart, quickly becomes a complete one.

"It's been a good first half of the golf season," Fischbeck said. "The golf course wasn't in the shape it is now at this time last season, and I think it's because of that. And when you go out there, you'll see that the course is in great shape. People are playing the course, and we're receiving a lot of positive comments from those people. They're saying whatever we're doing, we need to keep doing because we're on the right pace. And as a golf professional it's good to hear that. It makes it a lot easier when this here, this course is making everybody happy."

There's certainly no waterfront backdrop, or sand and surf surroundings at Great Hope. But it's becoming more and more worth the trip, and one round on the course should prove that.

A Course To Put Your Mind To

By Tim Brennan

As I walked off the 18th green at Great Hope, I tried to think back to a hole that jumped out at me. If I had to pick a signature hole, which would it be?

I couldn't do it. No individual hole jumps out as something that stands out in the mind following the round, but the entire course stuck out as an incredible challenge of the game of golf.

After a reasonably lengthy par-4 first to warm up on, the par-4 second hole is ready to put you in your place. From the back tees this hole measures out at 448 yards, and is no picnic.

With water down the right side, and a pair of bunkers at a driver's landing area the view off the tee can make you shudder. If you break out a pair of big hits and have a birdie putt you are in business, but a back-to-front slope will be a challenge.

The round gets no easier. Bunkers are strategically placed, to not only make driving a test of accuracy, but protecting the greens as well.

When I get to a course, before teeing off, I look over the scorecard and try to find where I can score. I look at the lengths of the holes and the handicap number assigned to each hole.

Great Hope can make you rethink some of this idea.

Even the shorter holes can jump up and grab your score.

Take the 16th hole for example -- the par-4 that plays 381 yards from the back tees, 352 from the more commonly played blue tees.

It's the No 14-ranked handicap hole on the course, and barring a duck-hook drive water is not in play.

The scorecard makes this one look like a pushover -- think again.

Hit your tee shot right down the middle on this slight dogleg right and you better get some distance on it. If you don't, the single tree placed just off the right side of the fairway will block your approach.

Pull the ball to keep away from the tree and you've just added 30 or 40 yards to your shot into this large green. Push the ball even further right and you are in a thick set of trees and you are in jail.

It looks easy, but finds many ways to be tricky.

Scared of water? Try a different location. You can conceivably get wet on 10 holes, while three others have psychological water in play, just close enough to make you think about it.

But a dunk into a pond isn't the only thing to worry about.

Deep swales and long wispy grass are strategically placed. Can you tell my impression of the course architect who designed this course yet? Impressed from a golf fan's point of view, frustrated from a golfer's perspective.

The par-5 11th is just one of those holes. Again, a hole on the scorecard that looks vulnerable.

Measuring 551 yards from the blue tees, maybe it shouldn't be too bad. A good drive and a decent second shot and you are simply a middle to long iron in. Maybe, but if the pin is located on the left side of the green forget about it.

Long grass, and most likely some unfriendly snakes living therein, lead right up to the left half of the green. Unless you are long and have a short iron in, play it safe.

Great Hope isn't a course you are going to tear up, at least I don't think it is.

It is flat and makes for a great walking course. But if you did put up a good score, my thought is that wind, which plays a big factor, was calm that day.

If you conquered the design, the water, and long grass and the strategically placed trees and bunkers with the wind blowing, I bow to you as a true player.