Often overlooked in local golf history was the Devon Golf Course or also known as the Devon Golf Club. Incorporated in 1894, the same year as the United States Golf Association was organized, the Devon Golf Club earned the notoriety of becoming the first golf club in Pennsylvania and quite possibly in the country—its clubhouse was a part of the Devon Inn. This course was not only the very first golf course in Pennsylvania but also where the first game of golf was introduced and played in 1894 on its links in Devon.

The 1900 Harper’s Official Golf Guide listed every golf course in every US state at the time of publication and the Devon Golf Club was included. Although the course hasn’t been around for some time to enjoy the early notoriety, the golf club organizers from the Devon Inn can claim fame that they not only introduced golf to Philadelphia and the Main Line but also to the state of Pennsylvania. 

Devon’s 9-hole course was similar to other early courses along the Main Line that followed. The course was an easy 3-minute walk from the Devon Train Station. It was locally known that the guests staying at the Devon Inn played a round of golf at least once every day and twice on Sundays and paid an annual fee of $5.

The 1903 Golfer’s Record noted the club had no stand-alone clubhouse, yet it was housed in one of the most extensive and costly buildings in the country—The Devon Inn; Its 9-hole course was the first mapped out in the neighborhood (suburbs) of Philadelphia and the first team match ever played around the Quaker City was contested over its well laid out links extending some 40 acres; Some bunkers were artificial others were natural; The course was flanked on all sides by tall lush grass, the presence of which has caused the downfall of many an excellent player from courses not so difficult and soul trying; The Golf Club’s colors were red and green.

 To have a better idea of the early course location as illustrated by the layout map image, the six closest roads were; Lancaster Avenue (Rt.30) then called Arlington Avenue; Devon Boulevard; Valley Forge Road; Dorset Road then called Dorset Avenue; Sugartown Road then called Devon Avenue; and Waterloo Road then called Waterloo Avenue. Holes one and two closest to Lancaster Avenue were situated across from the Devon Train Station. 

It was common at that time to identify the course holes by a particular name. Hole1 was called Station; Hole2-Polo; Hole3-Warnertown; Hole4-Bowling Alley; Hole5-Great Valley; Hole6-Hurricane Hill; Hole7-Paoli; Hole8-Cherry Trees; Hole9-Waterloo…

The popularity of the course waned around 1915 however, records show the Devon Manor School for Girls advertised the school had access to golf links at the time the school was located in Devon (in the old Devon Inn building) in the early 1920s. 

At the time of the Golfer’s Record article in 1903 there was some talk of the links being abandoned owning to the building encroachments in the neighborhood—yes, there was some truth to the encroachment statement; In 1903 Elizabeth J. Shreve (Sreev) wife of Benjamin Shreve purchased one of the first parcels of land offered for sale on the golf course. The Streves built their country home around 1905 on Devon Avenue (aka Sugartown Road) The 1910 census records indicated Benjamin was an attorney and his source of income was recorded as his “own income.”

Credits: Golfer Images and Course Layout Peter C. Trenham, PGA Professional and Golf Historian; 1903 Golfer’s Record, Historical Society of PA; The Devon book, Margaret DePiano