Officially titled the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Keystone State lies far enough to the north east of the United States that it shares a 50-mile long Lake Erie boundary with Canada. Philadelphia, the largest city in the state, played a very important historical role in establishing the American Nation as it was here that The Founding Fathers convened in 1776 to sign the Declaration of Independence, signalling the end of British rule in the country.

According to USGA records, there are 20 different golf associations registered in the state and the Pennsylvania Golf Association is regarded as the leading authority with over 300 affiliated clubs on its books. Interestingly, a look at the players who contested the Final of the first Amateur Championship organized by the PAGA in 1909, the year of its formation, shows the runner up (defeated 8&6) to be none other than A.W. Tillinghast of Philadelphia Cricket Club.

Two of the most revered old courses in Pennsylvania – the Henry Fownes-designed Oakmont and Hugh Wilson’s Merion (East) – sit comfortably close to the summit of our World Top 100 rankings and they’re far and away the best 18-hole layouts in the state. That’s not to say the likes of Aronimink and Laurel Valley are not worth playing, they are… it’s just tricky to get a game at these highly rated private clubs.

Our Pennsylvania Best In State Rankings were last updated in December 2020. Click the link to read the story.