Philadelphia boasts golf courses designed by most of the great Golden Age architects. We have numerous contributions from Donald Ross, William Flynn and A.W. Tillinghast. However, there's only one surviving local course with the design influence of either Perry Maxwell or Alister MacKenzie - JC Melrose Country Club in Cheltenham, PA - and it's open... Continue Reading →
The Grass is Always Green: Turtle Creek Golf Course
Conditions are a big factor in how Americans judge a golf course. While the quality of the playing surface is certainly important to a golfer's experience, this has taken on too much importance in considering how "good" a golf course is. Why is it this way? The largest influence is certainly what we see weekly... Continue Reading →
Take a Ride: Reading Country Club
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 →
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 →
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 →