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BEDFORD -- The Old Course at Bedford Springs is steeped in history.
At more than 120 years old, the celebrated course is ripe with many unique and interesting features, among them one of the most difficult, par-3 holes ever designed.
Bedford Springs' fourth hole, aptly named the "volcano," first began to receive attention shortly after it was designed in 1923.
The Springs' original course layout was designed in 1895 by Spencer Oldham. Later modifications were done by A.W. Tillinghast, and by the early 1920s, hotel management wanted a world-class golf course that would match the resort's many other top-notch accommodations.
Famous course architect Donald Ross was hired to do the job. His work resulted in a course that retained seven existing holes while adding 11 new ones, most of these carved out of the nearby, dense woodlands.
The standout among these new holes would be the par-3, fourth hole, quickly dubbed the "volcano."
This difficult hole stretched 197 yards to a two-tiered, sloping green perched upon a hill, some 40 feet above the teeing ground.
The hole would come to be known as a signature design for Ross, who created similar holes on more than a dozen other courses he designed over the years.
Among architectural experts, however, Bedford Springs' "Volcano" hole has been universally described as his most dramatic creation.
Early reviews of Ross' work at Bedford Springs often highlighted the "volcano" hole. A 1924 newspaper account declared, "It is a well-guarded hole, with almost a perpendicular grassy wall facing the tee. Right in front of the tee is rough deep enough, almost, to lose a man in the graveyard of misplayed shots."
During the 1920s, the Bedford Springs Resort was a popular destination which hosted a modest professional tournament every August. When pros first arrived to see the newly designed course in 1924, the "volcano" hole caused quite a stir. There was much speculation as to how the pros would fare against this monster hole.
According to reports, only two birdies were recorded during the entire tournament week, in fact, there were more 5s, 6s, and 7s than anything else.
Over the ensuing years, the hole's reputation as a difficult test only grew. By 1929, nationally syndicated golf columnist Sol Metzgar visited Bedford Springs to cover the resort's annual pro tournament. Impressed by the Springs' "volcano" hole, Metzgar wrote an article that appeared in newspapers across the country.
"Bedford Springs claims one of the hardest holes existing," the article exclaimed. "Its architect chose for the green the top of a foothill of the Allegheny Mountains that juts out toward the tee much as water falls from the bow of a submarine emerging hurriedly from the depths. The green is 40 feet above the tee. You view it over a gurgling stream of water that should cool your brow, but does not."
The golf columnist would also add to the hole's legend by recounting the story of a frequent guest at the resort, a noted surgeon from Pittsburgh who had come to the conclusion that the fourth hole was the hardest he had ever encountered.
During the pro tournament years earlier, the surgeon decided to station himself at the tee with a fat roll of dollar bills. As the pros came along, he bet each one that they could not hit the green.
At rounds end, the doctor finished with a total of $63 more than he started. The next day he put up his winnings for a driving contest with the remark, "I don't want your money, I just wanted to prove to my own satisfaction that the "volcano" was as hard a par for you fellows as it is for me, and I'm just a dub."
Over the years, the hole remained fairly intact. Following an extensive hotel renovation more than a decade ago, the golf course underwent a complete restoration of its own.
Renowned course architect Ron Forse was chosen for the work and was careful to preserve the original characteristics of the course.
In 2007, the Old Course at Bedford Springs re-opened to rave reviews. The layout has been named the Top Resort Course in Pennsylvania -- with one of the highlights being the opportunity to play one of the hardest par-3s in existence -- the "volcano," which now plays to a healthy 223 yards from the tips.