Laurel Valley Golf Club
Arnold Palmer's home club in the Laurel Highlands, this Dick Wilson parkland hosted the 1965 PGA Championship and the 1975 Ryder Cup. Wilson opened it in 1959, a par 71 of about 7,154 yards set against the mountains of western Pennsylvania.
Photo: Tim Cairns via Google.
The verdict
Laurel Valley Golf Club is one of the finest mountain parklands in the eastern United States and a course forever tied to Arnold Palmer, who helped found it and lived only a few miles away in Latrobe. Dick Wilson, among the great American architects of his era, laid it out in the Laurel Highlands near Ligonier, and it opened in 1959. It plays as a par 71 of about 7,154 yards, a broad, immaculately conditioned course set against the wooded slopes of the Laurel Ridge.
Wilson built it on a scale suited to championship golf, with wide fairways, strong bunkering and large, firmly defended greens, and Palmer later refined the holes with his design partner Ed Seay. The pedigree is real: Laurel Valley hosted the 1965 PGA Championship, won by Dave Marr ahead of Jack Nicklaus and Billy Casper, the 1975 Ryder Cup and the 1989 U.S. Senior Open. For a traveling golfer it is a private club of quiet grandeur in beautiful country, reached through a member, and a fitting pilgrimage for anyone who loves the game Palmer carried into the modern age.
Laurel Valley at a glance
- Opened
- 1959
- Designer
- Dick Wilson
- Type
- Parkland
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- About 7,154 yds
- Green fee
- Members and guests
Designer, opening year, par and length verified June 2026 from the club, the PGA of America and leading databases. Dick Wilson designed the course, which opened in 1959 near Ligonier, Pennsylvania; it plays as a par 71 of about 7,154 yards and hosted the 1965 PGA Championship and the 1975 Ryder Cup. It is a private club; access is generally only through a member, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Laurel Valley is championship golf in a relaxed mountain setting. Wilson favored generosity off the tee and defense at the green, so the fairways are wide enough to swing freely but the approaches must carry deep, well shaped bunkers to firm putting surfaces. The cool Laurel Highlands air and the elevation give the course a fresh, upland feel, and the mountain backdrop frames hole after hole.
The round builds through a strong set of par 4s that ask for long, accurate iron play, with the par 3s offering some of the most photogenic and demanding one shot tests on the property. The finishing holes return toward the clubhouse with the kind of length and bunkering that decided the 1965 PGA, a championship remembered for Dave Marr holding off Nicklaus and Casper down the stretch.
What stays with players is the combination of scale, conditioning and setting. Laurel Valley never tries to trick a golfer; it simply presents big, honest, beautifully kept holes that reward good ball striking. It is Dick Wilson architecture at its most expansive, polished by Arnold Palmer's hand.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Private members club; not generally open to public play, with access usually through a member |
| Green fee | No published public fee; any guest play is hosted by a member (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | An introduction through a member, arranged well in advance, is essential |
| On the day | Caddies available and walking encouraged; a collared shirt and traditional dress code expected |
| Getting there | Ligonier, in the Laurel Highlands about 60 minutes east of Pittsburgh and its international airport |
| Best months | June through September, when the mountain conditions are at their best in this cooler highland setting |
Access arrangements verified June 2026; Laurel Valley is a private club and policies change, so always confirm directly before planning a visit with the club or your trip planner.
Where to stay nearby
The historic resort town of Ligonier and the nearby Laurel Highlands offer characterful inns and resort lodging close to the club, while Pittsburgh, about an hour west, has the fullest range of hotels and the nearest major airport. The mountains around Ligonier are a destination in their own right.
Laurel Valley pairs naturally with the great western Pennsylvania courses and makes a memorable highland anchor for a wider tour. We can arrange the introductions where possible and handle the lodging and transfers around your round.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts around the Laurel Highlands.
Build a Pennsylvania golf trip
We help arrange access where we can, plan the visit to Laurel Valley and book the lodging and transfers around your round. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Laurel Valley questions
Who designed Laurel Valley and when did it open?
Laurel Valley was designed by Dick Wilson and opened in 1959 near Ligonier in the Laurel Highlands of western Pennsylvania. Arnold Palmer, a club founder who lived nearby, later refined the course with his design partner Ed Seay.
What is the par and length of Laurel Valley?
Laurel Valley plays as a par 71 of about 7,154 yards, a broad, beautifully conditioned mountain parkland set against the Laurel Ridge with generous fairways and strongly bunkered greens.
What championships has Laurel Valley hosted?
Laurel Valley hosted the 1965 PGA Championship, won by Dave Marr, the 1975 Ryder Cup and the 1989 U.S. Senior Open. Arnold Palmer's connection helped bring those events to the club.
Can visitors play Laurel Valley?
Laurel Valley is a private members club and is not generally open to public play. Access is usually only through a member, so arranging a visit well in advance is essential.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; 1965 PGA Championship and 1975 Ryder Cup verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.