Union League Liberty Hill

Union League Liberty Hill traces its origins to the Ace Club, which was built in 2003 on 311 rolling acres in Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania. The property was originally designed by Gary Player and featured 27 holes of golf. In 2017, the Union League of Philadelphia — one of the oldest and most prestigious private clubs in America, founded in 1862 — acquired the facility as a companion golf property.

The Union League subsequently commissioned renowned architect Gil Hanse to undertake a comprehensive reimagining of the golf course. Hanse, fresh from his celebrated work at Merion, the Olympic course in Rio, and the Ohoopee Match Club, transformed the property into an 18-hole minimalist design that opened in 2023. The renovation stripped away artificial features to reveal the natural contours of the Schuylkill Valley landscape.

The result is a modern championship layout that blends firm-and-fast playing conditions with the rich Philadelphia golf tradition. Liberty Hill complements the Union League's other golf property, Union League National (formerly Sand Barrens), giving the 160-year-old club two distinct golf experiences for its membership.

Union League Liberty Hill is a modern minimalist Gil Hanse design set on 311 acres of rolling terrain overlooking the Schuylkill Valley in Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania. The par-72 course plays to 7,206 yards from the championship tees with firm-and-fast conditions that encourage ground-game creativity. Wide fairways offer multiple strategic angles, but Hanse's green complexes demand precise approach play.

The conditioning and presentation reflect the Union League's commitment to excellence. The clubhouse and practice facilities are first-class, befitting one of America's oldest and most prestigious private clubs.

Hanse's design rewards golfers who think their way around the course. The wide fairways can lull players into complacency, but the real challenge lies in positioning. Approaching greens from the correct angle is essential, as Hanse's green complexes feature subtle runoffs and collection areas that punish careless approaches.

The firm-and-fast conditions mean that bump-and-run approaches are often more effective than high-spinning wedge shots. Study the green contours carefully — what appears flat often has subtle movement that affects putts significantly.