The origin of Valley Brook Country Club started at the Mt. Lebanon Municipal Golf Course. Prior to World War II, a group of Mt. Lebanon residents who frequently played on the Municipal course formed a group called the “Mt. Lebanon Golf Club.” Note the name is Mt. Lebanon Golf Club and not Mt. Lebanon Country Club.
The Mt. Lebanon Golf Club organized golf events and parties at the Municipal course that was an 18-hole golf course prior to World War II. After WWII, when housing was scarce, the Mt. Lebanon Township Commissioners sold the back nine holes of the Municipal golf course to developers. That land is now part of the Sunset Hills residential section of Mt. Lebanon. The Mt. Lebanon Golf Club members were not satisfied to play on the Municipal course, which only had nine holes. Therefore, they searched the area and found the property on McMurray Road that eventually became Rolling Hills Country Club.
The Mt. Lebanon Golf Club members constructed an 18-hole golf course on the McMurray Road property shortly after World War II. They originally used the old farmhouse as a temporary clubhouse. Mr. H.A.P. “Hap” Langstaff was the first President of our Club and he was extremely instrumental in organizing the original group that purchased the McMurray Road property and constructed the original Mt. Lebanon Golf Club golf course. However, as time went by, the Mt. Lebanon Golf Club improved the old farmhouse and added several additions to it. Also, the swimming pool was constructed between the clubhouse and the Pro Shop.
In the early 1960’s the Mt. Lebanon Golf Club members decided it was time to build the new clubhouse on the area behind the ninth and eighteenth tees. But some members mentioned it would cost as much to build the new clubhouse behind those two tees as it would to build the new clubhouse at another location where the Club could construct a new 27-hole golf course.
The Club really needed 27 holes because play at Mt. Lebanon Golf Course was very heavy. In the early 1960’s a committee was formed for the purpose of finding a suitable site for the new clubhouse and a 27-hole golf course. One of our long time members, Mr. U.C. “Henry” Bernabei, located and explored many farms in this area before he found the land upon which Valley Brook Country Club is now located. Our present land was put together from two farms and a piece of land that was owned by the Consolidation Coal Company.
This land was acquired by the Club, construction of the new 27-hole golf course and clubhouse was started in 1966, and completed in the spring of 1968. During the course of construction the Club asked the members to submit names for the new Club. The Club selected the name Valley Brook Country Club. The original architects of the course were James G. Harrison and Ferdinand Garbin. Robert Trent Jones Sr. arrived 7 years later and redesigned the Greens and Bunkers of the Red Nine.