Wayne, Pennsylvania
St. Davids Golf Club offers a classic Donald Ross parkland experience, freshly sharpened through successive restorations. Fast greens, strategic bunkering, and compelling risk-reward design make it a must for Philly-region architecture buffs.
Walk up to the ninth tee, take in the Tillinghast-inspired design, and enjoy the challenge—members say the 232-yard par 3 is the toughest (and most storied) shot on the course.
St. Davids Golf Club embodies Donald Ross’s enduring legacy in American golf: bold green sites and clever bunkering on manageable, walkable terrain. Decades of thoughtful restorations—Silva’s sharp bunker work, Prichard’s green and routing realignment, now Rae’s modern but faithful expansion of green edges and short grass—have kept the presentation both classic and compelling. Here, ground contours matter, angles matter, and even with today's distances, the original risk-reward DNA shines. The result? A mid-length but relentless par 70 that gives up nothing without a quality shot and dares you to attack only if your position is perfect.
Donald Ross’s philosophy—variety, fairness, strategic shotmaking—remains the soul of St. Davids, with every restoration circling closer to his 1927 vision.
This fearsome par 4 asks for a robust drive to an unforgiving landing zone, followed by a long-iron or hybrid to a green framed by strategic bunkers. Often playing into a breeze, it's a grueling test that rewards a steady nerve more than flash.
Play for the right side off the tee to open up the green; precision is critical both on the approach and with recovery shots.
Any miss in the deep left-side bunker or long rough makes par a victory.
Exceptional private-club maintenance with restored greens and deepened bunkers; quick, true surfaces.
Member-paced—efficient but never rushed; plenty of time for match play strategy.
Traditional, understated Main Line private-club with proud heritage.
Collared shirts and golf attire expected; private-club standards in effect.
Practice your full-commitment long irons—several par 3s, especially the 9th, demand pinpoint control.
Study the course routing or a yardage book—the right fairway lines open up green access on key holes.
Be ready for creative recovery shots from Ross-style runoffs and expanded short-grass surrounds.
Prioritize position over power; placement into position trumps driving distance throughout this routing.
St. Davids Golf Club founded
Relocated to Wayne and laid out by Donald Ross
Major Silva bunker & green renovation, new tees
Ranked among PA's top private courses
Tyler Rae begins multi-year full Ross restoration
Completion target for Rae’s restoration, with expanded greens and refined bunkers
A.W. Tillinghast reportedly advised the club to convert its already-notorious 9th from a short par 4 into a bruising long par 3. That bold move stuck, and the 232-yard hole is now club legend, the nemesis of matches and medal rounds for almost a century.
Each major restoration at St. Davids has aimed to recover more of Ross’s original intent—pronounced fairway lines, sharper bunkers, and risky runoffs that punish weak approaches, all while maintaining a playable, member-focused walk. It’s a living showcase of Golden Age parkland golf coming back to life.
While Merion and Aronimink tend to soak up national headlines, St. Davids quietly draws the region’s architecture hounds and tournament hopefuls, offering a playable but never easy cross-section of the Main Line’s best parkland golf.
The 9th hole was reimagined thanks to a tip from legendary architect A.W. Tillinghast.
Tyler Rae’s multi-year Ross restoration is bringing greens and bunkers closer to the club’s 1927 roots.
Despite being shadowed by Merion, St. Davids is one of Pennsylvania’s most beloved regional Ross tests.
Many Philadelphia area championship qualifiers and amateur events have been hosted here over the decades.
The original 1927 Ross routing and Main Line location remain unchanged almost a century later.
Iconic U.S. Open host and standard-bearer of American classic design.
Donald Ross masterwork, championship pedigree.
Superb Golden Age course, traditional challenge.
Playable, classic-feeling public option nearby, perfect for guests or non-members.
Affordable, walkable public round within reach of the Main Line.
Wayne or Radnor for Main Line access; King of Prussia for hotel choice
Courses with the most similar DNA profile — matched by deviation shape across all eight playing characteristics.
Why it matches: What links these two? A comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character — a familiar feeling, expressed in Plum Hollow Country Club's own setting.
Why it matches: There is real overlap here. Old Sandwich Golf Club a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character, making it a compelling counterpart to St. Davids Golf Club.
Why it matches: Hidden Creek Golf Club is a natural next stop after St. Davids Golf Club: it a comparable balance of challenge, variety, and character.
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