Tam O'Shanter Golf Course (Pennsylvania) facts for kids
| Club information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Hermitage, Pennsylvania |
| Established | 1929 |
| Type | Public |
| Total holes | 18 |
| Tournaments hosted | Herald Tam O'Shanter Junior Open |
| Website | Official site: http://www.tamoshanterpa.com |
| Designed by | Emil Loeffler |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 6537 |
| Course rating | 70.2 |
| Course record | 65 Sam Snead |
The Tam O'Shanter Golf Course, officially known as Tam O'Shanter of Pennsylvania, is a public golf course with 18 holes. It was built in 1929 and designed by Emil Loeffler. You can find this course in Hermitage, Pennsylvania.
How It All Started
A man named Emil Loeffler designed and built the first 18 holes at Tam O'Shanter. He was the superintendent at Oakmont Country Club when he created this course in 1929. This was just before a tough time in history called the Great Depression.
Later, in 1948, a family named Kerins bought the golf course. Jack and Mary Lou Kerins became the new owners.
New Owners and Big Changes
After the Kerins family bought the course in 1948, Jack Kerins started a special event. He created the annual Herald Tam O'Shanter Junior Open. This is a golf tournament held every June. Young golfers from the Shenango Valley area come to play in it.
On May 31, 1985, a strong tornado hit the Shenango Valley. This storm caused a lot of damage to the golf course. Many trees on the course were destroyed by the tornado.
In the early 1990s, Jack and Mary Lou's sons, John and Rick Kerins, took over the course. They bought it from their parents. Today, John and Rick still run the Tam O'Shanter Golf Course.
A golfer named Andy Wagner holds the true course record. He shot an amazing score of 63 on this course!
The Famous "Death Valley" Hole
The fourteenth hole at Tam O'Shanter is quite famous. It is a short hole called a par 3. This hole is known across the country as "Death Valley." It got this name because many good golf scores have been ruined there. Even though it's tricky, golfers often get a "hole-in-one" on this hole every year.
