Huntingdon Valley Country Club

My next adventure took me to Huntingdon Valley Country Club. This William Flynn designed golf course just minutes outside the city limits in an absolute treat. The walk in has a ‘wow factor’ that is perhaps unrivaled around the region. As you walk from the parking lot toward the clubhouse, you overlook a great valley that displays all of the elevation change that the golf course has to offer.

Despite the transcendent views and tremendous hospitality, the quality of the golf course is this club’s greatest asset. “Everything breaks toward the valley”, is the general rule of thumb commonly known on the grounds and I found that out the hard way. The golf course is challenging, rewarding, penal, fair and pure. No two holes on the course are the same, and it has a tremendous finishing stretch. The par-5 15th hole, is a lengthy test, but if played correctly is a scoring opportunity. The 17th is an extremely difficult, downhill par 3 with a creek running down the entire left-hand side of the green. The 18th hole is the signature hole on the golf course. I have included a view from to 18th fairway toward the 18th green below. The hole measures roughly 460 yards and the second shot plays tremendously uphill to a 3-tier green that is severely sloped. It is most certainly one of the most difficult holes around.

The locker room is fantastic as well. It has a rustic feel, almost as if there should be air conditioning inside. The showers, while not quite the quality of Merion’s, are terrific. Water pours out of the ceiling with perfect pressure. The only thing lacking in comparison to Merion is the ambiance. The showers are plain looking and have no unique features outside of the ideal water pressure. All in all, the locker room is certainly an upside to the club.

HVCC is most definitely a top five golf club in Philadelphia. While not mentioned with the elites such as Merion, Pine Valley and Aronimink, HVCC leads the pack in the second tier without question. You aren’t going to find a more enjoyable golf course to play, and would be a fantastic course to play everyday.

Merion Golf Club

My inaugural post appropriately comes from Philadelphia’s top rated golf course. Perennially ranked as one of the top 10 golf courses in the country, Merion boasts everything that a golfer would want from a venue. History, ambiance, hospitality, a great locker room and most importantly, a world-class

golf course.

From the moment you turn into Merion Golf Club off of Ardmore Avenue you know you are at a special place. As you drive in, the famous par-3 13th is immediately to your right and the 1st fairway is to your left. You follow the winding driveway back into the parking lot where you are met by the caddy master who gets you set up for your day. The first tee shot is one of my all-time favorite opening shots. The patio, and those enjoying breakfast or lunch on it, breathe down your neck creating a pressure-filled, nerve-racking opening tee ball. Once you’re off and running, your experience only gets better throughout your day. Walking the same grounds as some of the game’s greats like Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, just adds to the mystique of this special piece of property. Merion is widely referred to as the greatest golf course in the world per acre as it sits on a much smaller plot of land than most other championship venues. The golf course itself is extremely challenging, but offers a great mix of holes that increase in difficulty leading up to the world-renowned 18th. As you can see in the picture below, there is a plaque in the middle of the 18th fairway designating the exact spot that Ben Hogan hit a famous one-iron in the 1950 US Open to secure his victory.

After the round, I was fortunate to be able to enjoy the amenities that Merion’s clubhouse have to offer. The service and hospitality was first-class throughout my experience. Perhaps the best part of the experience was the showers in the locker room. Many may find it weird that I am here talking in such detail about the showers, but to many a good shower is a key component to a complete golf club experience. The Merion showers did not disappoint. The waterfall shower heads unleash great water pressure from straight above you creating a very enjoyable experience.

Overall Merion receives my highest grade as a facility of 5/5. While many do not get the opportunity to pay Merion a visit as it is very exclusive, if presented with an invite you must accept. It is an experience that will last a lifetime.