Most golf courses are static, scenic venues waiting for players to test their skills. Chester Valley Golf Club is different — its history is defined by movement and change, unique among the many courses I’ve played.
The land that became Chester Valley was once the Smedley and Hatton farmsteads. In 1928 the Pennsylvania Railroad Golf Club purchased the properties after previously renting space at the historic Llanerch (Llanarch) Golf Club near Philadelphia. Long before it became a golf course, the area hosted Swedish fur traders in the late 17th century who traded beaver pelts with the Lenape and Susquehannock peoples. A century later, General George Washington considered this ground for a decisive battle that, like many golf rounds, was thwarted by rain.
Members of the Pennsylvania Railroad Golf Club financed the course by purchasing $300 bonds; it was reserved for directors, officers and employees of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. The course opened on Memorial Day in 1930, celebrated with 60 foursomes — 55 male groups and five female groups.
While the original architect remains somewhat debated, most historians credit Perry Maxwell. In 1968 the course’s continuity was disrupted when Route 202 was routed through the property. George Fazio redesigned much of the layout, preserving only a few of Maxwell’s original holes. The result is a tight, shot-making course with rolling terrain. I recently returned to play with John Ecklund, a previous GTee reviewer (The Legends – Moorland Course, July 2008), and our host Bobby Hancock.
Hole 1 (381 yards, par 4)
This opening hole can catch you off guard. There’s a strong temptation to pull the drive left, but doing so risks getting trapped under large willow trees and forcing a punch-out. Even a left fairway position makes the green harder to reach. Favor the right side off the tee to leave a clear angle into the slightly elevated green, which is well guarded by bunkers.
Hole 2 (575 yards, par 5)
Ranked ninth in difficulty, this hole plays tougher than it looks. It starts as an uphill challenge; a big drive is needed to reach the crest. The second shot is somewhat blind until you clear that rise, then the hole slopes downhill to the course’s smallest green. A well-judged chip is often required to stick the green, which is surrounded by sand. Flying the green is risky, as John discovered. This is one of the original holes that survived later redesigns.
Hole 5 (196 yards, par 3)
From the tee, this par 3 appears straightforward, but it can be a nemesis. My partners teed up solid shots and hit within 15 feet of the pin, while I flirted with trouble by missing left and facing a downhill chip that rolled into a bunker. In tournament play this hole is often feared by competitors.
Hole 6 (418 yards, par 4)
Hole 6, the toughest on the card, presents multiple pitfalls. Big hitters must avoid a creek that cuts across the landing area; balls finding the slope into the creek leave difficult approaches. From a safe drive short of the creek, use a mid-iron to reach the uphill green, taking an extra club if necessary. Four large bunkers protect the green, so a par here is a solid result.
Hole 8 (405 yards, par 4)
Reaching this green in two is challenging because the fairway climbs steeply. A strong, straight drive sets up an iron into the green; anything less leaves a demanding fairway shot. Drives that stray right find thick rough and obstructing trees. The green is tucked to the right and guarded by a bunker that punishes approaches from that side.
Hole 10 (217 yards, par 3)
Stop at the halfway house for a cool drink before tackling this testing par 3. From an elevated tee the green sits just above a valley, so any short shot leaves a tricky chip back up. On our round no one found the putting surface from the tee, though John’s chip settled within two feet for par while the rest of us made fours.
Hole 13 (449 yards, par 4)
This hole begins with a blind drive to a landing area that drops sharply and is flanked by woods on the right — a perfect trap for slices. Bob found the fairway left-center over the hill; John and I opted for a riskier line to the right. I had to punch out while John battled through the trees. Back in position, I reached the green in three but found the bunker and recorded a five. Bob cleared the creek and hit the green for a four.
Hole 14 (495 yards, par 5)
A creek crosses this fairway from left to right, so tee shots left-center buy you more room while shots to the right risk the water. I hit a controlled fade that caught the fairway near the creek, then advanced cautiously to avoid the traps guarding the uphill approach. A well-placed fairway wood left me short of the bunkers and, after a confident 5-wood, I finished with two putts for par.
Hole 18 (440 yards, par 4)
The finishing hole is memorable. The fairway slopes right to left and levels near a pond about 80–90 yards from the green. A straight downhill drive keeps you out of the rough and leaves a short approach — often 100 yards or less — to a slightly elevated green flanked by bunkers. Approaching the final green, the clubhouse and the first hole make for a beautiful backdrop. Don’t miss stopping in the clubhouse bar afterward to try the house specialty, the “Hancock.”
Chester Valley Golf Club
430 Swedesford Road
Malvern, PA 19355
tel 610 647 4007