Irem at Irem Country Club

Irem Country Club sits in Dallas, Pennsylvania, a small borough in the Wyoming Valley region of northeastern Pennsylvania, roughly ten miles from Wilkes-Barre. The course was designed by A.W. Tillinghast and opened in 1929, during the prolific late phase of his career when he was completing notable work throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. The club takes its name from the Irem Temple, a Shriners organization that originally founded the facility as a country retreat for its members.

Tillinghast's design occupies rolling terrain characteristic of the Pocono foothills, with elevation changes that create natural variety in hole character and playing angles. The routing moves through wooded corridors and more open meadow areas, typical of inland Pennsylvania parkland courses from this era. Tillinghast's trademark strategic bunkering and green contours are evident throughout, rewarding thoughtful course management over pure distance.

The club has served as a regional competitive venue over the decades, hosting Pennsylvania Golf Association championships and qualifying events. It maintains a traditional private club structure with a membership drawn largely from the Wilkes-Barre and Scranton areas. The course has undergone periodic updates to address modern maintenance standards and playing distances, though the fundamental Tillinghast routing and design principles remain intact. Irem represents a solid example of Golden Age architecture in a region where Tillinghast left a significant footprint during his most productive years.