The legacy, not to mention the philanthropy, of Milton S. Hershey is still apparent everywhere you look at Hersheypark, the central Pennsylvania theme park known for its chocolate tours, wild coasters and water rides.

The history of the famous candy maker is so daunting, so immense, it can even overshadow the history of golf at Hershey, which is richer than a milk-chocolate bar.

Consider:

Ben Hogan was the head golf professional at Hershey Country Club from 1941-51, a period in which he won six major tournaments on the PGA Tour, including three U.S. Open titles.

He was recommended for the job by the former head professional, Henry Picard, who won 20 of his 26 PGA Tour titles while he was at Hershey from 1933 to 1940

Byron Nelson won the 1940 PGA Championship at the West Course at Hershey Country Club, beating Sam Snead, 2 and 1, when he hit a 3-iron to 10 feet at No. 18, a par-3 hole (now No. 5) whose green sits just outside the front porch of the chocolatier's mansion.

Make no mistake, there is more than just Chocolate World, 11 roller-coasters and an 80-feet water plunge for visitors to Hersheypark. There are 36 holes of golf at Hershey Country Club, another 18 holes at the Michael Hurdzan-designed Hershey Links and nine holes at beginner-friendly Spring Creek, all of which are accessible by shuttle from the grandiose Hershey Hotel or the voluminous 665-room Hershey Lodge (only visitors to the hotel or lodge can play the country club).

"It's not just golf history; it's chocolate history, too," said Ned Graff, the resort's director of golf. The West Course, designed by Scottish architect Maurice McCarthy in 1930, is the most charming of the 63 holes at Hershey, featuring narrow, tree-lined fairways and small undulating greens that, at times, funnel around the Hershey mansion and a refurbished one-room schoolhouse. There is even a view of the smoke stacks at the chocolate factory from the fourth fairway.

The East Course, a George Fazio design that opened in 1970, is more hilly and more difficult, playing approximately 200 yards longer (7,061) and with more uphill approaches. The course rating at the East (74.5) is nearly two shots more from the back tees than the West (72.6)

For a more modern-look, the Hershey Links has it all -- wide fairways framed with fescue, forced carries over ravines and large, angled greens, the last of which at the 501-yard finishing hole sits nicely in front of a clubhouse designed after the clubhouse at Troon, Scotland. The course has hosted three U.S. Open qualifiers.

"From the most novice golfer to the best golfer, we have golf for every level of play," said Graff, who formerly worked at the Pete Dye Golf Club in Clarksburg, W.Va.

Who was the last player to win a major championship at Saucon Valley Country Club, site of the 64th Women's U.S. Open? Answer at end.

Bethpage Black, site of the recent U.S. Open won by Lucas Glover, is located in a park and owned by the state of New York.

Torrey Pines, site of the 2008 U.S. Open won by Tiger Woods, is a municipal course owned by the city of La Jolla, Calif.

They are, without argument, the best municipal courses in the country, which a recent poll of Golf Digest magazine confirmed.

The best municipal course in Pennsylvania?

According to the magazine, it's Cranberry Highlands, the Bill Love-designed layout owned and operated by Cranberry Township. Cranberry Highlands, which opened in 2002 and features a $50 weekday greens fee, was awarded four out of a possible five stars in Golf Digest's listing of the best municipal courses in each state.

The course has to be owned by a city, township, county or state to qualify for the rankings. Bethpage Black was the only municipal course to receive a five-star rating.

"It's exciting," said Jon Shuster, director of golf at Cranberry Highlands. "The township is going nuts over it. It's a very nice recognition for our place."

Indeed, Cranberry Highlands is well-deserving of the ranking. The course features manicured contoured fairways, sharp-edge bunkers, angled greens, mounding and fescue grasses. Five new tees were recently added to stretch the layout to 6,513 yards.

Frank B. Fuhrer has always admired the traditions of the Masters and the way the Augusta National Golf Club conducts the first major tournament of the season.

So, in addition to offering a $25,000 first prize to his three-day, 72-hole invitational that was played last week at the Pittsburgh Field Club, Fuhrer decided to also present a tartan plaid jacket to the winner, which turned out to be amateur Nathan Smith. He will also give custom-fitted tartan blazers, which cost more than $1,000 apiece, to each of the winners since 1999, when the tournament was expanded to 72 holes.

Next year, he will go even one better.

Like they do at the Masters, Fuhrer will hold what he is calling a champions dinner on Monday night of his tournament, inviting all the past winners of the event, dating to 1985 when the tournament was previously known as the Pittsburgh Open.

"W e feel this is the best tournament anywhere for club professionals, and we want to make it even better," Fuhrer said. "I always liked what they do at the Masters and I try to copy some of that.

Dave Pelz, the short-game guru and greenside instructor for world No. 2 Phil Mickelson, has a new book due out in another month -- "Dave Pelz's Damage Control," designed to teach players, mostly higher handicappers, how to avoid costly big numbers that can ruin a round.

Pelz and his staff will bring that knowledge when the Dave Pelz Scoring Game School returns to Birdsfoot Golf Club in Freeport Aug. 4-8. The school will feature a series of one-day putting and wedge clinics. To enroll, call 1-800-735-9868 or go to www.pelzgolf.com.

The 11th Gerry Dulac Parkway West Rotary Charity Classic is July 20 at Diamond Run GC. Entry is $180 and includes gift, box lunch, dinner and silent auction. Call 724-947-1234.

Hale Irwin won the 2000 U.S. Senior Open at Saucon Valley with a score of 17-under par.