VA Road Trip

My wife and I took to the road in October of this year to visit family and see golf courses in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and North Carolina.  We discovered hidden gems and courses that will be very well known soon.

United States Naval Academy Golf Course, the best course I played on the trip

Our trip began near where I grew up in Virginia.  Even though I grew up in the area, I never played Front Royal Golf Club.  When I was a kid, I dismissed it as a nine hole course, and therefore not worthy of playing.  How silly was I to deprive myself of such a fun course on a wild piece of property.

Front Royal Golf Club, Par three 3rd green looking down on the 4th hole

The second day of the trip was purely about numbers.  If you follow my blog, you know I am approaching 2000 golf courses played, and I decided to spend a day playing executive and par three courses in Northern Virginia.  Some were in good shape, some were not.  Some had interesting architecture, others did not.

Lake Ridge Golf Club, Woodbridge, VA

Virginia Golf Center, Broad Run, VA

Oak Marr Golf Center, Oakton, VA

Burke Lake Golf Center, Fairfax Station, VA

The third day of the trip began with a real hidden gem, the Gibson Island Club, in Maryland.  This nine hole course is what remains of an eighteen hole course designed by MacDonald & Raynor.  Roughly seven of the original holes remain, and their work is as strong as ever.  A new redan themed par three is currently being built and there is a master plan to implement more Raynor-themed improvements.

Gibson Island Club, 8th green and 9th hole

The second course of the day was the real star of the trip, The United States Naval Academy Golf course was originally designed by William Flynn, and was very recently restored by Andrew Green.  Green is known for his massive restoration projects like Oak Hill and Congressional, but his work at USNA might be his best.  

United States Naval Academy, Par three 12th hole in foreground with par four 14th green in background

We headed to Delaware to see friends on day four which allowed me to play some rounds in the Bethany Beach area.  Once again I hit a couple executive and par three courses, along with the newly opened Plantation Lakes Golf Club designed by Arthur Hills.

The Salt Pond, Bethany Beach, Delaware

Bethany Bay Golf Club, Delaware

Plantation Lakes Golf & Country Club, Millsboro, Delaware

We began the drive back to South Carolina on the fifth day of the trip.  We stopped in the Richmond area to check out the newly opened Cutalong at Lake Anna.  This course was designed by Tom Clark, with help from former Golf Digest editor Ron Whitten.  Every hole has an inspiration from a famous architect, and the designers did very well with the different themes on a wonderful piece of property.

Cutalong at Lake Anna, the Redan themed short par four 10th hole

Cutalong at Lake Anna, The Biarritz themed par three 12th hole

\I headed into Colonial Williamsburg to finish out day five for a round on the soon to be closed Spotswood executive course at Golden Horseshoe Golf Club.  I am always sad to see courses close.  This one had some very good short par threes.

Golden Horseshoe, Spotswood Course, Williamsburg, Virginia

The final day of the trip brought a return to the Outer Banks of North Carolina and a round at Kilmarlic Golf Club in Powells Point.  The course was designed in the 1990's by Tom Steele, and is one of the best in the Outer Banks.

Kilmarlic Golf Club, Par three 2nd hole

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