AN INSPIRED BEGINNING

The Architects

As they were designing some of the top private golf courses in the world (Merion East, Pine Valley, Oakmont, Winged Foot), Hugh Wilson and his fellow architects of the influential Philadelphia School of Golf Architecture felt the call to design a course where everyone– all genders, all races, all ages– could enjoy the game.

And they did it without pay. From the day Cobbs Creek opened in 1916, thousands found a home at this highly-rated public course, decades before they even had a chance to vote.

Today, we have world-renowned golf course architect Gil Hanse and design partner Jim Wagner leading our restoration efforts. They have created a Master Plan for the historic restoration of Cobbs Creek in a way that honors and protects its important history as well as moves it forward into modern times. Hanse and Wagner have completed restorations of many top 100 golf courses including:

• Merion Golf Club – East Course
• Winged Foot Golf Club
• Aronimink Golf Cub

THE GAME CHANGERS

The legends
that called it home

Cobbs Creek became the home course for inclusion in America, as legendary golfers like Howard Wheeler, Charlie Sifford, and others honed their game here at a time when they were not welcomed elsewhere. Charlie once remarked, “I was delighted to see both Black and White golfers playing side by side there. Here was a place I could play without having to worry about some groundskeeper coming by to run me off the course.”

Dr. Charlie Sifford went on to win 6 United Golf Association National Opens (including 5 in a row) before he broke the color barrier on the PGA Tour in 1961. Even on the Tour, Charlie was taunted and tormented as he still was told  “No.” But Charlie just chomped harder on his trademark cigar and won two PGA tournaments after the age of 45, won the PGA Seniors Championship in 1975, and was inducted into the Golf World Hall of Fame in 2004.