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The Founders Course
During the 1800s, iron ore was mined from the land that is now Penn National. When that ore ran out, the land was farmed until the 1960s, when agriculture gave way to golf course development. In 1966, Edmund Ault came to Penn National from Washington and laid out the original course, a classic, Northeastern-style masterpiece with large contoured greens and tree-lined fairways. And although his work was meant to provide public golf for local residents, its highly-prized design attracts golfers from across the nation…and U.S. presidents from nearby Camp David. The Founders Course was opened in 1968 and remains an old-fashioned traditional test of golf. And as with all well-laid-out traditional courses, Ault has turned up the heat at the end, saving the best and the toughest for the 5-hole stretch starting at the par-5 14th!
The Iron Forge Course
Iron Forge was designed by architect Bill Love to pay tribute to the land's past and opened for play in 1997, almost 30 years apart from its sister course. In the same spirit as the venerable early architects of American golf, Love set out to fit the golf course to the land. The Iron Forge starts near the Michaux State Forest, in the foothills of South Mountain, and makes a single loop home, passing through a variety of terrain that offers exciting golf and breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and the rich, open farmland. In contrast to the Founders Course, Iron Forge is nearly treeless - a tribute to the Scottish links land courses, where the challenges of the natural environment can be havoc enough for the wayward stroke. The course is a blend of modern golf, with beautifully sculpted fairways and bentgrass greens, and the tradition of golf with its soul laid bare to the forces of nature.
During the construction of the Iron Forge course, a small lime kiln was uncovered. Dating back to the early 1800s, this kiln is located behind the 9th green. It has been preserved, and guests are welcome to visit there and learn more about early iron making, and its role in the area's history.
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