Toftrees Golf Resort Review
- Mitch Martin
- 12 hours ago
- 8 min read
Just outside of State College, PA almost in the shadow of Beaver Stadium sits Toftrees Golf Resort.
State College is obviously a Penn State town. Almost everything seems to revolve around the university, Beaver Stadium, and the thousands of people who pour into Happy Valley every fall. But tucked into the hills just a few miles away from campus is a golf course that has quietly been part of the State College landscape for more than 50 years.
Toftrees isn’t a new resort course built to capitalize on Penn State tourism. In many ways, it came before much of the development that now surrounds it.
Toftrees Resort History
The story of Toftrees starts in 1968 when Phil Sieg and Alex Gregory Sr. began developing land a few miles west of Penn State University. Their idea went well beyond building a golf course. Toftrees was designed as an entire planned community built around residences, recreation and eventually a resort. The Pennsylvania Golf Association describes the original development as beginning with nine holes of golf alongside a small collection of apartments and homes.
The course was designed by Edmund “Ed” Ault, a prolific Mid-Atlantic architect who helped shape dozens of courses during the golf boom of the 1960s. Ault had a reputation for using the natural movement of the land, and Toftrees is a great example of that approach. The course works its way across the rolling terrain of Central Pennsylvania, using elevation changes, mature trees and tight golf corridors to create much of its character.
More than 50 years later, the strength of that original routing still stands out. The course climbs, drops and turns naturally through the property, rarely feeling forced into the landscape. It is a design that very much reflects its era, but the underlying layout and use of the land have helped Toftrees remain relevant long after it first opened in 1969.
Toftrees Golf Resort Features & Amenities
Being a golf resort, Toftrees offers pretty much everything you would expect before and after your round. The property features a full driving range, dedicated short-game area and practice putting green, giving you plenty of space to get warmed up before heading to the first tee. There is also a pro shop, golf instruction and clinics available, along with The Field Burger & Tap, the resort’s on-site restaurant and a great option for grabbing something to eat after the round.
I want to note that, even though Toftrees has all the feeling and amenities of a destination golf resort, tee times can be booked by the general public just like any other public course. That makes Toftrees a really easy addition to a State College golf trip, whether you’re staying on property, somewhere downtown, or just passing through Happy Valley.
Toftrees Golf Resort Ratings
Toftrees is one of those courses that is easy to enjoy for reasons beyond just the scorecard. The setting, routing, and great atmosphere all play a part in the experience, but there are also areas where the course shows its age. With that in mind, I broke the round down into the same core categories I use for every Casual Golf Club review: Course Design, Course Difficulty, Course Amenities & Price, and Course Conditions.
Like all reviews, this is my opinion, and my experience that I had, it will always be different for others.
Course Design – ★★★★
Toftrees is a delight from a design standpoint. For a course more than 50 years old that works its way through the woods, the trees rarely feel unfair. Now, don’t get me wrong, if you are offline they will absolutely come into play, but you won’t find yourself needing to hit a punch shot on every other hole. That is always one of my biggest concerns with mountain and heavily tree lined golf courses.
A lot of the trees have also been trimmed up from the ground, which makes recovering from underneath them much more manageable. You can still get yourself into trouble, but you usually have some type of shot available. A nod to the grounds team for that, because it makes a noticeable difference in how the course plays.
Tale of Two Nines
On the front nine, you work your way up and down the hill, with occasional views of neighboring holes through the trees. The elevation plays a major role in the golf, and you constantly feel like you are either climbing or working your way back down.
Then you make the turn and the course changes.
The back nine takes you much farther away from the clubhouse and becomes a little narrower and more secluded. For long stretches, each hole feels like its own little section of the property. You barely see another golf hole until you reach No. 15, turn back toward the clubhouse, and begin making your way home.
It makes for a really fun routing and gives the two sides completely different personalities.
Par 3s
As much as I enjoyed Toftrees and will continue to rave about parts of the course, the par 3s are probably its Achilles heel.
Personally, I like to see some variety in par 3 difficulty, length, and overall design. At Toftrees, a few of them blend together a little too much. Number 3 and Number 6, for example, are both relatively short holes and neither really separates itself from the other.
The clear outlier is No. 10.
It plays noticeably downhill, usually about a club shorter than the number on the scorecard, with deep bunkers surrounding the green and creating the real defense of the hole. It is a fun shot and a much different look than the other par 3s. It is also a sneaky little challenge immediately after downing a hot dog at the turn.
Par 4s
The par 4s are where I really started to appreciate how different the front and back nines feel.
As mentioned before, the front nine works its way up the hill and then back down. That topography creates a nice mix of demanding uphill par 4s followed by downhill holes where you can be a little more aggressive and potentially make up a shot. These holes also tend to play a little straighter off the tee.
The back nine asks something different.
Instead of feeling like you are climbing over the hill, it almost feels like you are working your way around it. Several of the par 4s require you to shape the tee shot one direction or the other, whether that is right to left or left to right. Mix that with a combination of shorter and longer holes, and the back nine starts asking a completely different set of questions from your game.
The signature par 4 is No. 9.
The hole begins with one of the most memorable tee shots on the property, playing across a pond from a peninsula style teeing area that sits out into the water. From the back tees, the challenge becomes even greater, requiring roughly a 200 yard carry while out of bounds runs down the left side. It is easily one of the shots you remember after leaving Toftrees.
Par 5s
The four par 5s at Toftrees all ask something a little different and do a good job of testing different parts of your game.
No. 2, the 10 handicap hole, and No. 17, the 13 handicap hole, are the more forgiving of the group. Both give you some room off the tee before asking you to work uphill toward greens sitting slightly above the fairway. They are good opportunities to score if you keep the ball in play.
The more difficult par 5s are No. 8, the 6 handicap hole, and No. 14, the 3 handicap hole. Both are long and work downhill at different points, but unless you really move the golf ball, reaching either comfortably in two is going to be a challenge.
No. 14 is a monster of a golf hole.
Out of bounds runs down the right side for almost the entire length of the hole. From the tee, trees pinch the left side and encourage a right to left ball flight. If you successfully navigate that, the next shot almost asks for the exact opposite shape as you work toward the green.
It is long, and demanding from beginning to end.
There are easier holes at Toftrees where you can get aggressive and chase birdies. No. 14 is not one of them. Sometimes getting through it with your scorecard intact feels like enough of a win.
Course Difficulty – ★★★★½
Toftrees is challenging, but it never feels like it is trying too hard to beat you up. A lot of the difficulty comes from the combination of elevation changes, tree lined fairways, and the need to put the ball in the correct spots off the tee.
The front nine gives you a little more room to breathe. There are still plenty of uphill shots and uneven lies, but you can generally see what is in front of you and understand where the trouble is. The back nine is where the course starts to tighten up. Fairways feel narrower, the trees come into play a little more, and several holes ask you to shape the ball instead of simply hitting it straight.
The biggest challenge at Toftrees is keeping yourself in position. You do not need to hit every fairway, but missing on the wrong side can quickly take away your angle into the green. The course also does a good job of changing the club in your hand. Some holes give you a chance to be aggressive, while others, especially Number 14, make you think about simply getting the ball safely to the next shot.
Another factor is the elevation. Yardages can be deceiving throughout the round, and you will find yourself adding or subtracting clubs depending on whether you are playing uphill or downhill. That makes club selection just as important as distance control.
Overall, I would call Toftrees a fair challenge. Better players will appreciate the need to work the ball and think their way around the course, while higher handicap golfers can still enjoy the round without feeling like every hole is punishing them. If you keep the ball in play and avoid the big mistake, there are plenty of opportunities to score.
Course Amenities & Price – ★★★★
Being a resort course, Toftrees has a little bit of an advantage when it comes to amenities. You are not just showing up to a golf course, playing 18 holes, and heading home. There is enough around the course to make a full day or even an entire weekend out of the experience.
From a golf standpoint, Toftrees has everything I am looking for. There is a driving range and putting green to warm up before the round, along with a well stocked pro shop that actually has a nice selection of apparel and merchandise. After the round, you can grab a seat on the clubhouse patio overlooking the course or head into The Field Burger & Tap for food and a drink.
Then there is obviously the resort itself. Having more than 100 rooms right on property makes Toftrees a really easy option for a State College golf trip. You can park the car, stay on property, play golf, grab dinner, and never really need to leave the resort.
What I like most, though, is that none of this is locked behind actually staying there. You can enjoy the golf course, practice facilities, restaurant, and overall resort atmosphere while simply booking a public tee time. For someone visiting State College who wants more than just another public golf course, that gives Toftrees a lot of added value.
The Vibes – ★★★★
When I played Toftrees, I was already on a cabin golf weekend with the boys, so the vibes were high before we even got to the first tee. Toftrees only added to it.
Everyone we interacted with was welcoming, especially our starter, Jim, who gave us a great rundown of the course and made a strong first impression before the round.
Afterward, having The Field right above the clubhouse made it easy to grab food, talk through the round, and hang out on the patio. The food was excellent too, and seriously, get the French fries.
Toftrees just feels relaxed and welcoming. It is the kind of place where you actually want to hang around after the round.
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