Flourtown’s Philadelphia Cricket Club is about to take center stage in the golf world—and it’s been a long time coming, writes Jeff Neiburg for the Philadelphia Inquirer.
This week, the storied Wissahickon Course will host the Truist Championship, a signature PGA Tour event bringing stars like Masters champ Rory McIlroy to one of America’s oldest and most history-rich clubs. But long before national TV crews and multimillion-dollar purses, the club made headlines for very different reasons—like in 1907, when a pressurized silk golf ball exploded mid-tournament, costing Scottish golfer Alex Campbell the U.S. Open by three strokes.
Founded in 1854 the Philadelphia Cricket Club eventually outgrew its original Chestnut Hill layout as equipment evolved. In 1920, the club acquired land in Flourtown and tapped legendary architect A.W. Tillinghast—himself a member—to design a course that could test golf’s best. The result, Wissahickon, opened in 1922 and has quietly hosted several prestigious events since its renovation. Among the events were the Senior Players Championship and the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball.
Now, with the Truist’s national spotlight, the Philadelphia Cricket Club’s deep roots are finally getting their due.
“When you do an event like this, it gives you a pulpit to share the Cricket Club with the world,” said Golf Director Jim Smith Jr.
To learn more about the Philadelphia Cricket Club’s storied history, visit the Philadelphia Inquirer.
