Golf in Willow Grove

Mulligan's Family Golf Center beckons to birdie-hunters with a scaled-down golf course, an 18-hole mini-golf circuit, and a full-length driving range. With its longest hole measuring in at 108 yards, the center's 9-hole Chip-n-Putt course fosters short-game refinement, as players send balls somersaulting onto small greens from artificial tees or out of one of the layout's three sand traps. Mulligan's graciously rents out golf balls (a $0.50 deposit each, refunded when balls are returned) for use on the course, saving players the hassle of buying their own sleeve or chiseling a bocce ball down to the right size.

For more pressure-free swing practice, Mulligan's 30-stall driving range lets clubbers dial in their wedges, irons, woods, and mannequin legs with five signs demarcating yardages all the way back to the 250-yard terminus. The center also encompasses an 18-hole mini-golf course, where putt-putt posses crouch to demystify tricky breaking putts while the burbling sounds of waterfalls, fountains, and streams set a tranquil tone.

The 160 acres of undulating meadows and copses of oak, maple, sweet gum, and pine at The Links Golf Club were transformed into a championship course by Frederick W. Hawtree, who designed more than 300 courses around the globe, including the Royal Birkdale course, in partnership with his father and son. Hawtree drew inspiration from the natural lay of the land while contriving narrow fairways and bunkered greens that reward precision. Water comes into play on the 8th, 11th, and 18th holes, swallowing poorly aimed balls so oysters can turn them into pearls. Before hitting the course, golfers can rev their engines at any of the driving range’s 15 hitting stations. After a day of sinking cleated feet into bent grass, players can toast success at the copper-topped bar in the member lounge or bite into sandwiches and seafood at the club's restaurant.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Length of 6,725 yards
• Course rating of 71.5
• Slope rating of 133
• Four tee options
• View the scorecard

Open year-round, the course at Juniata Golf Club sprawls over 106 naturally hilly acres and challenges players with tricky lies and imposing hazards that complicate its relatively short length. Frankford Creek winds into play on six holes of the Edmund B. Ault design, ensnaring worm burners in a reedy morass. The par-4 sixth hole exemplifies the difficulty of the course as a whole, measuring just 360 yards in length but forcing shots to climb entirely uphill from tee to shallow green like a marathon-running pack mule.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par-66 course

• Total length of 5,275 yards from the back tees

• Course rating of 64.8 from the back tees

• Course slope of 109 from the back tees

• Three sets of tees per hole

Miry Run Country Club unravels across a 6,657-yard track of tight fairways and fast greens to form its 18-hole, par 72 golf course. Groves of trees line the relatively narrow fairways throughout the course, placing a premium on accurate tee shots and precision golf cart driving so that players aren't forced to test out prototypes of golf bag floatation devices in the water hazards. With three tee options, the course offers a fair par-hunting test for clubbers of all abilities.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course

• Length of 6,657 yards from the farthest tees

• Course rating of 72.0 from the farthest tees

• Slope rating of 127 from the farthest tees

• Three tee options

• Scorecard

Horsham Family Golf takes up more than 16 acres of space where players of all ages can fine-tune their skills. Guests can practice putting at a gold-rush-themed 18-hole mini-golf course, aiming for holes in one while avoiding dips and obstacles. The facility also houses a driving range equipped with laser-precise distance markers and buckets of high-quality golf balls yearning to feel the wind in their dimples. 28 of the 50 golf stalls are private and remain lit for evening play, and a new practice bunker challenges golfers with a large sand trap. After practice, guests can visit the onsite pro shop, where they can stock up on golfing accessories or purchase a set of custom-fitted clubs.

In 1962, designer Ed Carmen masterfully crafted each hole to weave into the natural lay of the land, yielding a 6,600-yard golf course that melds bucolic surroundings with his own architectural style. A member of the USGA and PGA, Centerton Golf Club strings together 18 holes that meander through acres of dense forest replete with mature arbors, strategically placed bunkers, and Kick Me signs on the backs of fellow players.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 71 course
• Total length of 6,600 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 69.2 from the back tees
• Course slope of 120 from the back tees