Stonewall Old (South) Course, Elverson, Pennsylvania - A Tom Doak-Designed Golf Course With Plenty of Challenge

The facilities at Stonewall include two 18-hole, championship-caliber golf courses - the North Course and the Old (South) Course - both the design work of Tom Doak. Doak has a reputation as a "minimalist'' when it comes to course design, and firmly believes in the "lay-of-the-land'' approach, which makes use of existing contours of the landscape and calls for moving as little earth as possible.

The par-70 Old Course, which opened in 1993, is relatively short, playing to only 6,717 yards from the longest (Black) tees, with a USGA rating of 72.9 and a slope rating of 132 on Bent grass. From the Blue tees the course plays to 6,322 yards. According to members, however, there is still plenty of challenge to be found on the layout, where water and 104 sand bunkers provide the primary hazards.

On the front nine, every hole with the exception of No. 7 is guarded at some point with a wetland, stream or pond. Such hazards rarely call for a forced carry, but do serve to punish wayward shots to either side. The front nine also includes a mix of holes that are wide open and wooded.

Some of the most noteworthy holes include No. 5, a par-3 that plays to 197 yards from the longest tees. The tee shot features a dramatic drop to the green and calls for a shot that must carry wetlands while avoiding a bunker on the left and a stream on the right.

No. 6 is a strong par-4 that plays to 442 yards from the back tees. Like its processor, this hole plays from an elevated tee which requires carrying the creek at the bottom of the fairway.

On the back nine, players may find themselves experiencing a feeling of freedom and open spaces that is reminiscent of seaside British courses. There is much more movement on this side of the course, and holes such as Nos. 14, 16 and 18 all feature downhill shots to the green, which makes choosing the right club of utmost importance.

No. 18, in particular, is a grand finishing hole, a par-5 that plays to 451 yards from the longest tees. The hole plays downhill every step of the way, however, and is reachable in two as a result. The hole also features a generous landing area guarded by bunkers on both sides of the fairway. Of even greater concern is the sand that fronts the entrance to the green and guards the putting surface on the right. The finishing green also slopes from front to back, and all those features contributed to the hole being ranked among The 18 Best Holes in the U.S. in The Confidential Guide.

The Old Course has also been ranked among the Top 100 Golf Course in the U.S. by GOLF Magazine, and has also hosted a number of prestigious events, including the Pennsylvania Open and the Philadelphia Open.

Practice facilities include a driving range and short-game practice area, a golf shop, restaurant, and two golf houses with overnight accommodations.