Butler’s Golf Course - Woodside (Elizabeth, PA)

Butler’s is a family owned golf course that has been in business for nearly 100 years. It has grown a local following and is the type of place that often times gets overlooked. While municipal courses have been getting a surge of recognition lately, it’s the mom n pop courses that are contracting out of the game as developers offer large sums for what is often times prime real estate. That makes a place like Butler’s, which has two golf courses, even more special. 

Woodside is the original course at Butler’s and was designed in 1928. It maneuvers around the property in yeoman’s fashion, offering nice vistas where applicable, and demanding precision for most everything else. The beginning holes look like they were added on to help the Lakeside course, but starting at the sixth, the golfer will be challenged with several solid golf holes. 

(The 392 yard par four fourth has a distinctive slope that most balls will be hard pressed to finish in the fairway. The first four holes play on this type of terrain, and the golfer needs to aim high on the hill and let it trundle down.) 

(The 322 yard fifth is where one starts playing the original course. The bunkering gives it away as the next fourteen holes feature these small sand pits guarding the greens.) 

I’m curious who designed the course. The routing takes advantage of all the good undulations in the property. The way it works up and down the long slope of the hill is classic, and the ones that play across the terrain add another dimension of depth control and distance. The sand pits guard the front flanks and challenge those not coming from the fairway. It reminds me a lot of the old Maplecrest down in Tallmadge that no longer exists. Good players have a great shot at going low while high and mid handicaps eye the 80 mark for a possible personal best. 

(The 352 yard par four eleventh is well bunkered with some tricky pin positions requiring an excellent approach shot.)

(The downhill par three thirteenth plays 161 yards with a elevated bunker guarding the left side and falloffs right and long…

…the view from the tee is pure western Pennsylvania.) 

Woodside starts off slow but starting at the sixth, the golf gets much better. The last four holes plus the entire back nine are give and take with birdie opportunities sprinkled with tough pars. Several holes have great views and the routing does a fine job of climbing and descending the main hill. The last three holes are very good, all par fours playing over 410 yards. Any quality round will need to end strong. 

(The 411 yard par four sixteenth plays uphill to a severely pinched green. Check out the depth of the front left bunker. Missing on that side is instant bogey.)

(The 420 yard par four eighteenth plays downhill then back up to a green bracketed in front by two deep traps. It’s a small target with a hybrid to long iron in hand. A par is a really good score. Should one play the last three in even, surely he will gain a few strokes on his opponent.) 

The folks who own Butler’s have a good thing going here. Two golf courses, a restaurant, and even a bed n breakfast makes this a prime venue for the Pittsburgh golfing public. Everything is well done and I’m sure it has many faithful patrons who appreciate having two courses to choose. Im always intrigued by business models and what works in todays world. Here in northeast Ohio, Mallard Creek and Bob ‘O Links are two 36 hole facilities that do very well with both daily fee players and outings. Butler’s possesses that same advantage except their courses are better. I give Woodside a high 4 (above average)(worth driving 30-45 minutes to play). 

(The 168 yard par three fifteenth is well bunkered with a large pine backdrop that frames the hole well. It’s all about the wind and plays slightly uphill too. Four pars to end the round is solid playing.)