VisitMercerCountyPA Invites Golfers to Stay, Play and Experience Fall in Mercer County, Pennsylvania

With a variety of golf courses located within a short drive of one another, convenient lodging, customizable stay-and-play planning, and Western Pennsylvania fall scenery, Mercer County offers an easy destination for an autumn golf getaway.

Sharon, PA, Oct. 01, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fall brings cooler days, changing leaves, and one more reason for golfers to plan a getaway to Mercer County, Pennsylvania. 

VisitMercerCountyPA invites golfers to take advantage of the season by pairing rounds at area golf courses with an overnight stay and the dining, shopping, outdoor recreation, and seasonal experiences throughout the county.

Located in Western Pennsylvania, Mercer County lets golfers build a multi-course trip without spending much of their getaway traveling between tee times. Multiple courses are located within about a half-hour of one another, while lodging, restaurants, and other visitor experiences are available throughout the surrounding communities.

That combination makes Mercer County an option for much more than a single round of golf. Visitors can plan a two- or three-day trip, explore different course styles, stay overnight near the next day's tee time, and add other fall activities between rounds.

Mercer County is also within convenient driving distance of several major regional markets. The county is approximately an hour north of Pittsburgh, an hour south of Erie, and about 90 minutes from Cleveland, making a fall golf weekend possible without the travel required for a long-distance golf vacation.

"Fall is a wonderful time to experience golf in Mercer County because every course offers something a little different, and they're close enough that visitors can play more than one during the same trip," said Carmen Aiello, President and CEO of Visit Mercer County PA.

"You can come for the golf, enjoy the fall scenery, stay for a night or two, and still have plenty of time to explore our communities, restaurants, shopping, and other attractions."

Why Mercer County Works for a Fall Golf Getaway

For golfers comparing Western Pennsylvania destinations, one of Mercer County's biggest advantages is variety within a relatively compact area.

The county and surrounding golf region include traditional 18-hole layouts, public courses, a course with on-site lodging, a free nine-hole course, a par-3 golf center, and club experiences that can be incorporated into select golf packages.

That range gives visitors the flexibility to design a trip around their own priorities.

Serious golfers can build an itinerary around challenging 18-hole courses. Groups can combine different courses over several days. Couples can make golf one part of a larger fall weekend. Casual players and families can choose shorter or more approachable options.

Golf groups can also work with VisitMercerCountyPA to request a customized stay-and-play itinerary based on group size, preferred courses, dates, and desired tee times.

Fall adds another element to the experience. Mercer County's golf courses are surrounded by the rolling hills, mature trees, wooded areas, lakes, and countryside associated with Western Pennsylvania. As the season changes, those landscapes create a different setting for late-season rounds.

Peak foliage doesn't arrive on the same dates each year, so travelers hoping to combine golf with fall color should check current Pennsylvania foliage conditions and the local weather forecast shortly before traveling.

Explore Different Golf Experiences Across Mercer County

Golfers do not have to play the same style of course throughout their trip. Mercer County's golf offerings give groups several ways to build variety into a weekend.

Spring Valley Golf Club & Lodge

Spring Valley Golf Club & Lodge in Mercer combines golf and overnight accommodations at one location, making it especially useful for groups that want a traditional stay-and-play experience.

The property features an 18-hole course measuring 5,797 yards and winds through the scenic Hell's Hollow area. VisitMercerCountyPA identifies Spring Valley as the only golf resort in Mercer County with on-site lodging and stay-and-play packages.

That setup can simplify a multi-day golf trip because visitors can finish a round without traveling to a separate hotel. The property also includes a pro shop and bar and grille, allowing groups to spend more of their trip together in one location.

For golfers who want their accommodations to be part of the golf experience, not just a place to sleep between rounds, Spring Valley offers a distinctive option.

Oak Tree Golf Club

In West Middlesex, Oak Tree Golf Club offers an 18-hole public course near the Pennsylvania-Ohio border.

Originally designed by golf course architect Ed Ault, the course is built around four lakes, with water coming into play on seven holes. The layout also includes 60 sand bunkers and large, undulating greens, creating a course that requires golfers to think about positioning as well as distance.

Oak Tree's location just off Interstate 80 also makes it a convenient option for golf groups arriving from outside Mercer County.

Its finishing hole exemplifies the course's challenge. The par-4 18th measures 407 yards and asks golfers to navigate fairway bunkers from the tee before playing an approach over water.

For a multi-course Mercer County golf trip, Oak Tree can provide one of the more strategic rounds on the itinerary.

Tam O'Shanter Golf Course

Tam O'Shanter Golf Course in Hermitage brings both history and challenge to a Mercer County golf getaway.

The family-owned and operated 18-hole public course has served golfers for more than 80 years. Its fairways and bent-grass greens are set among mature hardwoods and pines overlooking the wooded hills of the Shenango Valley.

The course also has connections to well-known names in golf history. Sam Snead played exhibition matches there, and Arnold Palmer competed at Tam O'Shanter as a young golfer in the 1947 Tam O'Shanter Open. Other professional golfers associated with exhibition play at the course include Bob Toski, Lew Worsham, Betsy Rawls, and Patty Berg.

One of the course's most memorable challenges is Hole 14, known as "Death Valley." The par-4 includes a gulch near the green that demands careful shot execution.

For golfers who enjoy playing courses with a story behind them, Tam O'Shanter offers history along with the opportunity to add another distinct layout to a fall itinerary.

Avalon at Buhl Park

Avalon at Buhl Park in Hermitage adds another established 18-hole golf experience to the area.

Part of the Avalon Golf & Country Club network, the course measures 6,369 yards. Access may be available through qualifying stay-and-play partnerships and packages, allowing traveling golfers to incorporate the private-club-style experience into a Mercer County trip.

The closing hole is one of the course's notable challenges, requiring players to consider fairway bunkers from the tee and additional bunkering around the green.

Golf groups interested in including Avalon at Buhl Park should confirm current access and package availability as they plan their trip.

Buhl Park Golf Course

Only a golf destination with a varied collection of courses can offer visitors something as unusual as Buhl Park Golf Course.

Located in Hermitage and known locally as "Dum Dum," Buhl Park Golf Course is a nine-hole course where golfers can play without a green fee. Buhl Park describes it as the only free nine-hole golf course in the United States.

The course makes golf accessible to beginners, families, visitors looking for a shorter round, and experienced golfers who want to add another unique stop to their trip.

Visitors can also use the driving range, and Buhl Park itself offers additional recreation that can extend a visit beyond golf.

For a group playing several full-length courses over a weekend, a shorter round at Buhl Park can offer a change of pace. For families or mixed-interest groups, it can make golf part of the trip without requiring everyone to commit to a full 18-hole round.

Grove City Country Club

Grove City Country Club dates to 1917 and occupies about 200 acres of rolling terrain, mature trees, grasslands, marsh areas, and a 27-acre lake.

Tom Bendelow and John Ponko designed the 18-hole course, which offers a traditional golf setting in the Grove City area.

Grove City Country Club is a private facility, so travelers should not assume standard public access. However, VisitMercerCountyPA notes that the course may be available through select stay-and-play arrangements. Golfers planning to include it in a trip should confirm current package eligibility and tee-time arrangements before traveling.

Its Grove City location also makes it convenient for visitors who want to combine golf with shopping, dining, and other activities in that portion of Mercer County.

Pine Hill Golf Course

Pine Hill Golf Course in Greenville provides another 18-hole option for visitors building a multi-course itinerary.

The course measures approximately 6,013 yards and offers a quieter rural setting that can appeal to golfers who prefer a relaxed round away from a busier resort atmosphere.

Its combination of wide fairways and a more straightforward playing environment can also offer groups a useful contrast to some of the area's more demanding layouts.

For golf groups with different ability levels, including a course with a relaxed pace and approachable setting can help make the overall trip enjoyable for more players.

Stay-and-Play Planning Makes Multi-Course Trips Easier

Organizing a golf trip for several people can quickly become complicated. Travelers must coordinate lodging, tee times, arrival and departure dates, how many holes they want to play, and everyone's preferences.

VisitMercerCountyPA offers a Play and Stay Golf Package request system designed to make that process easier.

Package requests can accommodate groups ranging from a single golfer to 100 players. Visitors can choose the courses they want to play or request course suggestions, select arrival and departure dates, and provide preferred tee times.

"We want planning a golf getaway in Mercer County to be as easy as possible, whether someone is organizing a weekend for four friends or an outing for a much larger group," Aiello said. "With so many golf experiences located close to one another, visitors can build a trip around the courses they want to play and then make the rest of the weekend their own."

Golfers can also indicate how many holes they want to play on each day of the trip, including arrival and departure days. That flexibility can help groups build itineraries that range from a relaxed weekend with one round per day to a more golf-intensive trip with multiple rounds or replays.

The planning service can also connect visitors with hospitality properties that can accommodate their requests.

For large outings, reunions, couples groups, or annual golf trips, having one destination resource for both golf and lodging can reduce the amount of coordination required before the group arrives.

A Fall Golf Weekend Can Include More Than Tee Times

Golf may be the reason for the trip, but it does not have to fill every hour of the weekend.

Mercer County offers dining, shopping, wineries, breweries, outdoor recreation, and seasonal scenery to add around a golf itinerary.

Visitors playing in the Grove City area can make time for Grove City Premium Outlets and other local shopping. Those staying around Sharon and Hermitage can explore local restaurants, shops, and attractions. Golfers who want to extend an evening after their round can explore destinations along Mercer County's Wine & Brew Trail.

Fall travelers can also incorporate a scenic drive through the county.

Routes through areas such as New Wilmington, Volant, Grove City, Mercer, Clark, Greenville, and the Shenango River corridor pass through a mix of wooded landscapes, farmland, small communities, and Western Pennsylvania countryside.

Visitors interested in additional outdoor recreation can explore destinations such as Maurice K. Goddard State Park, Lake Wilhelm, Buhl Park, and other parks and trails throughout the county.

This variety can be especially important for couples, families, and groups in which not everyone wants to golf every round. While some play, others can shop, explore local attractions, enjoy the outdoors, or spend time discovering the county.

Mercer County Is Positioned for Regional Golf Road Trips

Mercer County's location makes it well-suited for golfers who want a destination golf trip without the logistics of air travel or a full-day drive.

Travelers from the Pittsburgh region can reach Mercer County in approximately an hour. Erie is also approximately an hour away, while Cleveland is roughly 90 minutes from the area.

Interstate access, including I-79, I-80, and I-376, connects the county with major population centers in Western Pennsylvania and Northeast Ohio.

For golfers who have already played many courses close to home, that accessibility makes Mercer County a great place to play several different courses in a weekend while staying within an easy drive.

Visitors can arrive Friday, play during the afternoon if schedules allow, stay overnight, play a different course Saturday, enjoy dinner or a local beverage destination that evening, and finish the getaway with another round or local attraction on Sunday.

The result is a trip that can feel like a true golf vacation without requiring extensive travel.

Plan Around the Fall Season

Autumn golf does require some additional planning.

Daylight becomes shorter as the season progresses, and morning and afternoon temperatures can vary considerably. Golfers may want to schedule tee times with available daylight in mind, dress in layers, and confirm current operating hours directly with individual courses.

Travelers hoping to see peak fall color should also remember that foliage timing changes based on seasonal and weather conditions.

Golf course availability, rates, tee times, package participation, and seasonal operating schedules may also change, so visitors should confirm current details before traveling.

Planning becomes especially useful for larger groups that need several consecutive tee times or multiple hotel rooms.

Request a Free 2026 Mercer County Golf Guide

Golfers who want additional information before putting together their itinerary can request VisitMercerCountyPA's free 2026 Mercer County, PA Golf Guide.

The guide provides course and trip-planning information to help visitors compare options and start organizing their getaway.

Golfers who prefer personalized assistance can also submit a stay-and-play quote request and share details about their group, dates, and preferred golf schedule.

Whether visitors are planning an annual golf trip with friends, a couples weekend, a corporate or organization outing, or simply a fall weekend built around a few rounds, Mercer County lets them combine golf, accommodations, and other Western Pennsylvania experiences in one destination.

To explore Mercer County golf courses, request a golf guide or begin planning a Play and Stay Golf Package, visit VisitMercerCountyPA.com.

About VisitMercerCountyPA

VisitMercerCountyPA promotes Mercer County as a travel destination in western Pennsylvania, connecting visitors with the region’s outdoor recreation, attractions, shopping, dining, golf, lodging, events and group-travel experiences.

Located within driving distance of Pittsburgh, Erie and Cleveland, Mercer County offers activities ranging from exploring state parks to visiting local communities, restaurants, wineries, breweries, and retail destinations. VisitMercerCountyPA provides trip-planning resources and information for leisure travelers, families, groups and event organizers.

Attachments

• Tam O’Shanter Golf Course in Mercer County, Pennsylvania
• Fall Golf at Spring Valley Golf Club & Lodge in Mercer County

Carissa Renninger
VisitMercerCountyPA
724-346-3771
crenninger@visitmercercountypa.com