CCY’s first golf was a nine-hole course opened on July 1, 1900 at Springdale, but by the early 1920s the club sought a full-scale, modern eighteen on new ground. On January 12, 1924 the board authorized a site search; in early 1925 a parcel southeast of downtown was identified. In late 1925, the club invited both William Flynn and Donald Ross to submit competing routing plans; A.W. Tillinghast had reportedly advised on alternative properties earlier in the process. The membership ultimately chose Ross, with construction carried out in 1926 under the plans of Donald Ross & Associates. The first foursome played the new course in August 1927 and the clubhouse opened in September 1928, formalizing the relocation from Springdale.
The choice of Ross over Flynn appears to have been influenced by regional dynamics as much as design. Contemporary local sentiment, recorded by historians, suggests York’s leaders sought to differentiate themselves from nearby Lancaster and Harrisburg—both aligned with Flynn—by commissioning Ross, at that time the better-known name. Whatever the politics, the terrain would shape Ross’s approach: he centered his routing on a broad, elevated central ridge, fanning holes outward in “hub-and-spoke” fashion and largely avoiding the severe creek ravines to the east.
Club records indicate that the course opened “nearly as Ross envisioned,” and that while bunkers have been modified over time, the routing has remained constant. A 1961 visit by David Gordon produced suggestions for “minor alterations,” but nothing approaching a wholesale redesign. The club also documents that all greens remained as built except the 8th, which was later rebuilt due to shading from two large oaks (since removed).
In the 21st century, CCY undertook restorative work to sharpen the course’s bunker scheme and recapture scale consistent with Ross’s drawings, with published accounts crediting Andrew Green for a cohesive bunker rehabilitation that aligned with the club’s long-range plan to restore original characteristics.
Unique Design Characteristics
Ross’s York design is inseparable from the property’s topography. He exploited the central plateau—placing no fewer than four tees and four greens on or adjacent to the high ground—to create an easily walkable core from which holes radiate. From this hub, he drove play toward the property edges where gentler contours permitted ground-game options, notably at the current 4th and 5th on the west and 13th and 14th along the boundary to the east. These corridors intentionally avoid the deepest ravines, contrasting with Flynn’s unbuilt scheme, and they remain among the clearest surviving expressions of Ross’s chosen land use at York.
Where the routing approaches the stream valley, Ross typically aligned holes parallel to the creek rather than forcing dramatic crossings. The sequence running 11, 14, 15, and 16 is instructive: fairways trace contour lines above the low ground, and approaches play into perched, medium-scale greens that shed misses rather than coddle them. The effect is a rhythm of positional driving followed by exacting iron play—an approach documented in Ross’s 1926 hole plans and in early oblique aerials of the 1930s.
Bunker character is a signature here. Historical and current accounts describe “nearly 60 deep-faced” hazards, arrayed to create diagonal challenges into landing areas and to buttress green platforms. While individual bunkers have come and gone since opening, the present ensemble—re-edged and re-scaled in recent years—once again frames lines of charm from the tees and accentuates fall-offs around greens. This is especially evident at long-par-four holes playing off the plateau and at the home hole, where greenside hazards reinforce angle-dependent approaches.
Two stretches provide the clearest window into Ross’s hand. First, the outward run through the plateau (1–5) shows how he used modest elevation changes and diagonal bunkers to make driver placement consequential without punishing misses into short grass. Second, the mid-back-nine along the eastern edge (14–16) reveals his preference at York for skirting, rather than crossing, the most severe ravine—producing holes that are playable in wind and firm conditions while retaining positional sophistication.
Historical Significance
Within Ross’s Pennsylvania portfolio, CCY is notable as a rare, well-documented instance where his routing can be directly compared to a simultaneous plan by another master. Wayne Morrison and colleagues assembled the Ross and Flynn plans and period aerials, offering a case study in contrasting Golden-Age approaches to the same ground—Ross prioritizing flow and walkability on the ridge, Flynn seeking drama in the creek ravines. This dual-plan record elevates CCY’s historical value beyond its local context.
The club has sustained a competitive profile. It hosted the 1999 U.S. Junior Amateur (Hunter Mahan defeating Camilo Villegas), multiple Pennsylvania Golf Association championships including the 2014 Pennsylvania Open, and several USGA qualifiers. These events confirm that, even with modern yardage modest by national-open standards, the restored hazards and green sites still test elite play.
Current Condition / Integrity
Routing integrity is high: the 18-hole sequence remains the 1926–27 Ross plan. The club states that original greens have been preserved “as they were in 1927,” except for the 8th, which was reconstructed due to shade impacts from two large oaks (now removed). Over decades, some bunkers were deleted and others added, but recent restorative work—credited in published sources to Andrew Green—has re-established a coherent Ross-appropriate bunker language and sightlines. A 1961 consultation by David Gordon resulted in “minor alterations,” and irrigation modernization occurred earlier, yet none of these initiatives materially changed the routing. The club’s long-range plan calls for continuing restoration of Ross’s design elements.
Greens today retain the compact footprints and perimeter fall-offs visible in early imagery, fostering angle-driven approaches from fairways that tilt subtly across lines of play. Combined with the course’s “nearly 60” bunkers and the plateau-to-ravine terrain transitions, CCY still plays as a study in controlling trajectory and spin into firm targets rather than overpowering length alone.
Sources & Notes
Country Club of York, “History of CCY.” (accessed 2025). Includes club formation, move to new site, selection of Donald Ross & Associates in May 1926, first foursome August 1927, clubhouse opening September 22, 1928; notes on bunker evolutions, David Gordon consultation (1961), and the 8th green replacement due to shade.
Wayne Morrison, Robert Crosby, Craig Disher, and Andrew Green, “A Comparison and Contrast of the Donald Ross and William Flynn Routing Plans for the Country Club of York,” GolfClubAtlas (Jan. 2020). Details the 1925 routing competition between Ross and Flynn, Tillinghast’s advisory role on alternate properties, the topographical logic of Ross’s adopted routing (central plateau; avoiding ravines), and hole-corridor numbering referenced in the analysis. Includes images from Tufts Archives and historic aerials.
Top100GolfCourses.com, “Country Club of York.” Independent profile noting “nearly 60 deep-faced bunkers” and attributing recent restorative work to Andrew Green. (Secondary source; aligns with club materials.)
USGA, “U.S. Junior Amateur Results: 1948 to Present.” Records the 1999 championship at CCY (Hunter Mahan def. Camilo Villegas).
CCY Promotional Brochure (2017). Summarizes tournament pedigree (e.g., 2014 Pennsylvania Open, Women’s Eastern Amateur, multiple USGA qualifiers), and reiterates mission to preserve Ross features. (Club publication.)
Uncertainties & Points Requiring Primary Verification
Green originality at No. 8. The club’s official history states that the 8th green was rebuilt due to shade loss, while earlier restoration commentary (2000s) elsewhere suggested all greens were original. The club’s statement is treated as authoritative; verification via green-sheet archives (Tufts Archives), construction logs, or aerial chronology would resolve the timeline of the No. 8 replacement.
Scope and dating of modern restoration. Multiple sources credit Andrew Green with recent restorative work—particularly bunker rehabilitation—but the club site does not publish a dated scope document. Confirmation through architect’s portfolio, board minutes, or project specifications would refine dates and quantify bunker numbers by phase.