Butler's and Rock Run -- FAQ. Elizabeth, PA. Enjoy!

.

GIFT CARDS

Any $ amount,
no expiration date.

Stop in (call for hours),
Buy online, or
Call 412-751-9121

Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there on-course drinking water? Yes, we have drinking fountains with piped-in city water at various spots on the course. It's not cooled, but we do sell bottled water in the restaurant and at our snack stands at both #10 tees if you prefer cold water. We have never had the type of coolers that are refilled manually. Years ago, we had the fun, old-fashioned hand pumps that brought up fresh, ice-cold well water; however, the state forced us to remove them. Although we tested the water regularly and nobody ever got sick, we would have been required to chlorinate and treat the water in the same way as the water company because we were considered a municipal water source. Why? Because over 100 people MIGHT drink our water in a day. It's a goofy world.

What is a scramble? A scramble format is a fun way to play (and it's the format that we require shotgun start outings to play, so it's not just for beginners). Every player tees off, then the foursome decides which drive is best. The other players pick up their drives and all 4 players hit from the spot where the 'best' drive sits. Now the best second shot is chosen, and all 4 players hit their third shots from that spot. This continues until the hole is finished. The foursome records just *one* score for the hole, and it is just the number of 'best' strokes taken. Every hole is played this way. There is no individual score. This almost always means that your foursome's score is reaaaallllllllyy good compared to your normal individual score.

How does Butler's hold up after heavy rain? Very nicely. The course drains well, especially the USGA spec greens on the back 9 of Lakeside (which also features continuous cart paths, so we can easily let carts out on that nine). There are times when it is too wet (or icy) for riding carts, but it is unusual. After Hurricane Ivan (about 5 inches of rain; 9/17/04) on a Friday, we were quite busy on Saturday, with carts restricted to the paths on the back 9 of Lakeside. Golfers were quite pleased with the conditions. By Sunday, carts were back to normal.

What is the difference between your two courses? See our comparison sheet for many details.

Where is Butler's located? See our detailed map and directions page! For starters, we're 45 minutes southeast of Pittsburgh in Elizabeth Township (near McKeesport). Yes, this is Allegheny County. We are NOT in Butler or McKees Rocks.

What is a shotgun start? A shotgun start simply means that all players tee off at just about the same time. We don't actually use a shotgun to signal the start. This is possible because each foursome starts on a different hole. Usually, two groups are assigned to each hole, so not EVERY single group starts at the same moment. In this format, all of the players finish at about the same time (unless some groups are not keeping pace), which makes it nice if there is a group meal. Each foursome plays all 18 holes in order, but if you start on #17, you then play #18, #1, #2, and so on until you finish on #16. One alternative way to start are a standard sequential start ('straight tees'), where each group starts at hole #1 and finishes on #18. We can start about 30 players per hour, so if your group has 120 people, the last player will tee off (and finish) approximately four hours after the first group. A third type of start is a double-tee start. This means that half of your group starts at #1. They play #1-#9 then #10-#18. The other half starts at #10. They play #10-#18 then #1-#9. This type of start cuts the delay in half. For example, with 120 players, the last player will tee off (and finish) approximately two hours after the first group. Some large groups prefer this. For instance, it allows a more relaxed check-in since everyone is not arriving at one time. If some players cannot arrive until late, they can be assigned a tee time in one of the last foursomes. Also, if you are running a putting contest after golf, it is a lot easier to manage.

Why can't I view any of your menus or links that are Adobe PDF format? You'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader. Adobe Reader is a free download -- click here (adobe.com) to obtain it... Once you have Adobe Reader, your browser may open the files when you click on them at a website. Or, your browser may be configured to force you to download the file and save it to your dist before opening it. To save it, hover on the underlined link with your mouse, then click the RIGHT mouse button. You should see several options, and the one you want will say something like "Download this file" or "Save Link As..." or "Save Target As..." Be sure to save it to a folder where you'll remember to find it (like My Download Files). If you're lucky, your browser will leave a little window open, and all you need to do is click on the file name or on a word like "Open". If not, you'll have to navigate through your file folders to find the file, then open it.

Is fishing permitted in the lakes? No, we are unfortunately not able to safely accommodate fishing. A fishing club did operate at our big lake for many years. Now our lakes seem to feature mainly carp.
Why the name 'Butler's' when the course is in Elizabeth? It's the family name: John W. Butler built the course, and his two daughters (Mildred Butler Nill and Eva Butler Waldbaum) took over the course operations. Mildred had two children (Ralph and Virginia). Ralph was pressed into service when the superintendent suddenly took another job, and he has been here lovingly caring for the course ever since. Ralph has two children (Christy and Jake), and now they're both working at the course, too. Many people still think that we are in Butler, PA. We have had our packages delivered to courses in Butler, and we all have Butler Country Club's phone number in our Rolodexes because we get at least a dozen calls each year for them (true example: "My husband is playing there today and I have an emergency." Our tee sheet didn't have his name or anyone she mentioned. We finally figured that he was at Butler CC.). What is the dress code? We require shirts and shoes to be worn on the course. Golf attire and soft spikes are preferred. Shorts are welcome. Why we have to be patient with ice and frost: We think that a golfer attempted to break up the ice with a rake in February '01 (trying to be helpful?).