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The Global Golfer Top 100
Pine Valley Golf Club
Pine Valley, New Jersey, USA · #34 in the World
Location: Pine Valley, New Jersey, USA | Ranking: #34 — The Global Golfer Top 100
Type: Heathland | Designer: George Crump & Harry Colt (1919)
Editor’s Note: Pine Valley is consistently ranked #1 or #2 in America — an island of closely mown turf surrounded by sand, scrub and pine forest so severe that wild animals live permanently in it. George Crump spent his fortune and his life building it; Harry Colt refined it. Every hole requires a precise carry from close-cut island to close-cut island; there is no mediocre result — you make par or you suffer. Private members’ club requiring introduction; guest privileges available through membership networks.
Contact & Access
- Access: Members and guests only. No application process — introduction through membership essential. Philadelphia area introduction networks most productive. | Rating / Slope: 76.4 / 153 — one of the highest slope ratings in golf
Championship Scorecard
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | OUT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 35 |
| Yards | 427 | 367 | 185 | 444 | 226 | 391 | 567 | 145 | 432 | 3,184 |
Par 4
Par 3
Par 5
Total
| Hole | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | IN | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 35 | 70 |
| Yards | 145 | 395 | 390 | 185 | 460 | 603 | 185 | 232 | 428 | 3,023 | 6,765 |
Key Strategy Notes
- Hole 7 — Par 5, 567 Yards: “Hell’s Half Acre” — the largest sand hazard in golf, a vast waste bunker consuming virtually the entire mid-hole. The only known par on this hole from the sand was made once in the club’s history.
- Hole 16 — Par 3, 185 Yards: The most intimidating par 3 in American golf — a long iron over a waste area to a small green. Missing by 10 yards in any direction results in a score that doesn’t bear describing.
- The Slope: At 153, Pine Valley’s slope rating is among the highest ever measured — reflecting the catastrophic scoring potential for off-line shots. Scores of 100+ are entirely possible for scratch golfers playing their first round here.
The 19th Hole
- Pine Valley Inn: On-site overnight accommodation for members and guests — the only way to fully experience the club. Philadelphia hotels via Expedia →
- Philadelphia: 30 minutes from Pine Valley — the Liberty Bell, Reading Terminal Market, the Barnes Foundation and the finest cheesesteak in the world at Pat’s or Geno’s.