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Applebrook Golf Club
Architect: Gil Hanse Year: 1993 100 Line Rd, Malvern, PA 19355 Phone: (610) 647-7660 Course Access: Private https://www.applebrookgolfclub.com/ |
Applebrook Golf Club
The lush rolling hills and picturesque views that are enjoyed at Applebrook Golf Club was land formerly known as "Applebrook Farm". Robert Williams originally owned this fertile farmland, located just outside the Historic village of Goshenville. He was the first settler in Goshen. The land was deeded to Williams in 1680 from William Penn and it is one of the earliest Penn Land Grants in Chester County. The original Williams’ homestead, circa 1702 still remains on East Boot Road and is currently owned by Shirley Fox since 1971. In 1715 the farm was acquired by Samuel Garrett. The Garrett family retained ownership of the land until 1900. A fieldstone house built by Garrett descendants has been renovated to serve as a meeting place for the Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry. The dairy barn has also been renovated and is being used as the Greens Maintenance Facility. The East Goshen Historic Commission believes the name Applebrook originated from Samuel Horner who purchased the property in 1913.
The Village of Goshenville (founded 1704) listed in the National Register of Historic Places, played a role in the Revolutionary War. On the 16th and 17th of September 1777, the Supreme Commander of all British Forces in North America, General William Howe with Generals Lord Cornwallis and James Grant, having defeated the Continental Army at the Battle of Brandywine, did march with a force of 13,000 soldiers north up Goshen Road (Rte. 352) to the Goshen Friends Meeting. General Cornwallis and his troops encamped in Goshenville, just north of the schoolhouse. While encamped a skirmish ensued between the British and Continentals at what is now the southern end of the Hersheys Mill development. This skirmish, which resulted in twelve Americans killed along with two Hessian soldiers and at least one British soldier, became one of the three skirmishes fought that day prior to the torrential rains that became known as the Battle of the Clouds.
Over two hundred years later on January 27, 2000, the Founding Members came to an agreement with a local bank that made it possible to take upon the venture of starting a prestigious golf club on this historic land. Applebrook Golf Club’s first board of governors included Henry S. Belber II, Anthony A. Nichols, Hal Davis, William R. Burns, O. John Fuchs, Gary Daniels and Glen Davis. A unique mixture of developers, builders, businessmen and a Heisman trophy winner, this Board is solely responsible for conceptualizing a unique golf atmosphere.
Applebrook Golf Club was designed by renowned architect Gil Hanse. Gil is the founder and president of Hanse Golf Course Design Inc. Since the firm's inception in 1993, he has been involved in a hands on capacity with each project that the firm has undertaken. Mr. Hanse founded the firm based on the principles of creating a small firm that takes a personal interest in the design and construction of each of the firm's projects. This commitment to a limited number of design projects with a maximum amount of personal attention has served the firm well in its several years of operation. Prior to beginning Hanse Golf Course Design, Mr. Hanse was an Associate and subsequently a Design Partner in Renaissance Golf Design, based out of Traverse City, Michigan. During his studies at Cornell, Mr. Hanse was a recipient of the prestigious William Frederick Dreer Award, which allowed him to spend a year in Great Britain studying the earliest examples of golf course architecture. While in Britain, Mr. Hanse interned with the firm of Hawtree and Son, the oldest continuously practicing golf course architectural firm in the world. Through these experiences Gil formed his philosophies on golf course architecture, basing them strongly on the traditions and history of golf course design.
Considering the proximity of Hanse Golf Course Design to Applebrook, Gil considers the Club to be his home course.
The Village of Goshenville (founded 1704) listed in the National Register of Historic Places, played a role in the Revolutionary War. On the 16th and 17th of September 1777, the Supreme Commander of all British Forces in North America, General William Howe with Generals Lord Cornwallis and James Grant, having defeated the Continental Army at the Battle of Brandywine, did march with a force of 13,000 soldiers north up Goshen Road (Rte. 352) to the Goshen Friends Meeting. General Cornwallis and his troops encamped in Goshenville, just north of the schoolhouse. While encamped a skirmish ensued between the British and Continentals at what is now the southern end of the Hersheys Mill development. This skirmish, which resulted in twelve Americans killed along with two Hessian soldiers and at least one British soldier, became one of the three skirmishes fought that day prior to the torrential rains that became known as the Battle of the Clouds.
Over two hundred years later on January 27, 2000, the Founding Members came to an agreement with a local bank that made it possible to take upon the venture of starting a prestigious golf club on this historic land. Applebrook Golf Club’s first board of governors included Henry S. Belber II, Anthony A. Nichols, Hal Davis, William R. Burns, O. John Fuchs, Gary Daniels and Glen Davis. A unique mixture of developers, builders, businessmen and a Heisman trophy winner, this Board is solely responsible for conceptualizing a unique golf atmosphere.
Applebrook Golf Club was designed by renowned architect Gil Hanse. Gil is the founder and president of Hanse Golf Course Design Inc. Since the firm's inception in 1993, he has been involved in a hands on capacity with each project that the firm has undertaken. Mr. Hanse founded the firm based on the principles of creating a small firm that takes a personal interest in the design and construction of each of the firm's projects. This commitment to a limited number of design projects with a maximum amount of personal attention has served the firm well in its several years of operation. Prior to beginning Hanse Golf Course Design, Mr. Hanse was an Associate and subsequently a Design Partner in Renaissance Golf Design, based out of Traverse City, Michigan. During his studies at Cornell, Mr. Hanse was a recipient of the prestigious William Frederick Dreer Award, which allowed him to spend a year in Great Britain studying the earliest examples of golf course architecture. While in Britain, Mr. Hanse interned with the firm of Hawtree and Son, the oldest continuously practicing golf course architectural firm in the world. Through these experiences Gil formed his philosophies on golf course architecture, basing them strongly on the traditions and history of golf course design.
Considering the proximity of Hanse Golf Course Design to Applebrook, Gil considers the Club to be his home course.
Course Photos
COURSE REVIEW BY: CHRIS MAVROS, GOLFADELPHIA
In Malvern PA, about 40 minutes northwest of Philadelphia downtown, is Applebrook Golf Club, a course designed by Gil Hanse which opened in 2001. Incidentally, Hanse is based out of Malvern, so Applebrook is literally in his backyard. The course’s location and time of design have always intrigued me. Trying to pinpoint when the tide turned in American golf course architecture, moving from demanding, tough, penal courses to more wide open, naturalistic, minimalist, strategic layouts, is subject to debate. You have Kapalua Plantation opening in 1991, which is as wide as you can get, showing that width can also play difficult, relying on the hillsides and wind, all against a breathtaking background; you have Stonewall Old opening in 1993; and you have Sand Hills opening in 1995, punctuating these points, and going a step further by ignoring any concept of infrastructure, instead focusing on the most ideal land possible for a natural course. Regardless, the mid 1990’s was the beginning of this movement, this transition in golf course design – moving into an era where nature is embraced over nurture, so to speak.... Click Here To Read Hole By Hole