Riverside (1915), Cambridge Springs PA

[Greg Hohman]

The course’s website provides no history beyond “founded in 1915.”

[Joe Bausch]

A quick search at Newspapers dot com would suggest the course might be even older than that. More later I hope after my round of golf here in SE PA.

[Erik J. Barzeski]

I live nearby. I reached out to a person or two who may know.

The course isn't super interesting. I think some decent names played there a long time ago. "Cambridge Springs" was known as one of those places where they had a "spa" early in the 1900s because the "spring water" was "healing" or something like that. So I think it was a reasonably well-to-do little area for a few decades, and some bigger names played the course in exhibitions.

I'll post more when I know more.

[Greg Hohman]

I had expected to be able to add something by now about PA spa and golf culture, but FedEx lost my order of the book "The Forgotten Faces of the Bedford Springs Hotel."

[Josh Bills]

I played there in 2021.  It was a nice location, but the holes themselves unfortunately do not stand out for me so I am unable to 100% identify anything other than 18. 


 








Here are some historic aerials for you as well. 



1938




1959

[MCirba]

Golf was played in Cambridge Springs back to 1897 (not sure if same site) but the course at Hotel Riverside looks to have soft opened in Septmber 1916, with official open in the spring of 1917.


It was designed by hotel proprietor William Baird.

[MCirba]

Second nine opened in 1923. 


Baird again.   He was "Jr.", son of the original proprietor who bought the property in the late 1800s

[MCirba]

One retrospective account mentioned that Baird brought in unnamed "experts" to assist.

[MCirba]

This November 9, 1919 article credits Baird, but appears to be enhancing the course with professional Edward Melvin of Carnoustie.