Pennsylvania is a central state for the development and popularity of golf culture in the US. The state is known for its wide array of golf courses spanning over lush greens and rivers, and also for the many architects it has brought to the limelight, such as William Flynn, George Thomas, Hugh Wilson, etc. For all the golf lovers out there, let’s look at the 7 best golf courses in Pennsylvania that one must have a look at.
Oakmont Country Club
The Oakmont Country Club has a rich history that spans over a century. It was founded in 1903 and is located in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, just northeast of Pittsburgh. The course spreads across rolling hills, covering a large area that challenges golfers with its natural terrain. It has hosted the US Open nine times and is set to host 3 more times between 2033 and 2049. This makes the Oakmont Country Club the golf course with the most hosting of US Opens. The entire design was done by founder-architect HC Fownes, who is responsible for the challenging design it currently has.
Merion Golf Club: East
If you want to be contradicted by the looks of a golf club in actual reality, then the Merion Golf Club might surprise you. It is one of the most open golf courses with a wide area where you can pretty much see the whole course. The East course has also consistently ranked in the Top 10 by The Gold Digest in recent years.
The state of Pennsylvania isn’t unaccustomed to national sports – obviously. The Phillies, the Eagles, the Pirates, the Penguins, the Flyers, the Union, and the 76ers all come out of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. When the NFL, NBA, and other major American sports leagues kick-off, they’re major sports betting events in Pennsylvania as fans take in previews and consider all the offseason movements and drama. All this has not passed by golf; the sport hasn’t missed out.
The Merin Gold Club’s course has been the host of 5 US Opens, including Ben Hogen’s 1950 victory. The entire course was designed by Hugh Wilson and has seen famous players step foot on the course, such as Bobby Jones and Tiger Woods. The last time, though, was 11 years ago. However, the state is due to see a return of a major gold open with the next course we’ll talk about.
Aronimink Golf Club
The Aronimink Golf Club is a private golf course located in Newtown Square, just outside Philadelphia. It has a rich history that dates back to 1896 and has hosted several significant championships, like the 1962 PGA Championship, the 1977 U.S. Amateur, and the 2003 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. The course is also set to host the 2026 PGA Championship to coincide with America’s 250th anniversary. The course has also non-golf events such as wedding events and birthday parties and has welcomed golfing icons like Gary Player and Rory McIlroy into its soil.
Laurel Valley Golf Club
The Laurel Valley Golf Club is one the best golf courses in Pennsylvania and has consistently ranked among the top, according to The Gold Digest. It was designed by Dick Wilson and is considered to be one of his best works in gold design. It has 18 holes and is spread across 7366 yards with a 141 slope. This course was founded by a group including Arnold Palmer, who won seven majors and 52 titles before starting a golf design company that would soon create the Laurel Valley Golf Club as we know it today.
The Philadelphia Cricket Club: Wissahickon
The Philadelphia Cricket Club was founded in 1854 but opened its golf course in the early 1920s. It was Tillinghast’s home club in his early years as a golfer before giving special attention to it by laying out a golf course in 1920. But over time, the golf course began to age until Keith Foster was tasked with bringing back the golf course to its former glory in 2008. The course also has 18 holes and is spread across 7119 yards with a 140 slope. It also hosted the PGA Professional National Championship in 2015.
Fox Chapel Golf Club
The Fox Chapel golf, designed by Seth Raynor, has some interesting elements that may seem good to some. First of all, the design was ordinary, the grass had become circular, and many bunkers were overgrown. So in the early 1990s, architect Brian Silva was called to redesign the course. He made many changes that made the Fox Chapel Golf what it is today, especially with the iconic necklace wrapped around the front of the 11th green. It has hosted the 2012-2013 Constellation Senior Players Championship as well as the 1985 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship.
Lancaster Country Club: Meadow Creek/Dogwood
The Meadow Creek/Dogwood course at Lancaster Country Club is a private golf course founded in 1920. It was designed by architect William Flynn, with later redesigns done by Jim Nagle and Ron Forse. It originally had nine holes but later expanded to 18 holes over 6850 yards with a slope of 139. The present course was formed after the combination of the original Meadowcreek and Dogwood Nines to form the 18-hole Lancaster Country Club course. It also has a river flowing through the middle of the landscape, giving a much more scenic view. It has also hosted the 2015 US Women’s Open and has welcomed many great players like Bobby Jones.