Laurel Valley Golf Club

Laurel Valley Golf Club was established in 1959 in the picturesque Laurel Highlands of western Pennsylvania, near the town of Ligonier. The course was designed by Dick Wilson, considered by many to be his consummate design, with Paul Erath assisting. The club was founded by a group of prominent Pittsburgh businessmen, and Arnold Palmer, a Latrobe native from just down the road, served as the club's first head professional.

Laurel Valley quickly established itself as one of America's premier championship venues, hosting the 1965 PGA Championship won by Dave Marr, and the 1975 Ryder Cup where the United States defeated Great Britain and Ireland. Arnold Palmer's association with the club added immense prestige, and he and Ed Seay later contributed to course modifications that kept the layout at the forefront of championship golf.

The club has hosted numerous other significant events including the 1989 U.S. Senior Open and the 2010 Senior Players Championship. Set on a mountainside surrounded by towering hardwood forests, Laurel Valley offers a dramatic and secluded golf experience that has earned it consistent placement among the top 50 courses in America.

Laurel Valley Golf Club offers one of the most exclusive and distinguished golf experiences in the eastern United States. The mountainside setting among towering hardwoods creates a cathedral-like atmosphere, with the course winding through the natural terrain of the Laurel Highlands. Dick Wilson's design features narrow, tree-lined fairways, strategic bunkering, and demanding green complexes that test every aspect of the game.

The club maintains an air of understated elegance befitting its history and the legacy of Arnold Palmer. Conditioning is impeccable, and the relatively private membership ensures a peaceful, unhurried pace of play.

Accuracy is the premium skill at Laurel Valley. The narrow, tree-lined fairways leave little margin for error off the tee, and Dick Wilson's bunkering severely penalizes wayward approach shots. Consider taking less than driver on the tighter holes to ensure you find the fairway.

The mountain setting means elevation changes affect club selection on many holes, and the Laurel Highlands climate can produce cool temperatures and morning mist even in summer. The greens are firm and quick, with subtle breaks influenced by the mountainous terrain. Patience and course management will be rewarded over aggressive play.