The Best Golf Courses in the Pocono Mountains
The JournalGolf

The Best Golf Courses in the Pocono Mountains

December 16, 2024

From a Delaware River island course dating to 1911 to a championship layout carved into Jack Frost Mountain, the Poconos' golf scene is more serious than its reputation suggests. Here are six courses worth booking a tee time at.

Golf Weekends are one of our most requested occasions, and the region's course lineup is a genuine part of why — historic resort courses, a mountainside championship layout, and an accessible municipal track all within reach of our residences. Below are six of the Poconos' best, organized by which of our destinations they're closest to; our concierge team can arrange tee times, transportation, and equipment for any of them.

On the Course

Featured Golf Courses

01

Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort

27 Holes
Historic ResortGet Directions

A historic riverside course on an island in the Delaware River, first opened in 1911 and one of the oldest continuously operating golf resorts in the country, with three nine-hole layouts sold in combination. The island setting is genuinely unusual — few courses anywhere are laid out entirely on a river island — and more than a century of continuous operation gives it a deep sense of golf history that's hard to find elsewhere in the region. The three combinable nines mean groups can tailor the round's length to the day.

Opened 1911Delaware River Island Setting27 Holes (Three 9s)
02

Split Rock Golf Club

27 Holes

Three distinct nine-hole courses — Divide, Fairway, and Orchard — set across rolling Pocono terrain at Split Rock Resort, with sweeping mountain views from several elevated tees. Having three nines to mix and match gives golfers flexibility to play a quicker round or combine courses for a full 18 with varied scenery and difficulty. The resort setting also makes it easy to pair a round with other Split Rock amenities for a fuller day.

27 Holes Across Three CoursesMountain ViewsSplit Rock Resort Amenities
03

Jack Frost National Golf Club

18 Holes
ChampionshipGet Directions

An 18-hole championship course carved into the mountainside at Jack Frost Mountain, known for dramatic elevation changes and holes routed through native rock outcroppings. The mountain terrain gives the course a genuinely distinctive character compared to typical Pocono golf — expect significant elevation shifts hole to hole and tee shots framed by exposed rock formations rather than flat fairways. It's considered one of the more challenging, memorable rounds in the region and tends to draw serious golfers willing to make the trip specifically for it.

Championship 18-Hole LayoutDramatic Elevation ChangesMountainside Setting
04

Mount Airy Golf Club

18 Holes

An 18-hole course at Mount Airy Casino Resort, with modern conditioning and views over the surrounding Pocono ridgeline. As part of a full casino resort, it benefits from newer course maintenance and infrastructure compared to some of the region's older layouts, and pairing a round with the resort's other amenities — dining, the casino floor, the spa — makes it an easy fit for a group with mixed interests for the day.

18-Hole Resort CourseCasino Resort AmenitiesPocono Ridgeline Views
05

Glen Brook Golf Club

18 Holes

A publicly owned course dating to the 1920s, valued locally for accessible green fees and a walkable, tree-lined layout through the Cherry Valley. Its municipal status keeps costs noticeably lower than the region's resort courses, without sacrificing much in terms of course quality — mature trees and a traditional layout make it a pleasant, unhurried round. It's a solid choice for a group that wants to golf without booking a premium resort tee time.

Municipally-Owned Since the 1920sWalkable LayoutCherry Valley Setting
06

Pocono Manor Golf Course

Historic ResortGet Directions

Golf at the historic Pocono Manor Inn dates back over a century, set on rolling grounds beside the resort's landmark stone lodge, with a classic parkland-style layout. The course's age shows in its layout — mature trees, a traditional routing, and a pace that rewards course management over raw distance — in keeping with the historic character of the surrounding resort grounds. It's a good fit for golfers who appreciate a classic, walkable design over a modern, engineered one.

Century-Old Golf TraditionHistoric Lodge BackdropClassic Parkland Layout