The Philadelphia Cricket Club

Wissahickon's 14th A signature hole at the Philadelphia Cricket Club, the 14th is all about the approach shot. Similar to Hole 7, Tillinghast created a Hell's Quarter Acre hazard, along with a severely sloped green from right to left. A two-putt par on this hole is always worthy of a smile and is generally executed by a well placed approach shot. For pins on the left hand side of the green, it is always better to attack the flag as you're rewarding with an uphill putt or relatively straightforward chip if left of the green. Approaches missed to the right of the green will mostly result in a bogey (or more!) on this hole. Guest caption by PCC Member Tyler Petrovich.

For the last question, we ask the golf staff something most of us have pondered. If you won the lottery today, what would you do? Enjoy!

Wissahickon’s 7th featuring an A. W. Tillinhast signature design, The Great Hazard.

Wissahickon’s 13th Analysis: The start of probably my favorite stretch on the course, from 13-in. A visually appealing, classic Tillinghast hole. The fairway moves gently to the right towards the sole fairway bunker, asking you to take on the left edge of the bunker for the shortest way home. In my opinion, one of the more difficult greens to read, as the slopes are subtle and not entirely obvious. Member tip: Be sure to take a peek at the pin position on 14 green. Like on 18..., aim your tee shot at the pale birch tree and swing away. Guest caption by PCC member Bryan Georgiana

St. Martins start and finish

GIVEAWAY! Head over to Instagram and comment what you hope to accomplish on the golf course in 2021 for a chance to win a PCC quarter zip! Winner announced Sunday!

The 6th at Wissahickon is uphill the entire way with a fescue-covered old rail line up the entire right side. Measuring by 498 yards it is a difficult par 4 for any golfer.

We had so much fun with all our Cricket Commenters on Wissahickon this year, so let’s have a little fun with them one more time. We hope these outtakes don’t discourage future volunteers! See you on the first tee for Cricket Commentary: Militia Hill in 2021!

2020 was far from a normal year but thanks to our incredible members and dedicated staff, it was certainly memorable. See you in 2021!

Tillinghast courses are also defined by their greens, or, as Tilly called them, the faces of the golf course. He believed that no matter how perfect the rest of the course, it would be forgettable if its greens were unimpressive. His greens are almost always protected by bunkering as he believed that a controlled shot into a defended green was one of the finest tests of one’s game. When it came to green character, Tilly turned to undulations that were receptive to the type ...of shot needed to approach the hole. Despite his wicked course designs, Tillinghast was a man of fairness. He designed his holes to help a properly played shot finish close to the hole. This was perhaps a result of his thinking that too much emphasis was placed on putting compared to other shots. In 2013, we restored A.W. Tillinghast’s signature greens on Wissahickon back to their full glory. Today, these greens encourage accurate approaches and make recovery shots around the green extremely demanding.

It should come as no surprise that our most liked post of 2020 showcases arguably the defining feature of our A.W. Tillinghast-designed Wissahickon course, The Great Hazard. We have posted about the history of The Great Hazard as one of Tillinghast’s signature design features, and we are proud to have been the home course of such an esteemed golf course architect. We also want to take this opportunity to thank you, our followers, for your support and engagement this year on social media. We love interacting with you on all of our platforms if it wasn’t for you, this would be a one-way conversation and that wouldn’t be nearly as much fun. Thank you again, and we hope you have a happy and healthy new year!

While not the most complex of Wissahickon’s holes, the 11th with its well-placed fairway bunker and large guarded green can still cause some headaches.

Analysis: One of only two blind tee shots on the course. A reachable par 5 for the long hitters although a perfectly placed set of layup bunkers short left and right of the green and a diabolical low lying runoff area short right of the green demand an accurate approach shot. Member tip: Common advice is to split your tee shot between the 2 OB stakes, while the speed slot over the left edge of the left stake asks you to carry the blind left fairway bunker. In the trees to the right of the fairway is the nest of a bald eagle, very fitting for a reachable par 5! Guest writing by PCC Member Bryan Georgiana!

The Great Hazard Many golf course architects have made use of template holes on their greatest courses, and A.W. Tillinghast is no exception. However, while some architects would use templates they discovered at other courses, Tilly’s templates arose from his own creation. One of his most famous templates is the Great Hazard, found on 12 different courses today. Used on Par-5s, the Great Hazard puts pressure on a player’s tee shot, as a poor tee shot may require them to lay u...p short of the hazard with their second shot, forcing a long third shot into the green. Those who hit a good tee shot will typically have an easy time carrying the hazard on their second. (Although raise your hand if you’ve bombed a drive and then duffed your second right into the Great Hazard two hands in the air over here!) On Wissahickon’s 7th hole, 340 yards from the back tee, the hazard awaits. When paired with bunkers surrounding the landing area as well as the deep bunkers protecting the green, it’s no wonder why Tillinghast was often referred to as Tilly the Terror.

Now that the basics are out of the way, it's time to learn the lesser known things about the PCC Golf Staff!

Spending a sunny October afternoon with this group was the most fun we've had in weeks!

Similar to your recent tee shot on the 6th hole, drives hit wayward to the right on Wissahickon’s 11th will result in a trip back to the train station for your next shot. A relatively straightforward hole, most trouble is found on your approach shot, as bunkers on the left and right surround the elevated green. Be sure to add an extra club on your approach, while also remaining short of the flag. This two-tiered green can test even the best short games at the club if you don't find the green in two! Guest written by PCC member Tyler Petrovich

The many undulations of a Tillinghast green complex.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you and your loved ones! And from the Cricket Club staff to all of our wonderful members, we can’t say it enough thank you for your incredible support during such a trying year. We appreciate you! And to all of you hoping for a new driver under the tree and a couple of sleeves of golf balls in your stocking, we hope Santa got you everything you asked for!

Marty takes us through the slight dogleg left 17th at Wissahickon. Can he capitalize on his monster drive? Tune in to find out.

Looks like Santa got in a quick 9 at St. Martins before his Christmas rounds this year!

Pickleball Club Championship!

What a difference 5 months makes! The first photo was taken at the height of golf season this past July and the second on a sleepy December day.

This week’s tip comes from our head tennis professional, Ritesh Nautiyal. Ritesh walks us through both the defensive and offensive execution of the overhead smash.

October is a big month for our St. Martins golf course! The St. Martins original 9 hole course, designed by Sanders Handford in collaboration with the club’s newly formed golf committee, opened on October 26th, 1895. The total cost for designing and constructing the course was $3,400. Shortly thereafter, the club then built a second and adjoining 9 hole course, designed by Willie Tucker, which opened on October 17, 1898. The full 18 hole course was 6,124 yards long with a par of 73. Our Wissahickon course opened in 1922 and Militia Hill opened in 2002, making Philadelphia Cricket Club the only club in the United States with a different golf course constructed in each of the last three centuries.

Our backs are a little sore from carrying the team on the front 9 so we’ve enlisted some support from a partner for the back 9. Please welcome guest caption writer and PCC member Bryan Georgiana as he shares his analysis and member tips to get us from 10 to 18! Analysis: A mid length par 3 to start the back nine whose green, like its neighbor, number 3, is deceiving, as it is deeper front to back than appears off the tee. Visually impressive with the clubhouse framing the green surrounded by tall amber fescue. Member tip: Guests and newcomers think the clubhouse and locker room are in play, especially when the wind is down off the tee, but the real danger is the parking lot left. When it’s windy, park across the street!

Matt takes us through one of his favorite holes, Wissahickon’s 16th. Will the cashmere cut be enough to break the birdie drought? Tune in to find out

A snow-capped St. Martins

This week we ask the golf staff, "What is the best part about your job?" Tune in to see how they answer!

If you guessed a 2016 Sirah from Washington you were correct!

270 yards to the Wissahickon Creek

Noah is back! This time he's cozied up next to the fire talking us through the indicators of a red wine. Now it's time for you to take a guess!

Despite taking time off to fight in WWII (1941-1945) and later recover from a heart attack (1972), Harold Bub Cross was a 17-time Club Champion of The Philadelphia Cricket Club with victories spanning from 1947-1981. He also added 12 Senior Club Championships to that tally. Aside from his success here at the Club, some of his other accomplishments include being the 1935 Patterson Cup Champion, 1936 Silver Cross Winner, 1951 Philadelphia Amateur Champion, and a 3-Time Crump Cup Medalist at Pine Valley Golf Club. The club continues to honor Bub’s incredible legacy with the annual Harold Cross Invitational.

We had a lot of fun tagging along with some members this past weekend at Militia hill on a beautiful 60 degree day! It's hard to believe that short sleeves is a legitamate wardrobe option in the middle of December!

October golf at Wissahickon

Robby takes us through the long, difficult par 3 15th on Wissahickon. Can he be the first to break through with a birdie? Tune in to find out!

PCC Holiday Door Decorating In conjunction with The Chestnut Hill Community Association, we held a door decorating contest and now it is time to vote. Prizes will be awarded based on the amount of likes each door gets. Simply like your favorite door to vote! Winner will be announced Tuesday the 22nd!

Because of its length, there is more than one way to play Wissahickon’s 8th. Some players will opt to hit a wood off the tee leaving a more comfortable distance for the approach shot while some players tee or high and let it fly leaving a short 50 yard shot into the two-tiered green.

60 and sunny at Militia Hill today. If this is what December golf looks like, sign us up.

If you really want to get to know someone, ask them about their family and that's exactly what we did.

We think it’s time you got to know our golf staff a little better so we asked a few members of the team some get-to-know-you questions and will be sharing their answers in the coming weeks. Some of the answers you may know but some are sure to surprise you they certainly surprised us! Up first, their paths to PCC.

From the tips, Wissahickon’s 5th measures 215yds. Club selection and wind consideration are crucial. As you can see, there are no good misses here.

We had so much fun shooting this series on Wissahickon and want to thank all of the members who were brave enough to play golf in front of the camera (easier said than done). Stay tuned for the heavily anticipated blooper reel

Last light on Wissahickon's guarded 4th green.

The tree towering behind the green isn’t in play on the 13th but does make shot-shaping a requirement from the 17th tee box.

Wissahickon’s 3rd doesn’t look like much from the tee but there are spots you definitely don’t want to be.

The clubhouse is in play (for some) on both the 2nd and 10th hole at Wissahickon.

Happy Thanksgiving! This year we’re overwhelmingly thankful for our wonderful members who have supported the club and its employees throughout this demanding year. Thank you to all of you from the bottom of our hearts. We’re also grateful to be part of such a special team the determination and creativity shown by our colleagues to pull off a banner year at the club in the face of adversity has been nothing short of inspiring. And of course, we’re thankful for everyone in th...e extended PCC family to our neighbors, guests, vendors, outing partners, wedding clients, US Four-Ball qualifiers, and anyone else reading this right now, thank you for your patience, understanding, and support. We’re also thankful for Tillinghast, Hurdzan & Fry, Willie Tucker, power draws, butter cuts, twilight 9s, the Great Hazard, Lorraine Run, golden fescue, greens in regulation, putts that drop, favorable lies, long walks with the putter, aces, eagles, birdies, net birdies, free drops, gimmies, sandies, proper divot patterns at the range, fixing ball marks, filling divots, ready golf, friendly banter, friendly bets, rounds with the kids, clear skies, and so much more. To this great game that we love so much, you were our savior this year and we are especially thankful for you.

Our final installment in this series is the crown jewel of Thanksgiving leftovers, the turkey wreath. No, not a turkey-shaped wreath that you hang on your front door this turkey wreath is a catchall for your Thanksgiving leftovers. Turkey, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, and mashed potatoes, baked and beautifully presented in a basketweave puff pastry. Yep, it’s as amazing as it sounds! So tune in as Chef Ben walks us through preparing this eye-catching, delicious dish. Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving! #wastenotwantnot

Next up on the Thanksgiving leftovers menu: soup! In just a few minutes, Chef Ben turns his turkey stock and other Thanksgiving leftovers into not one but TWO crowd pleasing options a smooth Sweet Potato Soup and a hearty Stuffing Dumpling and Turkey Soup! Chef Ben makes it super simple for you to give one or both! of these a try at home. Enjoy! #wastenotwantnot

We know this year’s Thanksgiving isn’t a typical one and here at PCC, we are going to miss hosting our family - our members - at the club. However, we still want to be involved in your Thanksgiving meals or those that follow. Because even with fewer people around the Thanksgiving table, many of us will still be preparing feasts for tradition’s sake, and that means a fridge full of leftovers. So over the next few days, we’ll post a series of videos that will put help you put your Thanksgiving leftovers to good use. First up, breakfast. Maybe it’s not the first meal that comes to mind when thinking about Thanksgiving leftovers, but this delicious Thanksgiving-themed breakfast sandwich on a homemade biscuit might be your Black Friday breakfast for the rest of your life. So watch, cook, eat, and repeat next year! Enjoy! #wastenotwantnot

Conrad takes us home down 18 and back to the Wissahickon clubhouse. The last hole means the last chance for a member birdie. Can Conrad make it happen? Tune in and find out!

Tillinghast had a love for trees and incorporated them into his design schemes often. He felt trees added beauty and could contribute to the distinction and charm of a golf hole. He used trees to help mark the true line of play and felt outstanding specimens could be used advantageously in helping to chart the channel of the hole, so to speak. He also used trees for deception, making the judgment of distances more difficult for the golfer. However, he believed that trees pl...aced too close to the proper line of play, particularly in front of greens, could not be condoned, and he understood that trees could restrict air movement around green and tee surfaces causing turf problems. He recognized that trees offer comfort from the sun on a hot summer day, particularly around teeing grounds his love for trees may also have been a result of the fact that he liked to direct the efforts of his construction crews from the shade of a tree with bottle in hand. See more

You know it’s a tough green when it casts a shadow.

A gorgeous November round at Militia Hill!

PCC’s answer to Augusta’s famous Pimento Cheese: we bring you Chef Ben’s Cold Fried Chicken Sandwich.

The weekend field is almost set and it’s time for a PCC x Masters giveaway! Head over to Instagram and comment with the name of the golfer you think will be wearing the green jacket on Sunday afternoon for a chance to win a green PCC pullover! Entries will be accepted until the first tee time tomorrow morning. Good luck!

Cheers to Masters Weekend! In our opinion, Wissahickon’s version of Amen Corner is the middle section of the front 9, featuring the three devilish, drama-inducing holes detailed below. Agree or disagree?? Comment below with your take on Wissahickon’s most iconic three-hole stretch. 4th: 517 yards, par 4, # 3 handicap... Bunkers and large oak trees guard the left and right sides of the fairway, and even a long drive on this massive par 4 may leave you with a 3-wood/hybrid/long iron into a very well-protected green. Tillinghast’s version of church pew bunkers makes this into-the-wind approach even more visually intimidating. 5th: 215 yards, par 3, # 15 handicap This long par 3 has it all: water, bunkers, a long carry, and a tricky green enabling devious pin placements. Gauge the wind carefully before selecting a club to carry Lorraine Run but fall short of three back bunkers. 6th: 498 yards, par 4, # 5 handicap Avoid the old train tress on the right and aim to clear the bunkers that pinch the fairway on this uphill par 4 that stretches to almost 500 yards. Club selection is crucial on your approach as you are hitting to a two-tiered green that is the longest on the course.

Happy Veterans Day to our brave men and women in uniform, past, present, and future. Thank you for your service, today and always.

Golden fescue at golden hour!

Wissahickon’s fourth in its autumn orange

70 and sunny, not too shabby for November

The days are shorter but there is always time for golf.

Tillinghast felt that straight lines were not often found in nature. He was a strong advocate of contoured fairway lines and felt they added to the beauty as well as improved the playing characteristics of the golf hole. While most Tillinghast fairways are fairly wide, that doesn’t necessarily mean that a golfer can place their drive anywhere on his fairways. There is a right side and a wrong side of his fairways, which require and reward a well-placed tee shot.

Earlier this year we purchased two ball machines for the PCC squash community to use. A ball machine is a great way for you to change up your solo practice routine, whether you’re working on something technical, just trying to get a lot of reps in, or introducing a physical component to your solo practice.

Unfortunately, we had a washout today. Here is a #tbt to sunnier days.

The fairway bunkers pinching the landing area on 1 right and left greenside traps demanding a fully carried approach on 2 the devilishly deep hazards surrounding the green on 3 we could go on for another 15 or so holes, but suffice it to say, Wissahickon’s bunkering can be intimidating. Tillinghast originally believed that bunkering should dictate and direct the line of play and that shallow traps offered little value either as hazards or as design features. However, his position on bunkers softened over time, and as he progressed in his career, he advocated for the removal of bunkers at some of his courses as a means to reduce maintenance and make the game more fun for golfers. What are your favorite bunker complexes on Wissahickon?

Waiting for that one buddy to chip up

The Orin Swift Wine Dinner We lucked out with a gorgeous October night. We learned some things, tasted delicious wine and enjoyed some fine dining.

Another gorgeous weekend coming our way. When is your tee time this weekend?