Philadelphia Country Club

When you think about Philadelphia golf, you think William Flynn. Architect of more than a dozen courses in eastern Pennsylvania, Flynn’s brilliance can be felt throughout the region. Whether it was a bold and demanding design like Rolling Green Golf Club or a more modest member club like Manufacturers’ Golf & Country Club, Flynn’s architecture can be found in many different styles. At Philadelphia Country Club, that style is championship golf.

Built in the late 1920s, Philadelphia Country Club quickly gained a reputation for demanding high-quality play. It boasted interesting land and required strong play in all facets of the game. Just 12 years after opening, it hosted a U.S. Open in which Byron Nelson emerged victorious after a 36-hole playoff! It took more than 70 years for elite-level tournaments to return to the venue with the U.S. Women’s Amateur in 2003. The club also played co-host for U.S. Amateur stroke play with Merion in 2005. It will play the same role in the summer of 2026 as the U.S. Amateur returns to Philadelphia.

While Philadelphia Country Club has grown in stature and built out its operations over the years, the golf course remains in its original form. Flynn’s bold use of land movement, creative routing around the low middle valley and high ridge, and flashy architectural style are just as easily seen today as they were 100 years ago.

Take Note…

Just change the numbers. The clubhouse at Philadelphia CC was originally on the south end of the property and the course started on what is No. 14 today. The original routing, in order of today’s holes, went 14-15-16-17-18-10-11-12-13-4-5-6-7-8-9-1-2-3. The original Flynn drawings and hole numbers can be found in the men’s locker room.

What’s with the horse? Philadelphia Country Club was initially founded as a polo club. Golf was introduced shortly after the club was founded and PCC ultimately became the seventh member of the USGA in the 1890s. When the club moved to its current location in the 1920s, polo was left behind.

‍Those bunkers look familiar. The modest length par-4 first hole features flashy bunkers that really catch the eye. They strike a resemblance to the bunkers on the 16th hole at Lancaster Country Club, another Flynn design. In the original PCC routing, today’s first hole would have also been No. 16.

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