Olde Stonewall Golf Club Review
Information
Course Name: Olde Stonewall Golf Course
Location: Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, United States
Date Played: Summer 2018
Course Type: Rolling Hills/Cliff-Top
Architects: Dr. Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry
Introduction
Olde Stonewall was founded in 1999 so it is a relatively new golf course. It is located in the countryside of Pennsylvania, only an hour north of the large city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It gives tourists from the city a chance to get away from the bright lights and city atmosphere.
At this course you will find beautiful views of the rolling hills of Pennsylvania, but since it is a hilly course the use of carts is required. So if you prefer walking you will have to put your pride to the side when playing this golf course.
Even though this is one of the most beautiful golf courses in the country, it is not a private country club. This makes it great because anyone who wants to play can simply pay the green fee and start playing.
The Layout
This golf course has one of the best layouts that you will find in the entire state. Yes, it has some hills, it also has a lot of trees which may scare some but it makes each hole feel like its own adventure.
These trees prevent you from seeing the other holes for the most part, which even on the busiest of days makes you feel like you have the course to yourself.
Now the course does not give you much of a warm-up with the very first hole being a tough par-5. It is a dogleg left with bunkers running along the side of the fairway for the entirety of the hole. Try not to mess up your round on the very first hole!
Additionally, the designers of the course made excellent use of the elevation changes at this course which makes for a lot of fun par-3s. For example, hole fifteen is a par-3 with an elevated tee box that forces you to hit over a valley between the tee box and the green.
One thing we haven’t discussed yet is the creek that runs through the course. It not only makes for some beautiful holes but also challenging ones as well.
You will find that hole four utilizes this water to the max, with it covering the entire right-hand side of the hole. However on the left side of the hole is a line of trees, so either hit the fairway or good luck here.
We cannot emphasize how great this golf course is. The elevation changes, seclusion provided by the trees, and water adding to the beauty and challenge of the course. It can be tricky, that’s for sure, but it will be a lot of fun in the process!
Condition
Well not only is the layout of the course excellent, but the condition is impeccable. In fact, the condition of the course has earned it many awards on both the national and international scale.
In its first year of existence, the course joined the list of Top Ten New Courses in 1999. This was a high honor that came from the esteemed Golf Magazine, a very popular golf magazine here in the states.
Recently the golf course was rated Number One Public Course in the State of Pennsylvania by Golf Digest. It has also featured in their “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses.”
The condition of this course is so nice that it could actually be on the PGA Tour! The lack of space for grandstands and the need to use a cart means it will never be on the Tour, unfortunately.
Challenge
If we haven’t emphasized this enough, this is a challenging golf course. Now there are five different tees that you can choose from to suit how far you hit the ball.
However, the main challenge with this course comes with accuracy. With trees, water, bunkers, or steep drop-offs lining each fairway and green any miss could end in disaster.
This is going to require you to hit smart shots and pick your club carefully. If you hit it too far or offline, odds are you are never going to see that ball again.
Judging the elevation and its effect on your distances also adds to the challenge of this golf course. If you have a rangefinder with a slope setting that will really help you out when you play here!
Off the Course
This golf course blows the rest out of the water! The clubhouse is a stone castle which also includes a full restaurant and bar.
In addition to those amenities, there is also a pro shop and club pro waiting to help anyone with golf questions. This course pro will help with club fittings or give lessons, so you cannot go wrong here!
Before your round, you certainly need to hit the beautiful range. This is tucked into the hillside and even the grass for the driving range is impeccable. We promise that your experience at this course all around will have you feeling like a PGA Tour player.
Olde Stonewall Golf Club Review: Summary
Olde Stonewall Golf Course is truly one of the best in the entirety of the United States, but since it is in the countryside not many people know about it.
From the fun to play par-3s to a challenging par-5 on the very first hole, this course does not disappoint! Now it will be a challenge since missing the fairway can result in some damage to your scorecard, but that only adds to the fun.
What makes this golf course unique is not only its looks but that it makes you feel like a professional golfer on and off the course.
If you are ever near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States I highly recommend this course!
The green fee is a little on the high side, perhaps but I think in this case it is reflected in the quality of the experience.
Related:
