Public golf in Pittsburgh area?

[chriskilmer]

May be moving to the Burgh. Interested in opinions on affordable but challenging public golf. Any courses you would recommend joining right out of the gate?

[pinhigh27]

Birdsfoot although it's a bit east in middle of nowhere. Pittsburgh national is decent. Quicksilver is overpriced IMO. Most of the other nearby public courses are rinky dink due to the terrain IMO.

[kerila07]

Not sure where in the city you plan on living but Totteridge Golf Course is an awesome Rees Jones designed track that is always in great condition and the practice facility is by far the best in the Pittsburgh area.

[howellhandmade]

You say public golf, then say “joining.” I play Birdsfoot every Saturday; they have “memberships” but it’s public and if you pay more than $20-25 you’re doing it wrong. There are golf courses everywhere, so specific recommendations will depend a little on where you live, how much you’re willing to pay and how far you’re willing to drive. There are a number of private courses that are looking for members so are more affordable than you might think.

 

I like Totteridge too, a lot, but it’s even more out of the way than Birdsfoot unless you live, say, in Monroeville. And if you think $60/round is affordable you’ll have plenty of options. I understand the rinky dink comment, but I’ve spent a lot of rounds on rinky dink tracks here. The terrain is very hilly. So if you put the clubhouse on a high point you’ll have at least one garbage uphill hole, maybe one per side. A more interesting question might be where to live for best access to golf. I’m a little east and would say it’s pretty good. Pittsburgh National, Pittsburgh North, River Forest, Totteridge, Birdsfoot, as well as a whole bunch that are less challenging but cheap. Meadowink gets sneered at but I kinda like it. I belong to Hillcrest and Green Oaks CCs and could tell you about that, but you did say public. If you go south there’s Linden Hall, which is affordable and reasonably challenging.

 

Anyway, let us know where you settle down.

[chriskilmer]

Thanks for the answers/opinions. In the early stages of planning the move.

My comment on public vs "joining" is probably because where I live now in Upstate NY, our public courses have members. In reality, all we do is pay our greens fees in advance to become a "member's.

Thanks again.

[howellhandmade]

> @chriskilmer said:

> Thanks for the answers/opinions. In the early stages of planning the move.

> My comment on public vs "joining" is probably because where I live now in Upstate NY, our public courses have members. In reality, all we do is pay our greens fees in advance to become a "member's.

> Thanks again.

 

Yes, that’s true here as well. Sometimes there’s a savings or members get some reserved tee times. I have a membership at Birdsfoot so I just pay a $20 cart fee each round (would be happy to walk but my group isn’t), but they also run coupons just about every week. Where is your new workplace? It’s sometimes difficult to balance commute with golf access. I work downtown, and it’s five minutes to golf but an hour to work in rush hour.