If you follow the Schuylkill River out 50 miles or so from 30th Street Station - past Conshohocken, King of Prussia and Pottstown - you'll come to the 5th largest city in Pennsylvania. Most familiar to Philadelphians based on it's railroad history (like the Terminal Market and the property in Monopoly) and minor-league baseball team, the... Continue Reading →
A Model Muni: Jeffersonville Golf Club
The Warm-Up I've played Jeffersonville Golf Club off and on over the last decade. It's close to my office but not the easiest place to get to and from. The course was "nice" but a bit overgrown often crowded. Last spring I came back and was amazed by the improvements being made. Lots of trees... Continue Reading →
Pure Genius: Tobacco Road
One of the great things about being a golfer is dragging your clubs around the globe to experience all the different types of golf the world offers. Philadelphia golf is an opposite of Florida, which is very different from the deserts of Southern California and Arizona, which is nothing like Scotland. The Getaway section will... Continue Reading →
Great Golf comes in Small Packages: Paxon Hollow
Golf courses don't always have to be long to be good. Paxon Hollow is a fun, old Philadelphia golf course with excellent green complexes and a lot of variety.
Like a Ross: LuLu Country Club
Donald Ross was perhaps the most prolific of Golden Age golf course architects, producing over 400 courses in 40 years. While only a few courses are seen as elite (Pinehurst #2, Seminole and locally Aronimink), nearly every Ross course is excellent due to inspired routing, interesting green complexes and solid design principles. In most cities... Continue Reading →
Was the Golden Age great because of Match Play?
I've become a golf nerd. So for Christmas this year I asked for a book called "Methods of Early Golf Architecture" featuring a compilation of writings from Alister MacKenzie, H.S. Colt and A.W. Tillinghast. MacKenzie is most prominently featured with some good nuggets from Colt and Tillinghast sprinkled in. As I was reading the "Ideal... Continue Reading →
Cobbs Creek Golf Club
The Cobbs Creek Olde Course is the crown jewel of Philadelphia's public golf options. Though rough around the edges, the historic courses are fun and affordable.
Welcome to PhilaGolf
PhilaGolf is a website that explores the Philadelphia golfing scene. While primarily focused on reviewing public golfing options, we will explore many golf-related topics. I love playing golf. It’s a sport that combines social, athletic, competitive and natural experiences. I’m a 16 handicap and have three sons (14, 10 and 5), so time and money... Continue Reading →