The golf course at Sunnehanna is a perfect example or an Arthur Tillinghast Design. The greens are basically small in size, well bunkered, requiring accurate iron play. The ball needs to be placed below the pin position to enable a chance for a birdie putt.

The three pars at Sunnehanna are very strong. They vary In length from 171 to 241 yards. With a total yardage of 6,716 and only three pars fives, two of which are not reachable, the three pars become critical for scoring.

Every championshIp course has a key stretch of demanding holes and holes 5 through 8 are know as Tilly’s Turn. It starts with a three par of 197 yards with a green sloped from left to right. The green is well bunkered on the left and rear and a pond can come into play on the right The prevailing wind is from left to right.

Number 6 is the #1 handicap hole on the course. It is a 435-yard, dogleg right, uphill par four. The yardage is deceiving with an uphill tee shot dIrectly into the prevailing wind creating a hole that plays every bit of 460 yards. This hole usually is the hardest hole in the Amateur and has been designated by the USGA Golf Journal as one of America’s great holes.

The 7th hole is another of the great three pars at Sunnehanna. it Is 241 yards from an elevated tee, downwind, to a well-bunkered green., A tee shot mIssing the green or bunkers could end up in the trees behind the green.

The final hole in Tilly’s Turn is a relatively short par four of 360 yards. This hole Is one of the more challenging holes which requires a tee shot to carry a hugh gully. A well-placed tee shot needs to be on the left side of the fairway at least 240 yards off the tee. This leaves the player a short shot to a small, well-bunkered green, guarded on the right by a large oak tree.

Sunnehanna is truly a great golf course that has withstood the test of time. With relatively minor changes performed on the course the scoring average for the Amateur field has changed little in the 45-year history of the Sunnehanna Amateur. The average score over all the years has been 74.09 for eighteen holes.