[Jim Sherma]

Members were sent an email today stating that Hershey Links (formerly Wren Dale) was going to be NLE as of 12/31/2013. Joe Bausch's photo tour is here:

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,41106.0.html

From Joe's tour: "This is the 3rd Hurdzan/Fry course I've played (the others being Militia Hills at Philly Cricket and the public Pilgrims Oak in Peach Bottom, PA) and it might be the best of the three."

It's a Hurdzan/Fry course from 2002 and is a very nice modern style course with many good golfing questions being posed through the round. My personal favorite holes are 7, 9, 10, 15 and 17. It's pretty forgiving off the tee, but woe to those that stray from the generous fairways. Nice interesting green complexes, and while the aesthetics are not my gig (my personal bias are old mature parkland or Scottish/Irish links), I never regret a round here.  

HCC members have membership rights at the course but the course allows full public access and is well worth a round or two before it closes.
 
HCC will still have the West and East courses (no public access unless one stays at a Hershey property, or are the guest of a member, and both very worthy of playing independent of my personal bias) along with the nine hole Spring Creek which is worth a play if only for the 5 original Maurice McCarthy greens still there.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Not unexpected as the Milton Hershey School bought the property because of its proximity. Student housing is planned:

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/02/hershey_links_to_close_as_milt.html#incart_m-rpt-2

[Howard Riefs]

Philly Inquirer with a story:

http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20130215_Milton_Hershey_School_will_close_controversial_golf_course.html

[Dan Herrmann]

Crap - I like this course.

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

I smell a road trip this summer...

The course looks pretty good, I dont get it was it a financial flop?  The story seems to say the main reason for closing the course is to build housing for the Hershey School.  Looking at the pictures it seems like there is open area everywhere that housing could be built on the margins of the course.  It doesnt seem like you would have to close the course to build said housing unless there were other factors at work as well?

Wondering from people who know the situation?

[Howard Riefs]

I smell a road trip this summer...

To help with your planning...
A few years ago, Matt Ginella wrote about visiting Hershey and playing the three courses

http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-courses/golf-travel/buddies/2010-07/away-game-hershey

[Jim Sherma]

Hershey is a great place and very worthy of a road trip. I am going to be planning a GCA day out at the club at some point this year. The West and East courses are very worthy and the Links is quite good as well. There are other courses nearby that are worth visiting as well, Lebanon, York, Schuylkill and West Shore to name some. As we get into the season I'll start setting something up. If anyone is planning to be in the area please IM me and we can see if we can work out a game.

[Rory Connaughton]

That is a real shame.  WrenDale/Hershey Links is a really fun golf course and very worthy of a trip to see before it closes.  I'm really disappointed to hear about this.  A real loss for golf in the region.

[Jim Sherma]

Yesterday 11/3/2013 was the last day at Hershey Links. I played my last round on Friday and the course was in great shape. It is a shame that things went down as they did. I have some pictures from Friday that I will attempt to post soon. With the loss of the Links coupled with the loss of Hershey Parkview 8 years ago a lot of really good golf has gone out of action in a small area.

[Brett Wiesley]

I used to live in Hershey, and while the links was not there at that time I enjoyed growing up at Hershey CC and Spring Creek.  My Father was just back in Hershey, and tried to play the links and was told it was closed.  He heard the Herco (parent company of Hershey), which also manages the golf course collection and the the rumor was they felt they had too many golf courses.  Question is for them and their profitability or by means of the area.  They thus were going to allocate this already owned land to housing for the Milton Hershey Trust, which they manage as well.  Bummer to lose a course, but at least it's a good cause.

[Chris Mavros]

I played HL earlier this year for the first time , but knew it was going to be NLE while I was playing it.  That was an unusual experience in itself, but I really enjoyed the course.  It's a shame it's closing.  I agree with others that  the area is great for mini golf trips; a lot of good options.

[Joe Bausch]

Hershey Links is part of a larger photo tour thread I did of area courses back in 2009.  I'd like to think I'm better now at such things (!) but I still give out the URL:

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,41106.0.html

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