Tyoga Country Club Celebrating Its

By, JOHN TORSIELLO

Tyoga Country Club in Wellsboro, Pa. is celebrating its 100th anniversary this summer and members and staff are looking forward to a Labor Day (September 4) tournament followed by dinner and live music to mark the occasion.

Spirit Golf Management oversees the course and expanded its role this year to provide management services, marketing and the securing of the PGA General Manager and Head Professional, Joe Haight, who is the first PGA Professional at the club in over 20 years. “Having Joe on site has elevated the club by offering memberships, welcoming public golfers, offering golf instruction and running more professional events,” said Spirit Golf Management Founder and President, Mike Attara.

“We have about 110 members and growing,” Attara continued. “The benefit of being a member is access to the tee sheet, unlimited golf, discounted guest rates, discounts in the grille room, and playing in member only tournaments.

100th Anniversary

The course was built as nine holes in 1923, then in the early 1970’s, Edmund Ault was hired and did a redesign turning it into an 18-hole course. “The course is kept in great condition by Dean Andrews,” com- the course is number three,” said Attara. “The tee shot requires that you avoid out of bounds right and a pond on the right side on the fairway. A fairway wood or hybrid off the tee will leave you with 140 to 150 yards over water to a green well protected by three bunkers.” mented Attara. “Dean has essentially spent his whole life on the course as his father was the superintendent for about 35 years and now Dean has been the superintendent since his dad retired.”

Overall, Tyoga Country Club’s course is challenging, fair and picturesque, set amid rolling hills and woods with some open holes. There is a pleasing mix of long and short par-fours that call for proper club selection. The par-fives are modest in length and several can be reached in two by long hitters. The par-threes are on the short side except for the eighth hole which plays slightly over 200 yards from the tips. Conditions here are top notch.

Tyoga features a bar and grille room with a menu designed and prepared by Chef Ron Bower.

As for the golf, “I think the best hole on

The par-four first hole plays 342 yards and seems fairly simple from the tee. But there is water, bunkers and trees that complicate matters and demand pinpoint accuracy on the first and second shots.

Accuracy is the key to the challenging 402-yard par-four second hole. With a fairway sloping left and a large green protected by bunkers, a well placed tee shot is critical.

Good position off the tee is important on the aforementioned 394-yard par-four third hole as your approach shot takes you over the water to a green protected by bunkers on all sides.

The 509-yard fourth is a dogleg right parfive that features bunkers, deep woods and severe side hill lies. The green slopes dramatically and downhill putts are tough to handle.

The third hole is a 153-yard par-three and has a green guarded by bunkers on all sides. The hole gets tougher when the wind blows and makes club selection difficult.

The 364-yard par-four sixth hole is a birdie opportunity but you have to be careful off the tee, which may lead to keeping driver in the bag.

The 355-yard par-four seventh hole calls for a very straight tee shot to a fairway that is tight, with trees lurking on both sides. Pay attention to the wind or you’ll find yourself in one of the many bunkers.

Arguably the most difficult hole on the course, the 202-yard par-three eighth hole is intimidating off the tee. The green can be very difficult to read and very easy to three-putt.

You must avoid fading the ball too much on the 332-yard par-four front side finisher.

Stay left off the tee and prepare to hit an approach shot with the ball below your feet. The green is small and can yield birdie putts if you pay attention to the pin placement.

You’ll go home happy if you make par on this very difficult hole. It’s straight up the hill on the 177-yard par-three 10th to a green protected by deep bunkers. You will encounter a fast putting surface.

The 11th is a tough, 430-yard par-four where a good tee shot is a must to set up a mid- or long-iron approach into a testy little green. The wind is often a factor, and an errant approach shot can easily find the woods.

The 396-yard par-four 12th dares you to cut a corner on the tee shot or play it safe down the middle to set up for a short approach shot to a generous green.

At first glance, the 153-yard par-three 13th appears easy to tame, but don’t be fooled, especially is the wind is blowing. Bunkers protect the front of the green and there are deep woods to the back of the green.

If you can keep your tee shot on the 480yard par-five 14th straight and stay out of a pond and the bunkers in the middle of the fairway, a straight second shot should position you for a short pitch into the pin.

The 15th is a modest, 328-yard par-four where the tee shot must steer clear of water on both sides of a tight fairway. You want to avoid the difficult bunkers on both sides of the green.

Many golfers find this to be the most scenic hole on the course. It’s a great look from the tee box on the 373-yard par-four 16tth with out of bounds on the left and deep woods on the right. The front bunker is a ball magnet, so aim for the middle of the green.

The 540-yard par-five 17th is another pretty hole but the dogleg left has water on the left and troubling trees on the right. While many golfers swing away, accuracy is truly the key here to making birdie or easy par.

The finisher is as tough a par-four as you will find anywhere. It’s 455 yards from the tips and the fairway is long and narrow. With out of bounds on both sides, and some of the most challenging stances you’ll find on the course, you will be challenged to find the two-tiered green in regulation.

Tyoga Country Club www.TyogaGolf.com

Wellsboro, Pa.

570-724-1653

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