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Hole 1, Par 4
Blue: 423
White: 408
Gold: 363
Red: 303
A drive placed down the middle of the fairway is ideal. Green is surrounded by bunkers.
Hole 2, Par 5
Blue: 575
White: 530
Gold: 476
Red: 425
Drive should favor the right center portion of the fairway to have a clear second shot. Green sits behind two green side bunkers.
Hole 3, Par 4
Blue: 446
White: 410
Gold: 379
Red: 330
Drive should favor the right side of the fairway to hit away from the pond protecting the right side of green.
Hole 4, Par 3
Blue: 168
White: 130
Gold: 117
Red: 112
This short Par 3 plays uphill to an elevated green. Large bunkers left and right protect this green.
Hole 5, Par 4
Blue: 365
White: 350
Gold: 333
Red: 287
Drive should favor the left center portion of the fairway. A short iron shot into this green will not be much of a challenge with two small bunkers to the left and right.
Hole 6, Par 3
Blue: 201
White: 190
Gold: 135
Red: 130
This hole plays slightly downhill. Two large bunkers protect this green in the front and to the right and left.
Hole 7, Par 4/5
Blue: 453
White: 410
Gold: 389
Red: 385
Drive should favor the right side of fairway. Out-of-bounds left for the entire length of hole. Approach to the green that is slightly elevated.
Hole 8, Par 4
Blue: 344
White: 325
Gold: 290
Red: 280
Slight dog-leg left. Blind tee shot to top of hill. Right center of fairway is ideal. Green protected by grassy mounds in front.
Hole 9, Par 4
Blue: 443
White: 430
Gold: 351
Red: 345
Out-of-bounds runs the entire length of the hole. Drive placed ideally in the middle of fairway. Left and right of the green sit two bunkers. Long of this green is out-of-bounds.
Hole 10, Par 3
Blue: 197
White: 171
Gold: 125
Red: 98
A scenic view precedes this difficult hole. Plays into a prevailing wind which adds to the 170 yards posted. Hit tee shot over pond that comes into play short of green. Two bunkers also protect this green short, left and right. Over the green is out-of-bounds.
Hole 11, Par 4
Blue: 369
White: 330
Gold: 310
Red: 305
Severe dog-leg left. Out-of-bounds runs up the entire right side of the hole. Place drive on the right side of fairway to have a shot at the green. Over green is out-of-bounds.
Hole 12, Par 5
Blue: 527
White: 516
Gold: 450
Red: 407
Slight uphill dog-leg left. Place drive on the right center of fairway. Uphill second shot. Green hides behind two grass mounds left and right.
Hole 13, Par 4
Blue: 450
White: 395
Gold: 385
Red: 316
Our Signature Hole. Drive hit over hill to slight downhill lie. Green protected by pond and three bunkers. Green severely sloped left to right and front to back.
Hole 14, Par 4
Blue: 434
White: 390
Gold: 369
Red: 287
Slight dog-leg to the right. Uphill drive to left center of fairway. Green protected by huge trees left and right of green.
Hole 15, Par 3
Blue: 173
White: 155
Gold: 135
Red: 129
This medium length Par 3 appears easy but the green is pinched in front to narrow the look. Wind plays havoc with a poorly struck shot. Bunkers left and right catch errant shots.
Hole 16, Par 4/5
Blue: 451
White: 480
Gold: 431
Red: 397
Dog-leg right. Place drive left center of fairway. Trees jut out from right side. Green protected by two small green side bunkers.
Hole 17, Par 4
Blue: 467
White: 405
Gold: 349
Red: 343
Slight dog-leg left. Demanding tee shot between tree line and three fairway bunkers. Slight uphill second shot to an elevated green.
Hole 18, Par 4
Blue: 450
White: 397
Gold: 375
Red: 318
Dog-leg right. Place drive on left center of fairway beyond fairway bunkers to have a good approach to the green. Bunker protects green to the left. Out-of-bounds is long of the green.
1904
A handful of Butler men founded the Butler Golf Club on a portion of the Frank X. Kohler farm along Lewis Avenue in Lyndora and laid out six holes.
1905
The pioneer organization created so much interest in golf that it was soon evident that a better venue was needed. On September 27, a group of interested men traveled by wagon to Penn Township and purchased the George Huselton farm of seventy acres for $4500. The property was conveniently located along Three Degree Road on the projected inter-urban electric line of the Pittsburgh and Butler Railway Company.
1906
Although the Butler Golf Club could only afford the construction of nine holes, because of the far-sightedness of the Butler Golf Club members, the course of Butler Country Club has the distinction of having been designed by one of the foremost golf course designers of its time, Tom Bendelow. Mr. Bendelow has been called the Johnny Appleseed of golf because of his influence on the spread of the game in America. He is credited with nearly 700 course designs, the most famous being Medinah #3 in Chicago.
1907
The Butler Short Line railway, which had a stop right on the club property, was the saving grace of transportation to the club, which sold sixteen-trip tickets for one dollar to members. Previous to having a railway stop, getting to the club proved difficult due to the fact that Three Degree Road and Allegheny and Butler Plank Road were all very dangerous to traverse.
1908
On April 25, the club was incorporated as The Butler Country Club, and the title to the seventy acres was transferred to the club by the Butler Savings & Trust Company acting as a trustee for the original purchasers. Louis Solari, an artistic Italian stonemason, built the building largely out of stones found on the farm. The original fireplace and the stone wall on the eastern veranda are great examples of his expertise. The clubhouse was built to face west and the walk from the front porch went down the hill to the Short Line station near the present pond.
1909-1927
In 1911, the holes were rearranged and traps were built. To finance this work a "Bunker Fund" was raised. Very little change has been made in the original first nine holes except to eliminate the short sixth hole leading north from the present thirteenth green and the third hole in front of the clubhouse. The current tenth and eleventh holes were substituted. With the phenomenal growth of the club and the popularity of the game following Francis Ouimet's 1913 U.S. Open victory, the club house and course were crowded to capacity. To accommodate the growing needs of the membership, though temporarily delayed by World war I, improvements were made in the club and on the course each year. In 1920, with the newly improved Route 8 and the increase in the number of automobiles, the club was much more accessible and golf was more popular than ever. That same year the Pittsburgh Harmony Butler and New Castle Company combined with the Pittsburgh and Butler Short Line and continued trolley service to the club for a few years until it was abandoned.
1928-1929
On January 24, 1928, the club purchased from I.J. Maharg for $20,000 seventy acres lying east and adjoining the original purchase. The acquisition allowed for the establishment of nine more golf holes laid out by an outstanding golf architect named Leonard Macomber from Chicago who kept the integrity of the original design in a most satisfactory manner. In 1929, the new eighteen-hole course was opened. Since the inaugural holes were designed, improvements and slight changes by Ed Ault (1963), Ferdinand Garbin (1986) and most recently, Ron Forse have been made, but the original design has not been materially altered.
1930-1954
In 1932, the club acquired seven and one-half acres south of the driveway from the Stewart Heirs for the practice area. During the Depression, the club had many problems and it took ingenuity, resourcefulness and cooperation on the part of directors and members to carry the club over the tough economic times. In 1937, the club began Industrial Day, whereby local companies sponsored events at the club and made monetary contributions. Proof that such innovations encouraged growth of the club came in 1955 when the Board of Directors was forced to limit outside use of the club to Mondays and Fridays. In 1941, John H. Stewart, then president, became interested in having the course landscaped and trees and shrubs planted. Our many pine, spruce, hemlock and dogwood were planted to add to the beauty of the rolling fields. The completion of the Pittsburgh and Butler Airport presented a problem of planes overhead. An agreement was reached in 1941 with airport officials requiring plans to keep 500 feet above the club property so as not to annoy members participating in sports at the club. During the ware servicemen in uniform were invited to play golf for a nominal $1 fee. With the opening of Deshon Hospital for servicemen in 1943, arrangements were made to give the patients privileges of the course without charge on certain days. Following World War II, the main entrance to the club and the flagpole were changed to the east side of the clubhouse. In 1954, the women's locker room was moved to the second floor, and the men's locker room and grill were moved to the lower level where both remain to this day.
1959-Present
In 1959, the Presidents Memorial Shelter, centrally located in the woods between the twelfth and fifteenth greens was in service for weary and hungry golfers. In 2007, the Presidents Shelter was redesigned and replaced with the lovely Jim Simons Memorial Shelter. In 2001,the club acquired thirty-two acres between number seven and Airport Road from Butler County Community College for $159,000 thanks in most part to several generous members. The property is as yet unused but undoubtedly will enhance the club in the future.
Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Men's Golf Championship
2024, 2021
Pennsylvania Junior Girls' Championship
2010
Pennsylvania Open Championship
1999, 1991, 1979
Pennsylvania Senior Amateur Championship
2019, 2005, 1974
Pennsylvania Super-Senior Amateur Championship
2019, 2006, 2005
Tri-State PGA Frank B. Fuhrer Invitational
2006, 2002, 1999
West Penn Amateur Championship
2022, 2013, 2001, 1968
West Penn Father & Son Tournament
1989, 1984, 1981
West Penn Open Championship
2017, 2008, 1993, 1980, 1976, 1973, 1969, 1948, 1937
West Penn Jamison Cup Inter-Club Finals
2018, 2014, 2004
West Penn Junior Championship
2015
Women's Golf Association of Western Pennsylvania Championship
2021, 2011, 1999, 1986, 1975, 1964
Women's Golf Association of Western Pennsylvania Senior / Super-Senior Championship
2024, 2018
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