GOLF COURSE REVIEW - JEFFERSONVILLE GOLF CLUB
Course Architect: Donald Ross (1931), Ron Pritchard (2000)
Year Opened: 1931
Location: West Norriton, Pennsylvania
Slope: 134. Rating: 70.8
Par: 70
Yardage: 6,430
Hole-by-Hole: 1 - Par 4 449 Yds 10 - Par 4 350 Yds
2 - Par 4 348 Yds 11 - Par 4 392 Yds
3 - Par 5 292 Yds 12 - Par 3 192 Yds
4 - Par 3 135 Yds 13 - Par 4 430 Yds
5 - Par 4 370 Yds 14 - Par 4 337 Yds
6 - Par 5 576 Yds 15 - Par 3 210 Yds
7 - Par 4 393 Yds 16 - Par 4 390 Yds
8 - Par 3 195 Yds 17 - Par 4 452 Yds
9 - Par 4 384 Yds 18 - Par 5 545 Yds
Par 35 3,132 Yds Par 35 3,298 Yds
Key Events Held: USGA Amateur Public Links Championship Sectional Qualifier,
Philadelphia Public Links Championships (2009-2018),
Donald Ross Better-Ball Championship (2014-present),
PPGA Fall Classic (2010-present).
Awards Won: Ranked 7th by Golfweek Best Courses you can play in Pennsylvania (2024).
Ranked 10th by Golfweek State-by State in Pennsylvania (2016-17).
Website: jeffersonvillegolfclub.org
HISTORY: While Jeffersonville Golf Club has a long history in golf, horse racing was initially center stage for the property back in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The races held on the land were on a half-mile, oval track where the 11th and 16th holes stand today. Although live racing was stopped by 1908, the property still served as the Montgomery Riding Academy.
Move ahead 11 years later and Anson B. Evans, a Norristown citizen, purchased the 135-acre parcel of land and shut down the track in the late 1920s. Several years later, Evans hire none other than Donald Ross to create an 18-hole golf course, which opened in 1931. Ross, who masterpieces include Pinehurst #2, Seminole, Oakland Hills, and local gems Aronimink, Gulph Mills, Kennett Square and LuLu Country Club, designed over 400 courses in the United States and Canada, and was regarded as one of the finest golf course architects of his generation.
Although Evans passed away in 1945, his wife and daughter continued to operate the golf course, until 1972, when the West Norriton Municipal Authority purchased the property for $131,000. The land was leased to the West Norriton Township for 35 years, and upon fulfillment of the lease, it gained full ownership of the course. Township resident Bob Deemer was a driving force to get the Township to move forward, as he had written a letter to Rick Troncelliti, who at the time was the West Norriton Township president.
By 2000, the course was in need of significant renovation and the township hired Ross restorer Ron Pritchard, a resident of nearby Lansdale who has refreshed many of the architect’s courses, including Aronimink and LuLu.
The plan was extensive, as Pritchard and Jeffersonville rebuilt every tee box, added 40 of the original bunkers, removed trees, installed a modern underground irrigation system and formulated a re-routing plan which led to stronger finishing holes. The irrigation update was a huge component of the plan, as the course was struggling to maintain decent playing conditions. “I’ve been fortunate to see it through all of its fazes,” said Jeffersonville Golf Club professional, Billy Mullen. “I started working there when I was 16 and at that time there was no irrigation system. It was like playing a British Open, with hard pan and dirt everywhere. That’s when Superintendent Rich Schilling came aboard and he transformed it, into what it is today.”
Not only did the township pour money into the course, but it built a new clubhouse, which not only enabled for hosting golf events, but also weddings and outside events. Also added were an indoor practice facility downstairs of the clubhouse and a restaurant and bar with a repositioned maintenance area.
To accomplish all of the work, the club needed help, and it came the way of state Representative, Joe Webster. “The Jeffersonville Golf Club has been a focal point of our region for half a century,” Webster said at the time. “In order to keep building more memories at this wonderful facility and propel it into the next half century, there were necessary renovations that needed to take place. This $2 million in grant funding aims to accomplish this initiative by making this historic golf club a modern establishment that will remain a premier destination in our area for generations to come.”
To say that Pritchard hit the mark with his restoration would be an understatement. With over 40,000 rounds played yearly, Jeffersonville Golf Club is a must-visit for all levels of play - that is, if you can get a tee time. Only local residents are allowed memberships, and the online tee time process is tough to negotiate as times are scooped up fast. “It’s amazing how many people we get to play here that are members at private clubs,” added Mullen. “They come to play because of how good it is.”
REVIEW: Hold on to your hat, as the first hole is not your average opener at a public golf course. Measuring 449 yards from the back markers, this sharp dogleg left, uphill par four features several bunkers guarding the left side of the fairway and a handful of traps down the right. A nice high draw around the corner is ideal, which will set up a medium iron to an undulating green. Par here will go along way.
In contrast, No. 2 is a downhill, dogleg right with four traps protecting the corner. At just 348 yards, less than driver is acceptable to put yourself in good shape with a short iron to a back-to- front and left-to-right sloping putting surface. Miss the green and you’ll be penalized severely.
The third hole is a straightaway, uphill short par-four just under 300 yards. Sand guards the right side of the landing area, so a well-placed tee shot is a must. Another short iron remains to a kidney-shaped green. If you can, take advantage of one of the easier holes on the course.
The so-called easiest hole on the course comes your way at No. 4, a 135-yard par-three. Bunkers on either side of the long, narrow putting surface await the errant shot, but a well struck iron can yield a birdie.
The fifth hole is a straight-forward par-four of just 370 yards. An ample fairway is very accessible - just be wary of the two sets of bunkers down the left. The putting surface is wide open, but if you miss the green long or right, you can find a steep slope or sand.
After four fairly easy holes, the player is greeted with the longest hole on the course, the 576-yard, par-five sixth. With a dogleg to the right, try to cut off as much as you can to leave yourself a reasonable shot at going for the green in two. Although a bunker guards the corner, it should be little trouble to clear. Several bunkers protect the lay-up area short of the green, so stay clear as to set up a short pitch to a very long, sloping green. This can be a birdie opportunity as long as you execute correctly.
Although No. 7 is only 383 yards, it plays uphill and to the left with bunkers guarding both sides of the fairway. Three bunkers guard the two-tiered putting surface that slopes to the front. The key here is definitely the tee shot, as you must hit the fairway to get home in regulation.
The par-three eighth is one of, if not the hardest par-three one the course. Stretching 195 yards and playing into the wind, your tee ball must be precise to a small green that slopes hard from back to front. Let’s not forget the water that lurks short of the putting surface. One-shotter’s are generally the easiest holes on the course…not the eighth.
Playing away from the clubhouse, No. 9 is a slight dogleg-right par-four. A generous fairway is guarded on both sides by sand. The putting surface is situated by a grove of trees, so accuracy is key if you need to make par. Sand 20 yards short of the green must be avoided at all cost.
One of the easier holes on the course is the par-4 10th. Only 350 yards in length, this hole can be had, as the fairway is fairly wide and devoid of sand. The landing area does slope from left to right, which will set up a nice angle to the uphill green. The putting surface does slope from back to front, but is one of the largest on the course, so take advantage of it.
Surprisingly, the 11th hole is rated as only the ninth-most difficult on the course. Don’t be misled, as this 392 yard par four is no pushover. A fairly wide fairway, guarded by two bunkers on the right is the easy part. The approach is where the trouble begins. Uphill from the fairway makes club selection key, not to mention the right-to-left sloping green that is very undulating. Miss left spells doom, so err right of the small putting surface.
The 12th is a robust par three of 192 yards. What you see is what you get. A bunker to the right of the putting surface sees plenty of action as mounding to the left thwarts access to the fairly long, undulating green. Stay below the hole, if possible, to have any shot at birdie, let alone par.
The downhill par-four 13th is a favorite. At 430 yards from the tips, this gem is one of three par- fours over 400 yards. Bending slightly to the left, the tee shot must avoid the two bunkers down the left side, thus setting up a short-to-medium iron to the green. Most tee shots will leave a downhill hill lie over a creek bed and up to a severely sloping putting surface with sand left and right. Par here is a great score.
The 14th hole might be your last realistic shot at birdie as you head home. Although it’s just 337 yards, it plays uphill all the way to the green. Sand and out of bounds await down the left and trees protect the right. The circular green features sand on either side; however, the real trick is to avoid the run off left and deep. Sure, birdie is possible, but par is OK.
Most par-threes are rated as the easiest on the course. That is certainly not the case at 15, as this is not only the longest one-shotter on the course (210 yards), but it is the seventh-most difficult hole at Jeffersonville. In playing uphill, make sure to take an extra club to reach the putting surface, and if the pin is in the back portion of the green, you might need two clubs. The green is one of the quickest on the course and runs hard from back to front.
So maybe there’s one more chance at birdie and that comes by way of No. 16. Bending slightly to the right and from an elevated tee box, a well-placed drive can leave a short iron to this par-four. Sand does guard the left side of the landing area, while a tall tree flanks the right. Accuracy is key, but with a short iron in hand and a front pin, a birdie is possible.
A birdie, though is probably not the case on No. 17, the 452-yard, behemoth par-four, dogleg right. Not only must you cut the corner, but you need to avoid the trio of traps down the right and find the fairway - otherwise, the rough will play havoc with your approach. A creek dissects the fairway as you get closer to the very small green, again running back to front. Sand lurks left and front-right, so avoid at all costs. There’s good reason this is the hardest hole on the course!
The final hole at Jeffersonville is a double-dogleg par-five of 545 yards. Generally speaking, par- fives are usually birdie holes. Not so much here, as No. 18 requires a precise tee ball over the cross bunker down the left. The player is now faced with a difficult layup, as water protects the left side and three bunkers and a tall oak guard the right. Even with a solid second, your third shot will be uphill to the most-difficult green on the course, that slopes so hard from back to front that you’ll have a tough time keeping your ball on the surface. Chipping areas surround the green, not to mention a bunker on the left. Ii you don’t play your chip properly, you’re looking at three putt or worse.
FINAL WORD: I must admit, until recently I was not familiar with Jeffersonville Golf Club. It’s a shame it’s taken me so long to make time to play this outstanding golf course. There are so many wonderful golf courses in the Philadelphia area, such as Merion, Philadelphia Cricket Club, Aronimink and Philadelphia Country Club. However, those are private golf courses and unless you’re a member, you have very little chance of getting on to experience those venues.
As far as public courses in Philadelphia, well, there’s Glen Mills, Wyncote, Makefield Highlands and Broad Run. However, in my estimation, Jeffersonville Golf Club is at the top of the list.
Let’s start off with the condition of the course, which is as good as those private venues mentioned. The putting surfaces are as smooth as silk with plenty of contours, the fairways have plenty of movement and the teeing grounds are perfectly situated.
Talk about a challenge, well despite the yardage of 6,400 from the tips, the course is extremely challenging from all tee boxes and don’t forget, it’s a par-70!
Now it’s time to talk about the rates. How does $55 sound and just $45 for a Senior during the week? The peak rate on weekends and holidays at $80. Are you kidding? This is a steal of a lifetime.
Lastly, amenities. Banquet facilities, full-service restaurant and bar, fully stocked with top-of-the- line items in the pro shop, halfway house and much, much more. The downside, is a lack of a driving range, but guess what, they have six Trackman Golf Simulators at your disposal.
The bottom line, I’ll be back again and again. Jeffersonville Golf Club is a must play!
