Sinking Valley Country Club

Sinking Valley Country Club sits in the Allegheny Mountain region near Altoona, Pennsylvania, occupying terrain characteristic of the area's rolling topography and wooded valleys. Designed by Ed Ault, the course reflects the work of an architect who built numerous layouts across Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic during the mid-to-late twentieth century, typically creating playable courses suited to their natural settings without dramatic earthmoving. The routing works with the property's elevation changes and natural contours, moving through a mix of open and tree-lined corridors. Sinking Valley's design emphasizes strategic positioning over length, with doglegs and approach angles that reward local knowledge and thoughtful club selection. The greens and green complexes provide the primary defense, requiring accurate iron play on a layout where missing in the wrong spots creates recovery challenges. The club serves the Altoona community as a traditional private country club, offering both golf and social amenities typical of regional facilities established in the mid-twentieth century. The course provides a straightforward test of golf without pretense, maintaining the character of an Ault design where playability and enjoyment take precedence over championship aspirations. For golfers in central Pennsylvania, Sinking Valley represents the kind of member-focused layout that anchors many smaller communities, shaped by the land it occupies and the architect's practical approach to course design.