Designer: Arthur Hills/Steve Forrest (2005)
Location: Wilmington, Delaware
History: Built in Delaware Park alongside a racetrack and casino, White Clay Creek opened in 2005 with a design from the duo of Arthur Hills and Steve Forrest. It operated as one of the best public options in Delaware until abruptly closing in December 2025. Prior to its closure, White Clay Creek earned the following awards:
- #9 Best Course in Delaware – Top100golfcourses.com (2024)
- #4 Best Public Course in Delaware – Golfweek (2025)
Conditions: 7/10, I played early in the season as it was coming out of hibernation but the course was in overall good shape with thick rough and well-conditioned fairways and teeboxes. Some of the greens seemed to have possibly a fungus or other disease, but again it was early in the season so I can’t be too harsh.
Value: 8/10, White Clay Creek offered strong value, with rates ranging between $45 and $90 depending on the time and day. This included cart, as the course is borderline unwalkable.
Scorecard:
Tee Par Yardage Rating Slope
Gold 72 7007 73.2 142
Black 72 6467 71.5 133
Black/White 72 6243 70.0 129
White 72 5797 68.5 125
Green 72 5297 70.4 133
Red 72 4612 67.7 109
Hole Descriptions: At the time of writing this, I had just found out that White Clay Creek closed without warning and my initial reaction was one of sadness. I was able to play here the year before it closed and came away impressed with the course. While far from perfect, it is a very nice upscale but affordable public course with plenty of challenge and interesting architecture. There’s no doubt this was one of the best public options in golf-poor Delaware and the greater Philadelphia area as a whole, and I sincerely hope someone is able to swoop in and reopen this place soon!
The defining architectural theme at White Clay Creek revolves around its namesake, which often runs diagonally across or along holes and features prominently on nearly every hole. This includes the opener, a 375 yard straightaway par 4 with a generous fairway bisected by the creek. The hazard runs diagonally with only about 230 yards to work with on the left side of the fairway but up to 270 yards until you reach the creek on the right. A bunker also sits in the center of this fairway at about 190 yards, but really shouldn’t be in play. This approach plays over the hazard towards a narrow, elevated green that slopes left-to-right.
The 2nd is one of the easier holes on the course as a straightaway 357 yard par 4. Requiring an 180 yard carry over a diagonal creek, this hole features a generous fairway with some nice undulations. This diagonal green is very narrow and has some front-to-back slope with a deep bunker short left.
One of the criticisms of White Clay Creek is that it isn’t walkable and this is evident early with a cart path stretching nearly a mile between the 2nd green and 3rd teebox. While this is a bit excessive, it doesn’t bother me too much and the trail is quite peaceful riding alongside White Clay Creek. At 559 yards, the number 1 handicap 3rd hole is the longest on the course and a true marathon par 5. This hole begins with a 200 yard forced carry over marshland to a fairway that begins to turn left. This is probably the widest fairway on the course with the only danger coming in the form of a left crossbunker at 265 yards. This lay-up plays downhill to a narrower fairway with a pond down the right and a pesky left crossbunker about 100 yards short of the green. With about 45 yards remaining, the fairway ends with a ditch and the green sits elevated on the other side of the hazard. It would take two behemoth shots to reach this green in two, which is defended by a large bunker short left and slopes hard towards its front right.
White Clay Creek’s par threes are on the longer side beginning with the 208 yard 4th hole. This is a pretty straightforward one-shotter playing slightly downhill to a narrow green with left-to-right tilt.
The 5th hole is a quality 386 yard par 4 that plays somewhat like a Cape hole. Featuring an exhilarating uphill teeshot with a near 200 yard carry over a chasm, this fairway turns right immediately with a speed slot for longer hitters the further right you go. Those who go long need to be wary of a pair of crossbunkers on the left side of the fairway at 260 yards. This approach plays steadily downhill towards a left-to-right sloped green defended by a short right bunker.
The 6th hole is the longest par 4 on the course at 422 yards and features another lengthy 225 yard forced carry just to reach the fairway. This teeshot does play downhill from an elevated teebox, however, and the fairway is very wide with little danger. This approach must carry several bunkers short to reach a large, relatively flat putting surface.
At 208 yards, the 7th hole is another long par 3 with a brief forced carry over a hazard. This diagonal green slopes back-to-front with bunkers short, left, and right.
While the other par fives are very long at White Clay Creek, the par 5 8th offers the best birdie chance at only 486 yards. This is an interesting dogleg left with a forced carry of 190 yards over a creek to a generous initial slab of fairway. This fairway ends at about 290 yards with a pair of bunkers long and another creek just beyond them you’ll need to carry on the second shot. The second half of this hole plays slightly uphill, but this back-to-front sloped green is readily reachable for longer hitters.
The 9th hole is one of several shorter par fours on the course and is an interesting hole playing straightaway at 316 yards. While laying up is an option, you’ll need another forced carry of at least 170 yards just to reach this wide fairway lined by a pond down the right the entire way. There are two pairs of crossbunkers down the left at 240 and 290 yards that golfers will also need to consider. A narrow, elevated, and wildly undulating green sits just behind the latter bunker and is also defended by a steep fall-off of tight lies for those who miss right.
The 10th hole is a difficult 557 yard par 5 where accuracy is more important than length. This hole begins with a tight teeshot to a tree-lined fairway that begins to bend right. There’s a bunker down the left at 235 yards and golfers will want a left-to-right ballflight to avoid this. This initial slab of fairway ends with a creek running through it at about 325 yards you’ll need to carry on your second shot. The second slab of fairway continues bending right and remains narrow, with a right crossbunker about 100 yards short of the green. This green is another elevated and narrow one and has significant mounding along its right side. While par fives are often seen as scoring holes, par is a great score here and this is true for most of the par fives at White Clay Creek.
The 11th hole is a similar style dogleg right, but this time as a par 4 at 398 yards. With White Clay Creek running down the right side the entire way and trees down the left, this fairway turns nearly 90 degrees to the right at about 220 yards. You can be somewhat aggressive cutting the corner here, but beware of a small creek that bisects the fairway about 260 yards from the tee. This approach runs slightly uphill to an elongated putting surface containing a left swale and defended by a large left bunker.
At 304 yards, the 12th is the shortest par 4 on the course and a fascinating risk/reward hole that gives golfers plenty of options. This is another hole that incorporates the creek well, with the hazard running down the right side of the fairway for the first 230 yards before snaking left and ending the fairway at this point. The green sits elevated and off to the right with a carry of about 265 yards needed to comfortably fly the hazard. The more conventional play is a lay-up off the tee, leaving a wedge into a wide yet shallow green.
The 13th hole is the best par 3 on the course at a memorable 183 yards with a heroic carry required over the diagonal creek. This green sits perched on the other side with a severe left-to-right tilt and a deep bunker short left.
The 14th hole continues in the same direction as a 325 yard par 4 with White Clay Creek down the right the entire way. This is a narrow, somewhat confusing short par 4 with numerous bunkers down the left beginning at 215 yards that really constrict this fairway. This small, undulating green is lined by bunkers short left.
The 15th is one of the most memorable holes on the course as a 540 yard monster par 5. Bearing somewhat of a resemblance architecturally to the famous finisher at Pebble Beach, this is a giant Cape-like dogleg left with a significant forced carry over a pond to find this fairway. The further left you go, the farther you need to hit and a pair of bunkers through the fairway around 280 yards could be a good aiming point for many. Once in the fairway, the hole straightens out, with a brief forced carry over a creek on your second shot to another slab of fairway. A giant bunker begins down the right about 100 yards short of the green and the fairway becomes very tight following this with water down the left the rest of the way as well. This narrow green is flanked by water down the left and a bunker to its right.
The 16th hole is a shorter dogleg left par 4 at 361 yards that requires yet another forced carry to find a very small fairway lined by water down the left. This fairway ends at around 260 yards with a hazard, so longer hitters will need to lay-up off the tee here. A subtle green is defended by water left and a bunker short right.
At 145 yards, the 17th hole is White Clay Creek’s shortest par 3 but a nice one requiring a carry over water the entire way. This green slopes towards the hazard and sits in somewhat of a natural amphitheatre, with mounding right and long and a steep drop-off into the water left and short.
White Clay Creek closes with a very strange hole in a 337 yard short dogleg right par 4. For first time players, it’s a bit confusing what to do here, as the first slab of fairway ends at about 170 yards with a diagonal creek running through the hole. The second slab of fairway requires at least a 215 yard carry to reach and runs almost perpendicular to the teebox. This portion of fairway is lined by water down the right the entire way and features a large left crossbunker about 260 yards from the tee. This long, narrow green contains a large mound on its left side.
General Comments: Practice facilities at White Clay Creek include a full range and short game area. The course was pretty empty and pace of play was excellent when I played.
Verdict: The recently closed White Clay Creek was one of Delaware’s better public courses with a challenging design defined by forced carries, narrow greens, and its ever present namesake running through or along these holes. I enjoyed my round here and hope that a new owner can reopen this course soon.