It was a dreary early spring day on this first foray to Berkleigh Golf Club, but that didn’t diminish the experience. Conditions at this once-private club were up to par, and the course played as if it were early-summer. This coupled with the fact there weren’t many people out on a Thursday afternoon made for an uber enjoyable round of golf.
Berkleigh, set among the majestic rolling hills of Kutztown PA, was a private club for over 90 years and has been a public facility since 2007. It was designed by Robert White of Carnoustie, Scotland, the first president of the PGA (America). It has a rich history in Berks County and was host to the LPGA Besty King Classic for many years. The club, founded by residents of Berks and Lehigh counties, is easily accessible from both counties; hence the name Berkleigh.
In their March 2013 issue, Golfweek Magazine ranked Berkleigh # 8 among “Best Places You Can Play in PA” and in 2012 it was voted “Best Public Course” by readers of the Allentown Morning Call. It’s not hard to see why.
Even in late-March the course played beautifully. The fairways and greens were especially sharp, and the tee boxes also deserve mentioning. The greens here are fast, as in “country club” fast, so make sure you bring your A-game with the putter. It’s a challenging length from the tips (roughly 6800 yards), but the four sets of tees allows players of all skill levels to have an enjoyable round and still use every club in their bag.
Berkleigh features other country club-esque amenities including a full grass driving range and short game practice facility, The Grille Room with daily lunch and happy hour specials and offers eight different beers on tap, plus The Golf Shop which carries logo’d gear and a full line of Titleist golf balls from Pro V1's to Pinnacles and a good selection of FootJoy Shoes.
With its tree-lined fairways, old-time look and plenty of character, Berkleigh delivers a private club experience with a course that is open to the public. It should be added to your list of places to play in 2013.
Berkleigh, set among the majestic rolling hills of Kutztown PA, was a private club for over 90 years and has been a public facility since 2007. It was designed by Robert White of Carnoustie, Scotland, the first president of the PGA (America). It has a rich history in Berks County and was host to the LPGA Besty King Classic for many years. The club, founded by residents of Berks and Lehigh counties, is easily accessible from both counties; hence the name Berkleigh.
In their March 2013 issue, Golfweek Magazine ranked Berkleigh # 8 among “Best Places You Can Play in PA” and in 2012 it was voted “Best Public Course” by readers of the Allentown Morning Call. It’s not hard to see why.
Even in late-March the course played beautifully. The fairways and greens were especially sharp, and the tee boxes also deserve mentioning. The greens here are fast, as in “country club” fast, so make sure you bring your A-game with the putter. It’s a challenging length from the tips (roughly 6800 yards), but the four sets of tees allows players of all skill levels to have an enjoyable round and still use every club in their bag.
Berkleigh features other country club-esque amenities including a full grass driving range and short game practice facility, The Grille Room with daily lunch and happy hour specials and offers eight different beers on tap, plus The Golf Shop which carries logo’d gear and a full line of Titleist golf balls from Pro V1's to Pinnacles and a good selection of FootJoy Shoes.
With its tree-lined fairways, old-time look and plenty of character, Berkleigh delivers a private club experience with a course that is open to the public. It should be added to your list of places to play in 2013.
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