North Park Golf Course (Allison Park, PA)

They don’t take tee times at North Park. It’s first come, first serve. The old system dictated dropping a ball in a slot to determine the days starting order. I wouldn’t be surprised if they still do this. This antiquated system is the bane of locals who call this home. Peering at the reviews, this was the number one gripe. (I can remember when Big Met was like this) The golf course however is loved by everyone. It’s in good shape, has beautiful views, and at $15 for eighteen holes, is as affordable as one will find anywhere in America. 

(Hanging on the clubhouse wall is this artistic rendition of the seventh hole from 1973…

…as one can see, not much has changed!)

North Park started off as a nine hole course. The front was designed in 1933 and the back was added in 1969 by Xenophon Hassenplug. The front is quite bold, attacking a large hill on the very first hole, and then tacking its way atop and around it before coming back at the seventh and playing downhill with eight and nine in the valley. Its routing is worthy of study as such a landform would probably be viewed nowadays as unfavorable to golf. Back then they took on such features and came up with some cool ideas. It’s the number one reason why I love seeking out these old school designs. 

(The 511 yard par five opening hole plays straightaway before climbing a roller coaster banking hill that will have you guessing where to hit your second shot. It takes two good pokes to get a view of the green for your third shot. A par would be a reasonable start every time in my opinion.) 

(The 363 yard par four third plays atop the hill to this infinity green. I’m sure the purists would love to take the two pines out and totally eliminate the depth perception they provide. The amount of slope in this green makes uphill and downhill putts immeasurably different.)

(Playing off the back side of the hill is this dual green par three. Today’s pin is on the front green and plays 130ish yards. The rear green is not only much longer, but typically plays from a completely different tee left of this view. At 181 yards, one is now trying his best to get a par. It reminds me of Akron Goodpark’s dual green par three fourth.) 

(The 445/371 yard par four fifth has a large disparity between the blue and white tees. The hole doglegs right around the curve of the hill. The green is pushed up above the fairway…

…this view shows how much elevation exists for the uphill approach. The proper miss is to the right side of the green where one has a chance to have a straightforward chip shot. Anything left can turn into a big number.) 

The back nine is the work of Bellevue Ohio native Xenophon Hassenplug. It plays atop the hill the first three holes with grand views of the other six below them. It’s a very hilly site with some severe elevation change. The starter was quite confident that I would find it as beautiful as he did. It’s a very lay of the land routing. 

(The 509/476 yard par five fourteenth plays literally on the sidehill of a ridge. The entire right side is ripe for a draw that rides to bottom. From there, it might be possible to reach the green in two.) 

(The 215/209 yard par three fifteenth is a long carry over a deep valley. There’s plenty of fairway short but the incline will make for a dicey pitch. Note the countryside to the right and above. The last hole plays atop that so sixteen and seventeen will climb up the hillside to that point.) 

(The 530/520 yard par five sixteenth plays uphill significantly. No bunkering needed to protect this long hole. Three solid shots will get one to the green and hopefully leave with a par.) 

Personally, I enjoy the front nine more than the back. Besides the routing, I think the greens have more movement in them. The back nine has some big elevation change to it, and it is a daunting walk, especially since the front is a solid walk in its own right. Some of the driving lines on the back nine require local knowledge, starting with aiming points and where to carry.

(The 402 yard par four eighteenth hole doglegs right before funneling downhill to the green. The right side is the safe line although the approach will be longer while the left is riskier and challenges the hillside slope. A par is a good ending score.)

 This is my first introduction to Hassenplug’s work. (Btw he is architect Fred Garbin’s father in law) He is not flamboyant, nor is his work eye popping. I felt his style was practical and efficient. It was challenging but the maintenance was relatively simple. A civil engineer by trade, Hassenplug seemed to be conscious of the viability of the course. In today’s world, many dismiss it as being boring, but the way he used the natural terrain makes it blend well with the front. 

(The view from eighteen fairway shows the severity of the elevation change at North Park. That is fifteen on the right and sixteen on the left.)

North Park is owned by Allegheny County. By not taking tee times, all one has to do is show up and put their name down for an opportunity to play. There are no blanked out days or time slots that are overrun by groups. I completely understand why such a system would drive you crazy, but the county’s obligation is to be available to all citizens. North Park is consistently busy, and players routinely wait thirty to sixty minutes to tee off. With the first tee in plain sight for all to watch, it’s not uncommon to have several dozen people staring at your first shot of the day. It’s an old school experience. North Park is a solid course too. I give it a 4 (above average)(worth driving 30-45 minutes to play).