Details
The idea for a community based club on the outskirts of Altoona first came to light in the early 1920’s. The original idea called for the club to be built and turned over to the city of Altoona to be operated for the common good of the entire city.
With the Depression rolling across the country, a few staunch supporters of the club decided to build the golf course and maintain it for members and guests alike. This decision to continue forward by building and maintaining the club and the course has allowed the facility to be a landmark in the Altoona area.
As one can imagine, the golf course has gone through several changes though the years and all of these changes have led us to our current layout and fine conditions. Please find below a snapshot of each hole so you can best prepare for your round at Park Hills Golf Club.
Front 9
Hole 1
Hole One is an innocent looking par four but be sure to keep your tee shot on the left side of the fairway. Mature trees on the right catch many drives as the fairway slopes in that direction.
Hole 2
This is a short par four. Should be one of your birdie holes during your round. Approach shots to the green should stay under the hole as this is one fast, downward-sloped green, yielding many 3-putts.
Hole 3
Three is a challenging par three from the blue tees. Typical cross winds on this hole can create havoc off the tee. Greenside bunkers and pines behind it force a tough up-and-down. Middle of the green is a great play!
Hole 4
This is an uphill par five, doglegging right, and then back left. Tee shots are often swallowed up by the pond on the right. Your second shot should be a lay-up to about 80-100 yards. The green is closely guarded by trees and traps, deterring those wanting to reach the hole in two!
Hole 5
This is a nice looking par five! It is longer and more straight-away than your first par five on hole four. Avoiding the tree-lines will be your only worry here. Two good shots and a mid-to-high iron will leave you with a good chance at birdie!
Hole 6
Six presents a longer, uphill par three. Typically 185 yards, but hitting into the wind on most days leaves you feeling a little tense over this shot. This is a narrow, but deep green that slopes downhill from back to front. Par is a great score here!
Hole 7
This is a fairly easy par four. Fairway bunkers are approximately 100 yards from green. Longer tee shots will carry these bunkers leaving a short pitch to the green, but trees left and right may block approach shot. The safe play is tee shot short of the fairway traps and a wedge or sand wedge to the green.
Hole 8
Slightly bending left off the tee, the fairway is position “A”, but be wary of our Granddaddy Oak tree at the edge of the fairway. Missing tee shots left or right will leave a difficult, uphill second shot to a slick, downward sloping green. Par here is a good feeling.
Hole 9
Front nine finishes with a beautiful, straight away par four. Your approach shot is to another elevated green. Be careful not to go long here, either. Deep greenside bunkers and large pines behind the green leave you with difficult up-and-down for par. You are also dealing with yet another fast, downhill sloping green. Careful around the green and you should benefit on the scorecard.
Back 9
Hole 10
Ten is a long, straight away par three. Be careful, this hole is guarded heavily by trees on both sides. Out-of-bounds are in play left and behind the green. Even though it’s the #8 handicap hole, it plays a lot tougher. You are looking at 210 yards from the blue tees with typical cross or head wind to negotiate. Par almost always wins this hole.
Hole 11
Eleven is one of our signature holes. Your play is from an elevated tee to an elevated green with a deep hollow between. Beware of out-of-bounds left and behind green. Severe sloping towards out-of-bounds will make a wayward shot makes it there. Negotiating the slope and wind here is paramount. Great little hole!
Hole 12
This is fairly easy, straight away par four. The tree line right is something to avoid as well as the fairway bunkers. Other than that, the hole sets up for what should be another birdie. A nice flat, true green helps your cause.
Hole 13
Thirteen is another challenging par five. The fairway from your tee shot is prime position here. Left-side of hole slopes severely towards OB, leaving many tee shots and second shots falling victim to a penalty stroke. Keeping it straight will reward you with a mid-to-high iron approach and on line for a chance at birdie.
Hole 14
Here is a good looking par three. It is typically 150-165 yards to the middle of green. Requires a tee shot over the pond to a large deep green. Beware though, because landing on the surface does not guarantee par here. A long undulating green can leave you three-putting very easily.
Hole 15
One of our best par fours on the course. This hole will dogleg slightly right, then uphill on your approach. There are two ways to play this one. Try and carry the creek straight away and right (approximately 265 yards) or lay-up with the tee shot leaving you with a long iron or hybrid to an elevated, two tiered, fast green. Needless to say, par is great here.
Hole 16
It’s the last of our par threes. From tee to green are some familiar foes. You must hit over another pond, uphill and those cross winds come into play again. Not nearly as easy as it looks. This is a long, deep green sloping back to front. This green can be nearly impossible to two-putt.
Hole 17
This is a par four that presents plenty of trouble- left out-of-bounds – large deep moguls and the right-side presents clusters of trees and tall heather. Add a middle fairway bunker and this hole leaves you tentative to swing away. Hitting the fairway is a necessity. Your approach is typically a short wedge or nine iron to yet another severe, downward sloping green.
Hole 18
Your round ends with a long par five. Nearly 600 yards straight away and gradually uphill. OB is in play left all the way up. Three good shots and you have a chance at par. Birdies are not unheard of, but difficult to get.
