The Planet Putter

Links joy on Oregon's coast

In less than a decade, Bandon Dunes Golf Resort's three courses are already gaining legend status, thanks to the resort's no-frills homage to traditional links golf, Brandon Tucker writes.

An 18-point golfer's guide: Philadelphia off course

When it comes to trendiness on the East Coast, it's time to stop looking at Manhattan and start looking at the city where it all began, Philadelphia. The City of Brotherly Love isn't just home to Revolution-era historical sites, it's also an area where great golf is always right around the corner. It's also a place where you can get the best cheesesteak in the world (at Pat's, of course), and so much more.

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Cheap golf reigns: Introduce yourself to Butler County, Pa.

Butler County is pretty far off the beaten track, but that doesn't mean you should keep your golf clubs at home. On the contrary, Butler County offers top-notch golf courses with green fees that are a pittance. "The rates are cheap. Not reasonable. Cheap" said Conley Resort owner Wayne Conley. Loaded with more than 20 courses and only 30 miles north of Pittsburgh, Butler County logs in as one of the great, hidden golf destinations.

Philadelphia's historic eyesore: Cobb's Creek Golf Club's magic blunted by bad conditions

A lot of money is being spent on marketing Philadelphia's historic munis. From the look of Cobb's Creek Golf Club's Olde Course, however, not enough money is going into maintenance. This is the city's showcase municipal track, a 91-year-old Hugh Wilson design that hosted a PGA Tour event in the 1950s. It's even an official Philadelphia landmark. If they ever treated the Liberty Bell like this, there'd be a national uproar and congressional hearings.

In Pa. golf bargain haven, Cranberry Highlands delivers

At Cranberry Highlands Golf Course in Cranberry Township, the locals line up before 8 a.m. to get on the course, writes Chris Baldwin. It looks like the beginning of the Indianapolis 500 rather than an average day of golf. Here in Butler County, an area loaded with family-run, bargain-priced tracks, Cranberry's green fees (at less then $50) are higher than most. But they're still reasonable enough to attract a loyal crowd that's been spreading the word.

Hartmann's Deep Valley brings a woman's touch to western PA golf

Butler County, Pa., may very well be one of the last great undiscovered cheap golf locations in the United States, and courses like Hartmann's Deep Valley are the reason why. At Hartmann, a family owned golf club, you can usually be playing for $30 or less. And while the front nine may be a little tight, the back nine opens up at this course that's run by mostly women, yet is friendly to all golfers.

Dubbs Dred golf course delivers a low-cost gem near Pittsburgh

In Butler County in Western Pennsylvania, affordable golf is the name of the game. But few courses combine low green fees with challenging play the way Aubrey's Dubbs Dred does. But while the back nine has locals fearing losing too many golf balls, many enjoy the craziness of it, as well as the conditioning. Of course, the surreal $15 green fees keeps golfers coming back to John Aubrey's 121-slope rating creation, also.

Downingtown CC near Philly has had its ups and downs

You won't hear George Fazio bragging about his design work at Downington Country Club near Philadelphia. That's not because the member of the famous Fazio family isn't proud of his work, it's because the original Downington owners didn't pay him. Payment issues aside, new owners have given Downington a rebirth, rescuing the quirky course from bad conditioning and rebuilding the bunkers and help make it into one of the area's more interesting plays.

Buffalo Golf Course: Have shirt and $18 will play well in Western PA

Buffalo Golf Course may be about as unpretentious a golf experience as you'll ever find, with the only requirements being to wear a shirt and pony up the paltry $18 green fees. Nonetheless, Buffalo proves low-brow does not equal low class. Buffalo is establishment enough to have secured a solid rating from Golf Digest, but player friendly enough to remember its roots and the value of the local customers who've kept it going since 1967.

Also: Conley Resort a relaxing Butler play

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