Sunnehanna Country Club's 15th hole requires thought and precision | The Elite 18
Sunnehanna Country Club's 15th hole is challenging, while requiring thought and precision from start to finish.
Located a little over an hour from Pittsburgh in Johnstown, Sunnehanna Country Club is one of the most historic places to play golf in western Pennsylvania.
The club is the home of the famous Sunnehanna Amateur, one of the premier amateur golf events in all of the country.
Names like Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Rickie Fowler, Collin Morikawa, and Scottie Scheffler have all teed it up at Sunnehanna over the years and walked the course.
No 15 is one of Sunnehanna's best holes, a monster par 5 that can play as long as 610 yards with a layout that makes you think on every single shot.
"It's almost a double dogleg, so we're going to hit our tee shots kind of out to the left and play it back to the right, almost navigating this diagonal cross bunker," said Sunnehanna head golf professional Matthew Kraus.
Tee shots that miss to the right of the fairway bunkers forces a blind second shot.
"Because you don't have a visual of your landing area, you really have to trust your alignment and your strategy," Kraus said.
Approach shots from the fairway require precision as the green is flanked by bunkers and has a slick putting surface that slopes from front to back.
Walking away from No. 15 with a par is a good score on a hole that keeps you thinking all the way from the tee box to the cup.
The Elite 18
- The 15th hole at the Longue Vue Club doesn't allow much room for error
- Edgewood Country Club's 18th hole features classic design and proper test
- Chartiers Country Club's 17th hole provides risk-reward tee shot
- The 15th hole at Green Oaks CC offers a view of the club's famous tree
- South Hills Country Club's 18th is as intimidating of a finishing hole as can be
Sunnehanna Country Club
Founded: 1923
Public or Private: Private
Location: 1000 Sunnehanna Drive, Johnstown, PA 15905
Phone Number: 814-255-4121
Website: https://www.sunnehannacountryclub.com/
Course Designer: A.W. Tillinghast
Par: 70
Yardages, Course Rating, and Slope Rating:
- Gold - 6,880 yards - 73.6/132
- Black - 6,452 yards - 71.1/128
- Blue - 6,121 yards - 69.7/125
- White - 5,532 yards - 73.0/117
- Green - 4,428 yards - 62.9/110