Telegram to a Legend
In the 1920s, a club leader is said to have telegrammed Walter Travis himself to walk the property and consult on the club’s relocation. The Travis imprint on the new site is still evident nearly a century later.
Golf Course Review & Scouting Report
The Country Club of Scranton
Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania
Established
1927
Architect
Walter Travis (1927, Original), Dr. Michael Hurdzan (1988 New Nine), Tom Marzolf (2012 Renovation)
Access
Private
Par
Par 72
Length
4,044 – 7,034 yds
The verdict
Strategic, tree-lined, and regionally elite
This Travis classic delivers rollicking green contours and thick architectural pedigree in Pennsylvania’s hills. It’s a top regional detour for golf architecture devotees, blending heritage, strategy, and modern conditioning into a members’ club experience.
Course DNA
Difficulty
76
Scenery73
Conditioning81
Shot Variety80
Walkability71
Green Complexity93
Wow Factor78
Design Quality85
From golfers who've played it
At a glance
Quick facts
Classic architect
Walter Travis, 1927
Notable renovation
Tom Marzolf (Fazio), 2012
Historic origins
Club founded 1896
Greens reputation
Massive, treacherously contoured
Course acreage
Located on lush, rolling parkland
Member focus
Traditional private club atmosphere
Regional standing
State-ranked, highly regarded
Total holes on site
27 (18 Travis, 9 Hurdzan)
The design
The architecture
Walter Travis’s Old Course is a feast for devotees of classic golf architecture: routed over rolling Pennsylvania parkland, the course demands precise shotmaking, with fairways framed by mature trees and each green an adventure in undulation and contour. The boldness of Travis’s green complexes sets the tone, rewarding creative approaches and placing an unrivaled premium on short-game artistry. Tree management and careful restoration have kept the strategy vibrant, ensuring every round is a study in planning and execution. The result is a member’s club that balances tradition, challenge, and architectural purity—a stage for serious golf with a hint of Golden Age flair.
Travis, one of America’s early 20th-century giants, brought his flair for bold green contours and shrewd angles to Scranton; Marzolf’s restoration work stays true to this legacy.
Defining features
- Massive, undulating Travis greens
- Testing mix of short and demanding par 4s
- Tree-framed fairways and classic cross-bunkering
- Routing takes full advantage of natural elevation
- Strong use of doglegs for strategic play
- Recent restoration echoes Golden Age lines
Hole by hole
Signature holes
Hole 1
Opening Descent
PAR
4
YARDAGE
402 yds (Black)
A downhill opener greets you with a broad fairway and demands an accurate approach into a lively, sloping green—a gentle introduction, but hardly a free pass.
Play it smart
Favor position over power; short iron control pays off.
Where it bites
Aggression brings rough and treacherous run-offs into play.
Course management
Shots to think about
Tee shot on the 6th, a long, semi-blind par 4
Trust your line—use a marker beyond the fairway and don’t be greedy with driver.
Approach into the 8th, the daunting long par 3
Commit to a club that gets hole-high; short or right will leave a brutal up-and-down.
Second shot on the par-5 4th
Play to your best layup yardage if you don’t stripe your drive—penalties lurk near the green.
Uphill chip to a Travis green
Land it short and let the slope do the work; avoid spinning it back off the front.
Fast downhill ten-footer
Play more break than you see—late movement is a Scranton specialty.
Green reading on any bold contour
Stand behind, walk the slope, and trust that your eyes aren’t exaggerating—these breaks are real.
Watch
See it before you play it
On the day
What to expect
Conditions
Reliable, with smooth greens and classic lush fairways.
Pace
Member-paced, typically comfortable but varies by peak times.
Vibe
Traditional, understated, devoted to serious golf.
Dress code
Standard private club: collared shirts and tailored slacks/shorts required.
Before you tee off
Your game plan
01
Dial In Your Lag Putting
Massive, rolling greens put a premium on distance control and reading breaks.
02
Pack for All-Weather
Pennsylvania can swing from chilly to humid—layers are your friend.
03
Brush Up on Classic Course Etiquette
This is a member-focused, traditional club—mind your pace and attire.
04
Practice Your Bunker Escape
Restored Travis bunkering awaits if you stray near the greens.
The lore
How it came to be
- 1896
Club originally chartered, near downtown Scranton
- 1927
Walter Travis designs and opens 18-hole Old Course at current site
- 1988
Dr. Michael Hurdzan adds Falls (New) Nine for 27 total holes
- 2012
Tom Marzolf renovation, tree removal and bunker restoration elevate acclaim
Stories & legends
What makes it special
Birthplace of Barons’ Retreat
The club’s earliest days were powered by Scranton’s coal and railroad elite, seeking an inland sanctuary. Today, echoes of that prestige linger in the course’s old-school corridors.
Greens that Make Legends
From day one, the course’s ‘massive, raucous, undulating’ greens have confounded members and visitors alike. They are a masterclass in Travis’s boldest work—and the source of stories for every golfer brave enough to attack their slopes.
A Modern Renewal
The 2012 Marzolf renovation removed encroaching trees and restored vintage bunkering, reinvigorating Travis’s original sightlines and strategic options. The transformation reignited regional and architectural acclaim.
For the group chat
Fun facts
1
Walter Travis was the first foreign-born US Amateur champion before turning to design.
2
The course's green complexes are routinely cited as some of the boldest Travis ever built.
3
The club’s origins trace to Scranton’s coal barons and business magnates.
4
The 2012 restoration removed hundreds of trees to re-open Travis’s classic lines.
5
At least seven tee options let you tailor the challenge on the Old Course.
Build the trip
If you’re making a Scranton golf trip out of it
CourseAccessWhy it's on the listTrip
Pocono Manor Golf Course
Resort/Public
Historic, mountain setting—easy add-on for destination flavor
Jack Frost National Golf Club
Resort/Public
Modern, scenic mountain layout—test your entire bag
Hickory Run Golf Club
Public
Accessible and relaxed—perfect for a bonus round
Valley Country Club
Private
Region’s other highly regarded private traditional course
Stay in Clarks Summit, Scranton, or Moosic—best for club and area access
Course DNA
If You Like The Country Club of Scranton
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Strong DNA Match8.6
Plainfield Country Club
Edison, New JerseyGreen Complexity
Why it matches: Plainfield Country Club is a natural next stop after The Country Club of Scranton: it makes the greens a central strategic puzzle.
Strong DNA Match8.9
Peachtree Golf Club
Brookhaven, GeorgiaWhy it matches: What links these two? A comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character — a familiar feeling, expressed in Peachtree Golf Club's own setting.
Strong DNA Match8.8
Streamsong Black
Bowling Green, FloridaGreen Complexity
Why it matches: There is real overlap here. Streamsong Black makes the greens a central strategic puzzle, making it a compelling counterpart to The Country Club of Scranton.
Community Sentiment
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