Centre Hills Country Club

The Back 9 at Centre Hills Country Club is a nine-hole course in State College, Pennsylvania, designed by Ed Ault with contributions from Francis James. Centre Hills itself dates to the early twentieth century and sits in the Nittany Valley near Penn State University, serving as a golf facility for the local community in central Pennsylvania's rolling terrain. Ed Ault, a prolific mid-century architect who designed and renovated hundreds of courses primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, brought practical routing sensibilities to projects of varying scales. His work typically emphasized playability and efficient use of available land. The involvement of Francis James suggests either original collaboration or subsequent modifications, though specific details of their respective contributions are not widely documented. The course occupies terrain characteristic of the region—moderate elevation changes, tree-lined corridors, and the kind of compact routing common to nine-hole layouts serving university towns and smaller communities. As a nine-hole facility, it offers a straightforward round for members and guests, likely featuring a mix of par threes, fours, and fives that can be played twice from different tees for an eighteen-hole experience. Centre Hills functions as a traditional community club in a college town setting, providing accessible golf in an area where Penn State athletics and academic life dominate the local culture. The course serves both recreational golfers and those connected to the university community.