2024. Prices and selections may vary and are updated frequently.
Laughlintown in Ligonier Township is about 50 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and that’s where you will find the sprawling 10,000 acres that make up the private Rolling Rock Club. But members actually have access to the nearby farmlands as well (with the permission of the farmers, obviously), and that’s a total of more than 75,000 acres for fun and socialization.
It was founded by Richard Beatty Mellon, of the famous Mellon family, and he’s brother to the famed banker and industrialist Andrew Mellon. Richard inherited the 12,000 acres of land from his father, and he simply turned the property into a rural retreat for his friends and family. That’s where they hunted, went fishing, and rode horses.
The Rolling Rock Club was formally established in 1917. Its origins as a Mellon place made it the hangout for old money, and that’s still its reputation today. It’s still one of the most prestigious country clubs in the country, and it’s listed as one of the Platinum Clubs of America.
1917 was also the year when Donald Ross built a 9-hole course. It was a fantastic course, and even late in the 20th century it was widely recognized as the best 9-hole golf course in the country. But the club had to accede to modern tastes, and so they had designer Brian Silva upgrade the course to make it an 18-hole golf course.
While the golf course is terrific, it is really not the most famous activity in Rolling Rock Club. As this place is for old money, the foxhunts are actually the most prestigious thing to do here. It doesn’t hurt that such activities like foxhunts aren’t exactly offered in many other clubs, either.
Of course, the country club did progress and get on with the times, which is why they also have a swimming pool. But the old school vibe remains with the fully stocked trout streams, along with duck ponds, game birds, and ranges for the shooters. The huge clubhouse offers more than 90,000 square feet of space, and it offers 29 guest rooms with 2 guesthouse cottages.
There’s really not much information available, especially for the membership costs. It’s so private that Rolling Rock Club doesn’t even have a public website. But it’s safe to say that the membership costs will be quite high, so a 6-figure initiation fee is likely.