Latrobe C.C. golf course
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Latrobe C.C. golf course
Many holes at Latrobe Country Club fall down or climb back up the natural rolling hillsides in rural Pennsylvania. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Latrobe Country Club
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Latrobe Country Club
A pond is one of the hazards at Latrobe Country Club, where Arnold Palmer grew up playing golf. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Latrobe C.C. golf course - hole 8
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Latrobe C.C. golf course - hole 8
The eighth hole at Latrobe Country Club is the no. 1 handicap on the golf course. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Latrobe C.C. golf course - hole 10
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Latrobe C.C. golf course - hole 10
The view is nice from the elevated 10th tee, the start of a strong par 3 at Latrobe Country Club in Pennsylvania. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Latrobe C.C. golf course - hole 18
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Latrobe C.C. golf course - hole 18
Good luck hitting through this narrow chute on the 18th hole at Latrobe Country Club in Pennsylvania. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Latrobe C.C. golf course - Arnold Palmer umbrella
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Latrobe C.C. golf course - Arnold Palmer umbrella
The tee markers at Latrobe Country Club are in the shape of the iconic Arnold Palmer umbrella. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Latrobe C.C. golf course - hole 2
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Latrobe C.C. golf course - hole 2
The 139-yard second hole at Latrobe Country Club drops roughly 40 feet from the elevated tee to the tiny green. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Latrobe Country Club entrance
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Latrobe Country Club entrance
Like everything else at Latrobe Country Club, the entrance is understated. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Latrobe Country Club - dining area
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Latrobe Country Club - dining area
The clubhouse at Latrobe Country Club is filled with lots of Arnold Palmer memorabilia. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
Arnold Palmer drink
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Arnold Palmer drink
Now that Latrobe Country Club allows public access through a stay-and-play at a local hotel, you, too, can drink an Arnold Palmer where the King grew up playing golf. Jason Scott Deegan/Golf Advisor
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Latrobe Country Club: Arnold Palmer's Kingdom is a blast from the past in rural Pennsylvania

LATROBE, Pa. -- Latrobe Country Club plays a big part in golf's lore.

The private club, hidden in the rolling hills of rural Pennsylvania an hour southeast of Pittsburgh, is where Arnold Palmer learned the game. He returns every summer after a winter away at his Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando.

The country club is a classic routing famous for its landmark three covered bridges. The evergreens and pines that were little when Palmer was young have matured to pinch fairways tight and terrorize golfers. As one local told me, it is a "heartbreaker" of a golf course with plenty of hills and valleys. Latrobe C.C. might look simple and straightforward -- it is only 6,517 yards from the tips -- but good luck taming it.

Every golfer should visit to pay tribute to the King. You might not run into Palmer, but touring the clubhouse to see the memorabilia and photos is alone worth the price of admission. Many visitors say Latrobe Country Club's low-key vibe feels like taking a time machine back to the 1950s.

Golfers who aren't members can play the course through a stay-and-play package at the SpringHill Suites Pittsburgh Latrobe less than a mile away. The new hotel, which opened in 2012 as part of the Marriott chain, features tons of artwork and displays celebrating Palmer's career throughout its lobby. This is, after all, Palmer's Kingdom.

Jason Scott Deegan has reviewed and photographed more than 1,100 courses and written about golf destinations in 25 countries for some of the industry's biggest publications. His work has been honored by the Golf Writer's Association of America and the Michigan Press Association. Follow him on Instagram at @jasondeegangolfpass and Twitter at @WorldGolfer.
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Latrobe Country Club: Arnold Palmer's Kingdom is a blast from the past in rural Pennsylvania