The Hotel Hershey

Travelogue

Milton S. Hershey always had a sweet spot for kids. In the 1930s he commissioned the construction of Spring Creek, a tranquil, tree-lined nine-holer aimed at junior golfers. This famed panacea where the chocolate flows like water has plenty to offer adult golfers as well. The East and West courses of Hershey Country Club are vintage parkland layouts. The par-73 West opened in 1930 and played host to the 1940 PGA Championship and the LPGA’s Lady Keystone Open for two decades. It’s home to one of the more memorable signature holes in America, the 176-yard par-3 5th: the green is the front lawn of High Point Mansion, Hershey’s limestone mansion. The East Course, designed by George Fazio, opened in 1969. The front nine is a grind of one uphill approach after another. The back evens out with more variety and the sum is sheer shot-making fun. The Hotel Hershey underwent a “grand expansion” a decade ago that included a major restoration of the iconic hotel and the addition of the luxurious Woodside Cottages, a sweet option for golf groups.