Best Private Golf Courses in Pennsylvania

Ardmore, Pennsylvania · Hugh Wilson (1912) · 18 holes · Par 70 · 6,846 yards

Host of five U.S. Opens including 2013, Merion East is where Bobby Jones completed the original Grand Slam in 1930 and Ben Hogan hit his famous 1-iron on the 18th in 1950. Hugh Wilson's compact masterpiece packs extraordinary challenge into just 110 acres on Philadelphia's storied Main Line.

Oakmont, Pennsylvania · Henry Fownes (1903) · 18 holes · Par 71 · 7,255 yards

Host of nine U.S. Opens and five PGA Championships, Oakmont is one of the most demanding and historic courses in golf. The Henry Fownes design features over 200 bunkers, the famous Church Pews bunker complex, lightning-fast greens, and a relentless par-71 that has humbled the greatest players in history.

Newtown Square, Pennsylvania · Donald Ross (1928) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 7,237 yards

A Donald Ross masterpiece that hosted the 2018 BMW Championship, Aronimink is considered one of Ross's finest designs. The rolling layout through mature Philadelphia Main Line woodlands features bold strategic bunkering and superb green complexes that reward precision shotmaking.

Ligonier, Pennsylvania · Dick Wilson (1959) · 18 holes · Par 71 · 7,305 yards

A Dick Wilson design in the Laurel Highlands east of Pittsburgh, Laurel Valley hosted the 1965 PGA Championship and 1975 Ryder Cup, with Arnold Palmer serving as head professional. The mountainside layout through towering hardwoods features Wilson's signature dramatic bunkering and challenging green complexes.

Flourtown, Pennsylvania · A.W. Tillinghast (1922) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 6,748 yards

An A.W. Tillinghast design in the Wissahickon Valley, Philadelphia Cricket Club hosted the 2005 and 2010 U.S. Senior Opens. The intimate Tillinghast layout features strategic bunkering, creative green sites, and a classic Philadelphia parkland setting through mature hardwoods.

Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania · Gil Hanse (2023) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 7,206 yards

Gil Hanse's newest Philadelphia-area design, Union League Liberty Hill opened in 2023 on a property overlooking the Schuylkill Valley. The modern layout blends minimalist shaping with classic Philadelphia golf traditions, featuring wide fairways, creative green complexes, and firm-and-fast conditioning.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania · Seth Raynor (1923) · 18 holes · Par 70 · 6,587 yards

A Seth Raynor gem in the affluent Fox Chapel borough of Pittsburgh, this intimate private club features Raynor's classic template holes including Redan, Biarritz, and Eden on a rolling wooded property. The compact par-70 rewards precision and shotmaking in a serene woodland setting along the Allegheny River.

Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania · William Flynn (1897) · 18 holes · Par 70 · 6,664 yards

A William Flynn redesign on one of the oldest club properties in the Philadelphia area, Huntingdon Valley features a tight, tree-lined parkland layout demanding accuracy. Flynn's green complexes are among his most intricate, with subtle contours that test even the best short games.

Sewickley, Pennsylvania · Robert White / William Flynn (1904) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 6,849 yards

A historic private club in Sewickley with a William Flynn redesign, Allegheny Country Club has hosted the U.S. Senior Open and U.S. Women's Amateur. The classic parkland layout through rolling terrain along the Ohio River features Flynn's strategic bunkering and naturalistic design philosophy.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania · Donald Ross / Ron Prichard (restoration) (1903) · 18 holes · Par 72 · 6,658 yards

One of Pittsburgh's oldest private clubs with a Donald Ross layout beautifully restored by Ron Prichard, Pittsburgh Field Club winds through the rolling hills of Fox Chapel. The restored Ross design features his characteristic crowned greens, strategic bunkering, and a classic parkland character preserved through careful renovation.