Centre Hills Country Club

Centre Hills Country Club's New 9 represents a collaboration between two architects from different eras of American golf design. Francis James laid out the original routing, which Robert Trent Jones Sr. later revised and refined. The course sits in the rolling terrain characteristic of central Pennsylvania's Nittany Valley, where State College's proximity to Penn State University shapes much of the community's identity. The nine holes occupy land that features the moderate elevation changes typical of the region, with tree-lined fairways and greens that reflect Jones's preference for strategic bunkering and thoughtful green complexes. The layout integrates into the broader Centre Hills property, which serves the local golfing community in this university town setting. Centre Hills functions as a traditional private club in a college town environment, drawing membership from both the permanent State College community and those connected to the university. The club maintains the kind of informal, family-oriented atmosphere common to many Pennsylvania clubs outside the state's major metropolitan areas. As with many mid-century clubs in similar settings, the course provides a venue for member play and local competitions rather than regional or national tournaments. The New 9 complements the club's other holes to create the full Centre Hills experience, offering members variety in their regular rounds. The Jones influence suggests an emphasis on playability across different skill levels while maintaining enough strategic interest to engage accomplished players.