Penn Oaks Golf Club

Like a number of other Philadelphia area courses, Penn Oaks is routed over land granted to William Penn by Charles II in the latter part of the 17th century. Over the next 300 years, this West Chester tract would pass through several hands before it was acquired by Alfred J. Vilone, Sr., in 1965. Mr. Vilone, it may be recalled, was the principal founder and first president of Cavaliers Country Club.

Pleased with the work that Maryland-based Russell Roberts had done in designing the Cavaliers course, Vilone commissioned him to lay out Penn Oaks. The result is a fairly tight eighteen which demands straight driving. The greens are generous targets, but the combination of both bold and subtle breaks makes putting an adventurous undertaking and gives the course much of its character.

Alfred Vilone owned and operated Penn Oaks until 1990, at which time it was purchased by the Iacobucci Organization, and then in 2005 a group of local businessmen purchased the club and it remains a private club.