3 Lakes Golf Course in Pittsburgh was designed by Emil Loeffler, a regional architect active in western Pennsylvania during the mid-twentieth century. Loeffler designed numerous municipal and daily-fee courses throughout the area, contributing to the expansion of public golf in the Pittsburgh region during the post-war era. His work typically emphasized playability for average golfers while working within the rolling terrain characteristic of southwestern Pennsylvania. The course takes its name from water features that figure into the routing, a common design element in Loeffler's work where natural or constructed ponds serve both strategic and aesthetic purposes. The property reflects the topography of the Pittsburgh area, with elevation changes and tree-lined corridors typical of parkland courses built on reclaimed or agricultural land in the region. Loeffler's designs from this period generally featured straightforward hole corridors with greens of moderate size and bunkering that framed landing areas without excessive penal characteristics. As a public facility in the Pittsburgh area, 3 Lakes serves the local golfing community as an accessible option for recreational play. The course represents the kind of mid-century municipal golf development that expanded the game's reach beyond private clubs, providing a functional layout suited to the landscape and the needs of everyday players in western Pennsylvania.