Hersheys Mill Golf Club

Hershey’s Mill Golf Club is a GAP member course that opened on Dec. 7, 1979. At the heart of Hershey’s Mill Villages, the course serves a residential community in West Chester, Pennsylvania, designed primarily for residents age 50 and older. This course is a great location for West Chester, PA golf.

Founding board members included David Acton, David F. Crockett Sr., David F. Crockett Jr., William G. Crockett, John F. Trickett, Joseph W. Conlon, Herbert F. Hall, and John B. Lewis. David Acton became the club’s first president, and John B. Lewis later succeeded him.

A 1981 photo at Hershey’s Mill showing 18th green in foreground, clubhouse in background

Opening Day and Clubhouse

Golfers first played nine holes on June 15, 1980, using all 18 teeing grounds. A tournament celebrated the occasion, and 51 golfers teed off following a shotgun start. Although a violent thunderstorm rolled in before the round ended, everyone gathered afterward at Winfield Hall, the community center, because the clubhouse was still under construction.

Six months later, the clubhouse opened its doors. Members enjoyed a 130-seat dining room, men’s and women’s locker rooms, six overnight guest rooms, and a golf shop. Ben Steele became the club’s first golf professional. Club officials formally dedicated the clubhouse on Jan. 31, 1981.

By the end of May 1981, golfers could play all 18 holes. Initially, each round began at what is now the 10th tee. Club officials switched the nines in July 1982 to create the routing used today.

Course Improvements

Since opening all 18 holes, Hershey’s Mill Golf Club has completed several improvements. Most notably, it lengthened the second hole into a par 5. Crews also rebuilt the sixth and eighth greens to improve playability.

Designing and Building the Course

Course construction began in late 1978. Originally, Doylestown architect Dave Gordon designed the layout. However, the club later selected William E. Maddox of Batavia, Illinois, to redesign and construct the course.

After working alongside his father, renowned golf course architect Charles E. Maddox, Bill Maddox developed several courses throughout Florida during the 1970s. At Hershey’s Mill, he incorporated four holes from Gordon’s original design into the final layout.

Nine holes opened for play on June 15, 1980 (there were 18 tees). A tournament marked the occasion. Fifty-one golfers teed off following a shotgun blast. They finished amidst thunderclaps in a violent storm. Since the clubhouse was not yet completed, the after-golf celebration took place in Winfield Hall, the community center.

Six months later, in December 1980, the clubhouse opened its doors. It contained a dining room with a seating capacity of 130, locker rooms for men and women, six rooms for overnight guests, and a golf shop. Ben Steele was the club’s first professional. The clubhouse was formally dedicated on Jan. 31, 1981.

By the end of May, 1981, all eighteen holes were in play. A round then started at what is now the 10th tee; the nines were switched in July 1982.

Since the opening of the full 18, Hershey’s Mill Golf Club has had several changes made to the course, most notably the lengthening of the 2nd hole to a par 5. Both the 6th and the 8th greens have been rebuilt.

A Challenging Layout

Rolling terrain, mature hardwoods, and evergreen trees define Hershey’s Mill Golf Club. The course measures 6,292 yards from the regular tees, 6,702 yards from the back tees, and 5,634 yards from the forward tees while playing to a par of 72.

At first glance, the scorecard appears manageable. No par 5 exceeds 500 yards, and only two par 4s stretch beyond 400 yards: the 433-yard sixth and the dramatic 417-yard 18th, which plays over water before climbing to a severely sloped green.

However, the layout tells a different story. Narrow fairways, strategic doglegs, boundaries, elevation changes, and demanding greens combine to produce a course rating of 70.7 and a Slope Rating of 126 from the regular tees. Although Hershey’s Mill Villages was designed for active adults, the golf course challenges players of every age and skill level.

Environmental Stewardship

The Golf Association of Philadelphia Magazine highlighted Hershey Mill’s wastewater treatment plant in its Fall 2014 issue.