The Legend of the Streets
Nevillewood’s residential streets are named after many of Jack Nicklaus’s other courses, tying the whole community to his design legacy. It’s a unique way for the club to reinforce its Golden Bear heritage.
Golf Course Review & Scouting Report
The Club at Nevillewood
Presto, Pennsylvania
Established
1992
Architect
Jack Nicklaus
Access
Private
Par
Par 72
Length
5,146 – 7,228 yds
The verdict
Nicklaus Legacy Meets Modern Challenge
The Club at Nevillewood delivers a pure Jack Nicklaus test—strategic, demanding, and always beautifully kept. This is one of western Pennsylvania's premier private experiences. While not a national pilgrimage, it’s a must for those who can access it.
Course DNA
Difficulty
84
Scenery75
Conditioning93
Shot Variety81
Walkability66
Green Complexity78
Wow Factor71
Design Quality76
Don't miss
Check out the street signs as you enter—each one is named after another Nicklaus course, a nod to the Golden Bear’s legacy.
At a glance
Quick facts
Course Record
62, set by professional Jason Gore
Major Renovation
Partial redesign by Gil Hanse & Jim Wagner (2024–)
Signature Architect
Jack Nicklaus Signature Design
Greens
Bentgrass, known for speed
Hosted Event
Mario Lemieux Celebrity Invitational (1998–2005)
Ranking
Ranked #35 in Pennsylvania by Golf Digest
Bunker Refresh
Bunkers updated for original intent in 2024
The design
The architecture
The Club at Nevillewood is a pure Jack Nicklaus Signature — bold shoulders, strategic demands, and a high standard of conditioning. The rolling topography gives the routing a distinctive rhythm, and recent work by Gil Hanse & Jim Wagner has sharpened the bunkering and refined several corridors, returning some visual drama and fidelity to the original Nicklaus intent. Greens are large and quick, often guarded by yawning bunkers or sharp drop-offs, ensuring approach shots require mindful strategy and crisp execution. Every hole presents options, forces decisions, and rewards patience and local knowledge.
Nicklaus’s philosophy shines through in forced carries, angled greens, and options over brute length—now modernized by Hanse's subtle architectural tweaks.
Defining features
- Strategic bunkering requires precise placement.
- Greens are fast, contoured, and carefully protected.
- Multiple risk-reward holes, especially on the par 5s.
- Rolling terrain with elevation influencing every shot.
- Recent renovation by Gil Hanse & Jim Wagner updated bunkers.
- Signature Nicklaus design principles evident throughout.
Hole by hole
Signature holes
Hole 5
Precision Downhill Par 3
PAR
3
YARDAGE
195
This mid-to-long iron par 3 presents a classic Nicklaus short-hole demand: carry the hazards to a fast, sloping green framed by bunkers. Missing long or left brings a tough up-and-down into play.
Play it smart
Favor a controlled shot center-right; avoid chasing back pins when the wind is up.
Where it bites
Miss left or long, and you’ll be fighting to save bogey from deep bunkers or tight lies.
Course management
Shots to think about
Windy par 3 tee shot
Trust the yardage — overclub is better than flirting with front bunkers; play for the center regardless of the pin.
Approach to par 4 with a tucked pin
Don’t chase sucker pins; play to the fat side for an easier two-putt, especially to back-right locations.
Second shot on a reachable par 5
Know your numbers; if you can’t carry the cross bunkers, lay up smart for an optimal third.
Uphill chip from rough
Favor getting the ball on the green — firm putting surfaces amplify mistakes if you get too cute.
Late-round pressure drive on 18
Commit to your line right of center; stay clear of left-side block-out beyond the fairway bunkers.
Trying to attack after a bogey
Stick to your strategy — chasing birdies recklessly often leads to the kind of big mistakes Nevillewood punishes hard.
On the day
What to expect
Conditions
Impeccable private-club standard, with tournament-speed greens and closely groomed fairways.
Pace
Generally brisk and controlled, with rare backups during busy member days.
Vibe
Upscale, classic private club atmosphere—quiet, refined, and member-focused.
Before you tee off
Your game plan
01
Dial In Your Long Irons
Both nines feature long, demanding par 3s requiring confident full-swing execution.
02
Bring Your Putting Touch
Greens are known for high speed and subtle breaks; spend time on the practice green.
03
Strategize on Par 5s
Don’t force the second shot—nearly every par 5 rewards discipline and smart layups over aggression.
04
Expect Some Walks
Hilly terrain means moderate green-to-tee walks—hydration is a must, especially in summer.
The lore
How it came to be
- 1992
The Club at Nevillewood opens as a Jack Nicklaus Signature course.
- 1998
Begins running the Mario Lemieux Celebrity Invitational.
- 2005
Final Lemieux Invitational held, concluding the club’s marquee charity tradition.
- 2016
Hosts the Pennsylvania Open, cementing its state-level championship standing.
- 2024
Gil Hanse & Jim Wagner renovation modernizes bunkers and updates select features.
Stories & legends
What makes it special
Celebrity Charity Era
From 1998 to 2005, the club buzzed every spring as Mario Lemieux and sports legends descended for the star-studded Mario Lemieux Celebrity Invitational. The event raised millions for cancer research and put Nevillewood in the regional spotlight.
A Modern Bunker Revival
In 2024, Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner refreshed the bunkering, spreading sand hazards to better match Nicklaus’s initial vision. The result is a layout that feels both classic and contemporary for members.
For the group chat
Fun facts
1
Club streets are named after other Nicklaus courses.
2
Hosted the Mario Lemieux Celebrity Invitational for eight years.
3
Course record is 62, set during a Pennsylvania Open.
4
2024’s bunker renovation made the hazards more visually dramatic.
5
The original layout remains almost entirely unchanged since 1992.
Build the trip
If you’re building a Pittsburgh-area golf trip
CourseAccessWhy it's on the listTrip
Olde Stonewall
Public
A dramatic, brawny daily-fee course with a castle clubhouse and bold holes—one of Pennsylvania’s best public options.
Quicksilver Golf Club
Public
Accessible, playable layout with championship length; a local favorite in the western suburbs.
Nemacolin Resort (Shepherd’s Rock or Mystic Rock)
Resort
Destination-worthy Pete Dye and Tim Liddy courses; ideal for a multi-day golf escape south of the city.
Pittsburgh Field Club
Private
A storied, Golden Age course for those with connections in the private-club network.
South Hills or Mt. Lebanon — efficient for western-club corridor and quick to central Pittsburgh.
Course DNA
If You Like The Club at Nevillewood
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Strong DNA Match7.8
TPC Myrtle Beach
Murrells Inlet, South CarolinaConditioning
Why it matches: What links these two? Puts the same premium on presentation — a familiar feeling, expressed in TPC Myrtle Beach's own setting.
Strong DNA Match7.5
TPC Twin Cities
Blaine, MinnesotaConditioning
Why it matches: TPC Twin Cities is a natural next stop after The Club at Nevillewood: it offers similarly polished playing surfaces.
Strong DNA Match8.0
Troubadour Golf & Field Club
College Grove, TennesseeConditioning
Why it matches: What links these two? Puts the same premium on presentation — a familiar feeling, expressed in Troubadour Golf & Field Club's own setting.
The architect's other work
More from Jack Nicklaus
Sebonack Golf Club
Southampton, New YorkModern classic by the bay with bold natural drama
Muirfield Village Golf Club
Dublin, OhioA Nicklaus masterpiece, tournament-tough, elite and exacting
Desert Highlands Golf Club
Scottsdale, ArizonaDesert legend with Nicklaus pedigree and Skins Game lore
Richland Country Club
Forest Hills, TennesseeNashville’s modern classic with storied roots
Annandale Golf Club
Madison, MississippiNicklaus pedigree meets Mississippi championship test
The Loxahatchee Club
Jupiter, FloridaNicklaus shaping meets classic Florida challenge.
Community Sentiment
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