History

On December 6, 1937, the North Penn Club (founded on June 23, 1924) and the Country Club of Bradford (founded on April 16, 1900) merged to form The Pennhills Club.

The North Penn Club commissioned Walter J. Travis to design an 18-hole course on more than 200 acres of land just outside Bradford, PA, in 1922. The first nine holes were built around this time.

The clubhouse was designed by Clifford C. Wendehack, a renowned American architect most active during the 1920s. He drew the plans for the Pennhills Club clubhouse in October 1937. After its completion, two additional holes were added to allow play to begin and end at the clubhouse.

Wendehack is also credited with designing the clubhouses at Winged Foot, Bethpage, Norwood, Ridgewood, and The Park Country Club in neighboring Buffalo, NY.

The remaining seven holes were constructed in 1958 under the supervision of Dick Wilson, using the original layout designed by Travis.

The course is characterized by small, highly undulating, and severely sloped greens. It plays to a par 71, stretching just over 6,400 yards. While the course has no lakes or ponds, 14 holes feature water hazards due to several creeks meandering through the layout.

During the 1960s and 1970s, the club hosted the Zippo Open, attracting top professionals like Bob Eastman, Marty Fleckman, Gibby Gilbert, Rocky Thompson, and J.C. Goosie. Additionally, Sam Snead and Gene Sarazen played exhibition matches here during the 1940s and 1950s.

Bradford Country Club

The Bradford Country Club was founded on April 16, 1900, with an original nine-hole course featuring a rudimentary layout. The remnants of this course remain visible on the east side of Route 219, just south of Minard Run Road.

According to Lionel Callaway, "Bradford Country Club was a nine-hole course constructed on a hillside with a constant slope of 15 to 20 degrees. It was originally an oil lease, with many derricks and jacks that provided natural hazards and separated the fairways. The players did not mind, as most of them were oil producers, and the sight of derricks and moving jacks provided additional pleasure. Half the holes had right-hand slopes, while the others had left-hand slopes."

North Penn Club

In 1921 or early 1922, members of Bradford Country Club purchased a 200-acre parcel of farmland along Minard Run Road to build a new 18-hole course. That same year, Walter Travis was hired to design the course for what would become the North Penn Club. He produced a full set of working drawings for all 18 holes, and by 1922, the current holes #2 through #10 were constructed under his direction.

The North Penn Club was officially established on June 23, 1924. One article from that time notes that the course was initially restricted to men only, while women remained at the original location.

The Pennhills Club

The history of The Pennhills Club is closely tied to the former North Penn Club. A group of passionate golfers, recognizing that the sidehill course at the old Country Club would become increasingly difficult to navigate with age, took action. On May 6, 1924, they decided to purchase land in Minard Run Valley and construct a new nine-hole course.