NEMACOLIN WOODLANDS RESORT
🇺🇸 Farmington, PA, USA
Designed by Pete Dye
Mystic Rock at Nemacolin, carved into the Pennsylvania Highlands, presents a robust test born from the modern power game. This resort course embraces its setting, rewarding boldness without fully forgiving errant shots, particularly on approaches to its undulating greens.
Pete Dye’s design, later refined, features forced carries and strategically placed bunkers amidst a landscape that transitions between wooded hillsides and open vistas. The course encourages an aggressive style, favoring players who can shape the ball and manage risk across the sprawling layout with its numerous doglegs.
Mystic Rock challenged the best during the 2003 84 Lumber Classic on the PGA Tour. While not a regular stop for major championships, it remains a demanding course known to those seeking a stern but scenic test of their abilities amidst the Laurel Highlands. It’s a place for golfers who appreciate a layout that respects the modern game while delivering views across the highlands of Pennsylvania.
Reviews
Mystic Rock has been billed as a top public course in PA for years and I finally had the chance to see if it lived up to the hype. This track did not disappoint. Pete Dye on a mountain with what feels like unlimited land. The terrain is by no means tame but it rarely feels like you’re playing on a mountain. There’s an openness to the course that lures you into danger. While there is plenty of classic Pete dye bunkering throughout the real danger ends up being the tightness of the course. Water, trees, and of course bunkers make open vista holes actually play mich tighter than it seems. Add in some forced carries, multiple island/Pennisula greens, and some blind shots to top off what is a championship test of golf. The par 3s are a blast, the par 5s have stern green complexes, and the variety of par 4s is all world. Impeccably maintained the course feels like a tour course and the resort is a 5 star and incredibly pricey. With many holes exposed the wind plays a huge factor on most holes if it’s blowing. The course is hard but engaging, testing but fair. Miss a green and you can end up with a straight forward putt or a short sided chip from a collection area 10 feet below the green height. This course does provide options which helps add to the playability but the bail out option is always met with a difficult shot. This is no hidden gem this is a big boy course that lives up to its reputation.
FAQ
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Mystic Rock at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort has a Course Vaults score of 8.6 out of 10 based on 15 explicit golfer ratings.
Mystic Rock was designed by Pete Dye.
Yes. Mystic Rock at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Mystic Rock is 72.
Mystic Rock plays 7,526 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Mystic Rock is 148.