Pennsylvania Feature Stories
Downingtown CC near Philly has had its ups and downs
You won't hear George Fazio bragging about his design work at Downington Country Club near Philadelphia. That's not because the member of the famous Fazio family isn't proud of his work, it's because the original Downington owners didn't pay him. Payment issues aside, new owners have given Downington a rebirth, rescuing the quirky course from bad conditioning and rebuilding the bunkers and help make it into one of the area's more interesting plays.
... full article »Cheap golf reigns: Introduce yourself to Butler County, Pa.
Butler County is pretty far off the beaten track, but that doesn't mean you should keep your golf clubs at home. On the contrary, Butler County offers top-notch golf courses with green fees that are a pittance. "The rates are cheap. Not reasonable. Cheap" said Conley Resort owner Wayne Conley. Loaded with more than 20 courses and only 30 miles north of Pittsburgh, Butler County logs in as one of the great, hidden golf destinations.
... full article »In Pittsburgh, you can find Warhol, an Electric Banana, some decent golf
Pittsburgh may forever be associated with the landscape of the industrial age, with its steel mills and factories, and its belching smoke and suffocating smog. But, anyone who has visited there recently knows the City of Champions is now more cerebral than brawny. Thankfully for us, in addition to a hot nightclub area in the Strip District and a cultural district (which they call, not totally unimaginatively, the "Cultural District"), there's some fine golf.
... full article »The Poconos offer stunning golf, but so few know
The Pocono Mountains have long been known for skiing and tacky honeymoon resorts. With courses from architects such as Donald Ross, A.W. Tillinghast, Robert Trent Jones and Jack Nicklaus, what the region should be noted for is some outstanding golf. From late spring to the fall, the cool mountain air creates a fantastic environment for the game and there is no shortage of accommodations if you're planning a golf vacation.
... full article »Pittsburgh-area par 3s among the greatest
The par 3 is unique in that it is the only hole that offers the opportunity for instant and immortal glory. That's what makes Pittsburgh-area par 3s so special. Many of the best ones, like the 18 holes featured here, force you to think about the indelible rewards of hitting a shot at the pin and the scorecard-destroying consequences of hitting one that wanders.
... full article »Pennsylvania's Capital Region of Harrisburg has golf galore
There's more to Harrisburg than just lobbyists and legislators. The town is at the center of the Capital Golf Region, which also includes Lancaster, York, Gettysburg and Chambersburg. The development of some high-end courses during the past decade compliments some solid courses that have been around for years. Together they have transformed the region into a legit golf destination.
... full article »Two upscale golf offerings open in Easton area
It's not a golf destination yet, but Easton is moving in that direction, with two new upscale golf courses opening during the 2004 season.
... full article »Kids get their own box (and we're not talkin' sand)
Kelly Blake Moran is building a golf course for kids. Well, it's not just for kids; grown-ups can play too. The Reading-based golf course architect has designed a municipal layout in suburban Philadelphia that features the standard set of adult tees, but will also include a set of tees for youngsters 7 to 11 years old. The Lederach Golf Club, due to open in the summer of '05, will become the first course in Eastern Pennsylvania to feature "kids tees."
... full article »Dutch Country golf is for the ages
Pennsylvania Dutch Country is centered in Lancaster County about 75 miles west of Philadelphia. The Dutch are primarily a farming people, and some in this region still speak the dialect, which is a form of German. This is especially true of the conservative Amish sect, seen traveling the roads of the county in horse-drawn buggies. The Amish shun modern conveniences, including automobiles and electricity, preferring to plow their fields with horses rather than tractors.
... full article »Airline wars equals new Philadelphia Freedom
Skirmishes between gigantic businesses in billion-dollar industries rarely trickle down to the common man. Unless you own stock in one of the businesses in play or work for them and have your pension on the line, most corporate feuds are abstract headlines at best.
... full article »Philadelphia has plenty to offer, even for those who aren't members
Philadelphia is sometimes described as having an inferiority complex. Right in the middle of the East Coast megalopolis that runs from Washington D.C. north to Boston, Philly often feels lost in the shadows of the Nation's Capital to the south and dwarfed by NYC to the north. But that inferiority complex does not extend to golf.
... full article »Gettysburg's Hallowed Ground a dual draw for many
Civil War re-enactors from all over the world come to Gettysburg to play soldier. They dress in authentic uniforms, shoot blanks through restored 19th century weaponry and wear historically accurate clumps of facial hair that are so offbeat you may confuse their mugs with long relievers from Major League ballpark bullpens. Hardcore re-enactors are so devout that they ridicule beginners who show up wearing store-bought buttons that aren't the precise vintage.
... full article »PGA parties 'Hardy' at Fabulous Nemacolin Resort
The brightest new star on the PGA Tour can't hit a drive 220 yards with the benefit of a generous tailwind. He weighs more than any two caddies thrown together in a big sack, and he goes out of his way to thank reporters who compare him to Jed Clampett.
... full article »Philadelphia boasts some of country's most highly regarded courses
Philly (as those who are from here prefer) and the surrounding region are steeped in history. In town, visit the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall (where the Declaration of Independence was signed, if you weren't in school that day). In the 'burbs, stop by Valley Forge, where Washington wintered and Washington's Crossing, where he did just that on the Delaware River on a Christmas night to win one of the biggest battles of the Revolutionary War.
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