Blue Bell Country Club’s benefits and high standards rank us as one of the finest golfing facilities in the Delaware Valley. The first step in acquiring this recognition was the inception of the Arnold Palmer Signature Golf Course on June 1, 1994. In the same year it opened a double-tiered driving range, a 25 meter swimming pool and cabana, and 6 all-weather plexipave tennis courts (3 of which are lighted). In its second year of existence, Blue Bell Country Club opened a beautiful 22,000 SQ FT, full service clubhouse.
In 1996, a 13,000 SQ FT expansion was completed. This expansion houses a dramatic Grand Ballroom, a fitness center, a golfer’s halfway house, expanded kitchen and storage facilities, and a terraced deck overlooking the 9th and 18th greens. Changes to the gold course included the complete conversion to bent grass fairways and greens and the planting of over 400 trees.
In 1998, even more physical improvements were added to this first-class facility. For the convenience of members and their guests, men’s and ladies’ restrooms were constructed next to the driving range; additional lockers were installed in the men’s locker room, the new Whitpain Room was finished to accommodate card playing members, host member committee meetings, and other club-related events. Lighting and ceiling fans were installed in the veranda for evening dining.
January 2002 brought about a completely renovated Putter’s Grille, the Club’s casual dining area. The renovated grill doubled in size and opened with a new bar, pendant lighting, addition of Plasma HDTV, and more sports-themed ambiance. A luxurious new Grand Ballroom, the Club’s 300-500 person meeting room, completed the Club’s first-floor enhancements. A brand new and enlarged fitness center, a private ladies’ card room, an expanded and renovated men’s locker room, which comes with food and beverage service, round out the enhancements to the Club’s lower level.
In March of 2012, William Beisel, Blue Bell Country Club’s General Manager, met with Arnold Palmer Design Company to finalize the design plans for the bunker renovation on holes 13, 14, 16 and 18. As a result, not only are the bunkers being enhanced, but the area around the greens are being re-shaped to offer new and exciting shot options. According to Beisel, “It is a unique opportunity to meet in the field with Arnold Palmer Design Company lead designer Brandon Johnson together with the construction team headed by Country Golf Inc., President Jerry Deemer. The expert consensus is to alter the second shot options on #13 to allow for a run up shot, provide a unique cross bunker on #14 as well as creating collection areas to the right and back of the green, and to strategically re-shape the front greenside bunker on #16. Hole #18 will remain unchanged but the two large greenside bunkers will be completely renovated as originally planned. We are very excited with these course alterations. I’m confident our members will enjoy these changes.”
The excitement doesn’t stop there. Blue Bell CC also finalized a new design plan for the driving range which will increase the turf hitting area by over 40%. The driving range renovation will include the installation of a new mat system to be used at the range when the grass area is not in use. This state of the art mat system will be 300 feet long and will provide 25% more hitting stations then in the past. Both of these projects are expected to be completed by the middle of 2012.