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What’s new at Cobbs Creek Golf Club after $180M investment
Cobbs Creek Golf Club in Philadelphia has reopened after over five years and a $180 million renovation, featuring new facilities, community programs, and ongoing course construction.
PHILADELPHIA - Cobbs Creek Golf Club has officially reopened after being closed for more than five years. The historic public golf course has undergone a major transformation with new facilities and a renewed focus on community programs.
Cobbs Creek reopens with new features and community focus
What we know:
Officials held a ribbon-cutting to unveil the "Lincoln Financial Center at Cobbs Creek", a 68-bay double-decker driving range that the centerpiece of the early reopening.
The new Cobbs Creek also includes a bar, restaurant, pro shop, and a Tiger Woods-designed three-hole "Q School" short course that recently opened.
Part of the Cobbs Creek campus also includes the Smilow Woodland TGR Learning Lab providing year-round STEAM and after-school programs for local kids, whether they play golf or not. "How I thought about becoming an engineer, which robotics has really helped me with. I never thought golf would be connected to a learning center ever. But it’s really given me an opportunity to chase my dreams," said Myles Byrd, a 10th grade student.
The City, along with The Cobbs Creek Foundation, invested $180 million to bring the course back to life after years of neglect and closure since the COVID pandemic.
"To have a day like today where we are actually opening this facility with the Mayor and all these supporters is pretty sweet," said Jeff Shanahan, president of the Cobbs Creek Foundation.
The backstory:
Cobbs Creek has been part of Philadelphia since 1916 and was one of the first public golf courses in the area. It has a legacy of being inclusive and was a home for African American golfers, including Charlie Sifford, the first Black golfer on the PGA Tour.
Charlie Sifford Jr. spoke about his father’s experience at Cobbs Creek.
"He had death threats playing on the tour. He would get phone calls if he showed up at the golf course they would have to kill him," said Sifford Jr. "This would blow his mind to see something like his. And have people know his story and know what he had to go through to get into the game," said Sifford Jr.
The club’s transformation is still ongoing. An 18-hole championship, "the Olde Course at Cobbs Creek, is still under construction and expected to open by the Fall of next year. Another nine-hole course called "Karakun/Hanse 9" is scheduled to open in the Spring of 2028.
Tee times for the short course are already in demand, and FOX 29 has learned the PGA is in discussion with Cobbs Creek to hold a future PGA event at the club.
Local perspective:
Cobbs Creek’s reopening brings new opportunities for local residents, with expanded community programs and a focus on accessibility. The club’s history as a welcoming space for all golfers continues with its latest upgrades.
Officials say the project aims to honor the club’s legacy while providing new resources for the next generation of golfers and students.
What we don't know:
It is not yet confirmed when the PGA event will be scheduled at Cobbs Creek.
The Source: Information from The Cobbs Creek Foundation.