Pine Valley Golf Club

Pine Valley Golf Club was founded in 1913 by George Arthur Crump, a Philadelphia hotelier and passionate amateur golfer. Crump discovered the sandy, rolling terrain in the New Jersey Pine Barrens near Clementon and purchased 184 acres. He enlisted English architect H.S. Colt, who helped with the initial routing, though Crump remained the driving creative force.

Crump devoted his life to the project, living on the property and overseeing every detail. He died in January 1918 before completion, with four holes unfinished. Hugh Wilson of Merion completed the remaining holes. The course opened in 1918 and was immediately recognized as extraordinary.

Pine Valley has been ranked number one in the world by virtually every major ranking. The club hosted the 1936 and 1985 Walker Cups and annually holds the Crump Cup, one of golf's most prestigious amateur events.

Each hole at Pine Valley is a self-contained experience, an island of immaculate turf surrounded by sandy waste areas, scrub brush, and dense Pine Barrens forest. The routing has no parallel fairways and few holes visible from any other.

The course is walking only with caddies. Sandy soil ensures excellent drainage year-round. Par 70 at just over 7,000 yards, but difficulty lies in the unforgiving nature of any missed shot rather than length.

Accuracy off the tee is paramount. Nearly every hole features a defined target area, and missing it means sand, scrub, or forest. Identify the safe side of each fairway rather than overpowering the course.

Favor the center of greens since many surfaces feature crowned contours rejecting edge shots. The par 3s average over 200 yards and require confident iron play.