Byrne Golf Club's Next Chapter: A Year-Round Youth Learning Center
Right on the edge of Academy Gardens, a public golf course is getting ready to grow up. First Tee — Greater Philadelphia, which has run the city-owned John F. Byrne Golf Club at 9550 Leon Street since 2019, is planning a 7,800-square-foot Learning Center there, with groundbreaking targeted for fall 2026 and completion in 2027.
I love this one because Byrne is part of the neighborhood's map — Wikipedia lists the course as one of Academy Gardens' boundaries, alongside Pennypack Park, Grant Avenue and Holme Avenue — and the project is aimed squarely at Northeast Philly kids.
According to First Tee's project page, the Phase Two renovation adds a Learning Center built for youth development, golf instruction, mentorship and life-skills programming. The plan calls for four golf simulators, an indoor putting green and flexible classrooms, which First Tee says will let it serve 500 additional students a year and run real winter programming. It also lists 10 new "Access 2 Golf" outreach programs, student-only spaces with separate entrances, and renovated office and volunteer space.
The project's April 2026 submittal to the Philadelphia Art Commission lists a total budget of $3.5 million, with Kimmel Architecture as the design lead, and notes that the commission gave conceptual approval on March 11 and that the project was submitted for final review on April 8, 2026. (The architects' letter places the course in the Torresdale section; it sits right on the Academy Gardens line, which is why both neighborhoods can claim it.)
First Tee says demand has outgrown the current clubhouse: students lack dedicated practice and learning space, winter programs are limited, and waitlists are keeping Northeast Philadelphia kids out. Since taking over in 2019, the nonprofit has already added an automated irrigation system, renovated the clubhouse and rebuilt cart paths, according to First Tee's 2024 filing with the city's Art Commission.
First Tee's page says groundbreaking is planned for fall 2026, but I haven't found a public announcement that shovels are in the ground yet, so treat the date as a target. The nonprofit is still raising money through naming opportunities, several of which are listed as reserved. I'll update this post when a groundbreaking date or construction schedule is announced.
Is John F. Byrne Golf Club near Academy Gardens?
Yes. Wikipedia lists the John F. Byrne Golf Course as one of Academy Gardens' boundaries, along with Pennypack Park, Grant Avenue and Holme Avenue. The club's address is 9550 Leon Street, Philadelphia, PA 19114.
What is being built at John F. Byrne Golf Club?
First Tee — Greater Philadelphia plans a 7,800-square-foot Learning Center with four golf simulators, an indoor putting green and classrooms for year-round youth programs.
When will the Byrne Golf Club Learning Center open?
First Tee says groundbreaking is planned for fall 2026, with completion in 2027. A specific opening date has not been announced.
If a neighborhood with fairways and Pennypack Park at the end of the street sounds like your speed, my Academy Gardens neighborhood guide is a great place to start, and the rest of Northeast Philly is mapped too.
I'm always happy to see a Northeast Philly landmark investing in the next generation — a winter-proof place for kids to practice, learn and find a mentor is a win for every block around it. I'm Nick Rau, President of Sales with the Rarity Real Estate Team, ranked in the Top 1% of agents nationally (RealTrends 2025, individual), with more than 135 Google reviews, and I live in Bucks County.
Rarity Real Estate Team, 1100 N Delaware Ave Suite A, Philadelphia, PA 19125 · (215) 593-7498 · [email protected]
Questions about Academy Gardens or the Far Northeast? Call (215) 593-7498 or email [email protected].
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Featured photo: golfers at John F. Byrne Golf Club, 9550 Leon St., Oct. 2026. Photo (cropped): Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, public domain, via Flickr.
Sources: First Tee — Greater Philadelphia, Phase Two Renovation; Philadelphia Art Commission submittal, April 2026; John F. Byrne Golf Club; Wikipedia: Academy Gardens, Philadelphia.
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