While golf may not be the first thought that comes to mind when West Virginia is mentioned, the state holds an important place in U.S. golf tradition and contemporary play. Not only is West Virginia home to some of the top public courses in the nation but one course, the Greenbrier, has been the site of several important events in the history of U.S. golf.
Mountain Courses
On mountain courses you will generally encounter hilly terrain, borders and hazards that incorporate the woods, uphill shots and iconic mountain scenery. You will find that the Raven Golf Club at Snowshoe Mountain has all those characteristics and was chosen by GolfWeek magazine in 2009 as the second-best course to play in the state. With a USGA course rating of 75.5 for a par-72 field, the Raven Golf Club is also one of the state's most difficult.
Golf Resorts
As a golf enthusiast, you understand that there is nothing like combining golf with a vacation. West Virginia has a number of resorts where you can combine golf with vacation accommodations such as the Glade Spring Resort. Chosen by Golf Digest as one of the top 10 golfing facilities in the state, Glade Springs features two 18-hole golf courses and a golf academy. You can also enjoy the resorts' special "stay and golf" packages in conjunction with the resort such as the "Unlimited Golf Package." This offer includes overnight accommodations at the resort, unlimited golf on any of the resort's courses and a full buffet breakfast.
Player-Designed Courses
Golf course design is a multimillion dollar business that has attracted some of the sport's top players to try their hand. West Virgina is home to several player-designed layouts including the Arnold Palmer Signature Course at the Stonewall Resort. As the name implies, the course was designed by golfing legend Arnold Palmer, in 2002. In 2009, Golf Digest magazine voted it as one of the greatest golf courses in the nation. The 18-hole, 7,100-yard, par-72 course is set on the edge of Stonewall Lake and provides you open tee shots into narrower fairways bordered by trees and wetlands.
State-Owned Courses
While the majority of public courses in West Virginia are privately owned, there are a number of top-rated state-owned and -administered facilities that you can enjoy. For example, the golf course at Cacapon State Resort Park is administered by the West Virginia State Park System. The Cacapon course, which was chosen by Golf Digest in 2009 as the best municipal course in the state, is a 6,800-yard, par-72 layout with three ponds, long open fairways and bunker-bordered greens.
Courses Important in Golf History
The golf facility at Greenbrier is intimately linked to the golf in the United States. It was originally opened for play in 1914, and you can play on the same course that has hosted some of the best players in the world such as Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan and Sam Snead. Moreover, it was the first site at which U.S.-Europe Ryder Cup competition was ever played. It is also the only course in the world to have hosted both the Ryder Cup and the Solheim Cup. More recently, it was chosen by Golf Magazine as one of the 10 "best-of-the-best" courses in North America. The facilities at Greenbrier feature three 18-hole championship courses set outside of White Sulphur Springs.
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