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Our friends at Golfjay.com and Fingerlakes1.com were kind enough to feature us, our site and our project on their weekly podcast (week of 6/4/18). Hear about how this journey got started and why we're sharing the journey to 1000 with you and the golf world! Please be so kind to give them a thumbs up on their YouTube page at https://youtu.be/X8AyEa317kE after you watch the video below. The Golf Crusade discussion is the first thing out of the gate, so start from scratch! Thanks again to Rhett, Jim and Doug for having us on! You guys have officially Joined The Crusade!

You remember those fantasy courses in the old Tiger Woods video games? Remember the one called ‘The Predator’? Ever wonder what it would be like to play it? Guess what, now you can! Best part is, it’s not in some far away jungle, it’s located on an active rock quarry in Winchester, Virginia. Welcome to 36 holes of straight up crazy ass golf at Rock Harbor! Introduction I have driven up and down I-81 so many times in the last two decades, I would pick up even the most subtle changes along the route. Stands to reason that when I saw a new golf course go up on 'attractions' sign near the exits for Winchester - the northernmost town in Virginia along the 323 miles of Interstate 81 in the Commonwealth - that I'd look into it, but probably never play it. I'm glad that wasn't the case. Turns out, some of the boys from back home and I have put together a sort-of-annual buddies golf weekend about halfway between Upstate New York and East Tennessee. Turns out, Winchester is just about exactly halfway and I had heard enough stories over the years that piqued my interest to investigate Rock Harbor as the potential centerpiece of a future trip. Turns out, it was a good move. Course Setting The club is aptly named. As are its two courses (Rock and Boulder). Webster tells us... Rock (noun): 1. The solid mineral material forming part of the surface of the earth and other similar planets, exposed on the surface or underlying the soil or oceans. 2. A large piece of rock that has become detached from a cliff or mountain (OR UNEARTHED FROM A FREAKING QUARRY!!); a boulder. Harbor (noun): a place on the coast where vessels may find shelter, especially one protected from rough water by piers, jetties, and other artificial structures. Like I said, its in a rock quarry - and a hilly one at that. The lakes are large enough to be navigable with a small motor craft. Don't know about the fishing, but you can probably earn a competitive wage diving for golf balls. The property sits right off the bypass around town. What you see from the highway are the tame, opening holes to each loop. It does not represent what you get over the hill. I dont know what the going rate for granite is by the ton, but my guess is they have hundreds of thousands - if not millions - of dollars in granite littered throughout this unique property. Some mark boundaries, some play as hazard and some are just plain aesthetic. Either way you shank it, it'll hurt your ball if you hit one. If you are in granite sales and have played this course, please contact us and give us your best estimate! Lastly, the courses were built at different times - basically as land became available from the quarry after it was mined/excavated. The Boulder is the newer and more difficult of the two (like you're getting an easy round in on either though). Clubhouse/ProShop/Practice Facilities I should add one more thing to this category... the people! Man, were they awesome to us. The pro shop attendant felt so bad he comped our first 9 (didn't get to the back 9 on The Rock) and they let us back out as soon as it let up for our PM round. The kitchen and wait staff were fantastic. I even met a ranger late in the day who after chatting us up turned out to be the father of a guy with whom I went to college. 5-star staff all the way. The breakfast sandwich was a legit partial remedy for what happens on the first night of a buddy trip (i.e. you think you're 21 again, but you are sorely mistaken the next morning). The only bad thing about the day we played was that it poured on us. I mean angry rain. We planned to get all 36 in, but rain/cold forced us inside after 9 on the Rock. The rain did give us time - along with a lot of other out-of-towners - to get warm, dry out and eat a full-service lunch. Seriously, these people do it right. Even if you didn't play golf, it's the type of restaurant you'd go to once a week for lunch or breakfast. Don't know if a big lunch helped or hurt the round to come, but it tasted great! There was a range and a large practice area. A nice touch was the giant net that skirted the 9th fairway of the Rock course to collect errant shots. All in all, this was pretty good for a public track. They certainly expect some of their customers to drive long distances to play here given all of warm-up amenities. That's nice to see these days. All that said, let's play some golf... Course Vitals Get a yardage book! You'll need it. Each hole has at least SIX sets of tees and NINE pin placements. Some holes have alternate East and West tee groupings. The options in setup are as diverse as in routes you choose to play. More on that in a sec. Do yourself the favor we didn't and use the practice facilities before stepping on the first tee box. You're going to need to be good and warmed up, if not on the first tee, then by the third hole. The course has two distinctive looks; farmland (opening holes) and cracked out quarry (everything else). I mean that as a compliment too. This is an alternative golf course, without question. If you like a traditional layout, then Shenandoah Valley is a pretty good public track not far from here, with 27 holes as play. Right next door to that (literally - it's across the street) is Bowling Green CC that boasts 36 holes. Now that we've warned you, let's continue. This review won't really be able to walk you thru a traditional round since we didn't play the whole thing, may have snapped pics of holes we didn't get to play due to rain or just had too many beers the night before and can't remember the order. Instead, we'll focus on the individual holes themselves, because they are fascinating! The visual intimidation is impressive. The course is wide open in places, so you can see multiple holes from different angles. The best example of this type of anxiety hazard is the island green (Hole #7/Rock course). Depending on what course you're playing and how much you know about the property, you may not know if you're even playing that hole in your round - but you think about the rest of the day after seeing it. Not sure if this was intentional by the designer, but kudos if it was. Speaking of the designer/architect, there's a very interesting history piece on Rock Harbor's website that details how and why the course came to life. The designer, Dennis Perry, was the head of the company that owned the quarry and decided to build a course on the excess land. If that's not the dream of every armchair architect out there, then I haven't met many of them. That brings us to the most important question of the day... If you had the chance to build an actual golf hole, what kind of crazy ass shit would you dream up? P.B. Dye once said, "I’m a golfer’s worst nightmare– a bulldozer operator with a scratch handicap and an Irish sense of humor,” I don't know what Mr. Perry's handicap is, but Google tells me the name Perry is of English or Welsh origin. I also know dude had a ton of heavy equipment laying around to move some earth. Take the 4th hole on the Boulder for example... It looks fairly normal from the tee. It's a 534/480 yard par-5 from the back two tees. Not unreasonable at all, right? Looks like a standard up and around dogleg. Let's go deeper... First, you have boulders lining the cart path the entire way up the hill. Next there was clearly some earth moving done to build the forward tees and make it less penal/flatter from tee to landing area. There is a pond down to the right you can make out that doesn't really come into play now, but serves as one of those anxiety hazards for a later hole. Now the video game stuff comes into play... Look closer if you can to where the tees are pointing though - they don't point left to the fairway, they point at the gap in the trees and what look like boulders on the ground. It's hard to see, so let's look at the reverse view of the same hole... The 'shortcut' through the gap in the trees cuts 100 yards off the hole, but they're daring you to do it through a slag pit waste area littered with giant boulders. All of that occurs before you still have to make an approach to a very protected heart-shaped, multi-tiered green. In other words, if you shank a drive and have to play the shortcut, hit the power-up button and go for it. Otherwise, play normal golf and go the path of least resistance. They all aren't crazy, but what fun is talking about the ones that aren't? Two holes later you are faced with another choice off the tee. Another par-5, but this time it comes in at cool 714/651 yards from the aptly named Black and Blue tees, respectively. Fear not, it's all down hill from there - literally, no figuratively, ah screw it - just hit it far. The yardage is measured to the left. This time though, the shortcut plays through a little easier and wider gap, though still through the rough. The choice is yours depending on the strengths in your game. Another surprise lurks beyond the trees... If you play left, you're greeted with giant boulders turned on end like you're approaching Stonehenge. Again, I said this place was unique. Not only that, but there's two greens down there. Not a double green, two greens with bunker that resembles an octopus more than anything. Here's what your nine pin placements look like with deer antlers in between the two. Worse yet, looking at the approach shot above, you can hardly notice the hazard lying below grade to engulf what you may only assume was a shot hit fat or thin. I know we weren't going in order, but it just worked out that way for a few holes. One more, then we'll skip around. The 7th is a 371/352 yard, dogleg left par-4 with a great look off the tee (above). If you draw the ball, hook it just a little left of the rock pile in the middle. That'll leave you a nice wedge into guess what? Another DOUBLE GREEN!!! This one actually makes sense to me and provides one of the better vantage points on a course full of great ones. All of that was written about three holes. Again, there are thirty six here. I'm already over 10K characters, so here's a little visual buffet of some of the other best views, shots, holes & hazards of Rock Harbor... Conclusion These courses aren't going to be for everyone. However, they weren't built for everyone, either. They were designed to be an alternative to the classic country club and a way to reuse land once scarred by mining. In all of those senses, Rock Harbor accomplishes exactly what it was designed to be. It's hard to be critical of conditions when it was as wet as it was, but there were only a few blemishes on an otherwise green and granite canvas. The best part, this will be the closest golf course to my folks' place when they retire to their new house in Winchester! I'd rarely play a course twice that is out of town, but I want to play the whole shebang next time and without the rain! CRUSADER RATING: 4.25 STARS for The Boulder Course and 3.75 STARS for The Rock Last played: May 2017 Website: https://rockharborgolf.com/ Tee Times: 866-273-1934 or https://rockharborgolf.com/book-a-tee-time/ GPS: 365 Rock Harbor Drive, Winchester, VA 22602 Sincerely Fores, Dooner

Boogity! Boogity!! Boogity!!! LET'S GO... golfing, boys??? Yuuup! Whether you're coming in for a NASCAR race, an NFL or NBA game, even a golf tourney, we'll give you the down and dirty on where to play when in the Queen City. About the Region: It’s official, Charlotte has become a sports destination city. Let’s start with the fact this is the “home” for nearly every team in NASCAR, the sport’s Hall of Fame, three big race NASCAR weekends a year at Charlotte Motor Speedway and even now 4-wide NHRA drag racing at ZMax Dragway. While racing was the roots of the sports movement here, there is now a forest of options from which to choose... The Carolina Panthers have sold out every home game they’ve ever played and just sold for the highest figure ever for a sports franchise. The stadium also holds the ACC Football Championship, the Belk Bowl and a preseason kickoff game. You can throw in some international soccer friendlies that sold the 70K+ seat stadium out too! There is even the beginning whispers of a Super Bowl bid down the line. The Hornets are back in town and will host the NBA All-Star game in the near future. A state-of-the-art minor league baseball stadium opened just a few years ago ‘Uptown’ (that’s what downtown is called in Charlotte speak) with a view of the entire skyline from nearly every seat in the house. See? Then there is professional golf… Did you know: The PGA Championship held in Charlotte in 2017 the first major championship held in North Carolina outside of the Village of Pinehurst since the 1974 PGA Championship at Tanglewood Park? Some guy named Trevino won that one. Sure, the USGA loves Pinehurst No. 2, but it just doesn’t seem possible that it took the PGA over 40 years to come back. Well in case you hadn’t heard, it went REALLY well! Both of your favorite Golf Crusaders actually attended the final round and found it among the best golf events either one of us had ever seen in person. A return trip for the annual tour event – or the President’s Cup in 2021 – is in the hopper! Speaking of the annual event, Charlotte has hosted the Wachovia Wells Fargo Invitational at Quail Hollow (the same course as ’17 PGA and President’s Cup) for the past decade or so. There’s a reason though that the PGA awarded their biggest prize to the biggest city in the Carolinas... The course is a magnificent test and the galleries are as passionate as any outside of NYC. Plus, you can play the Jim Nantz drinking game while watching the broadcast – drink every time he says “Green Mile”! While the golf conversation around ‘The QC’ tends to start with Quail these days, it doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of good public tracks that you can play if you’re in the area. Charlotte is mainly known as the second largest banking hub in the country, so as many people come to town for business as they do for pleasure. If you’re going, here are a few pointers on where to stay and where to play… About the Golf: Charlotte has its own distinct golf flavor. It isn’t a true golf destination the way that D.C. or Atlanta are viewed. With respect, it's not those places, but it's come a long way. The greens fees are reasonable for a large metro area (what costs you $100 in those cities is often just $65 here) and the course inventory has both quantity and quality. The Queen City benefited from the golf boom of the 90s and early 2000s as much as any major city in the eastern U.S. Most of the courses inside the I-485 loop are private; the ones that aren’t private are munis about which you won’t spend much time writing home. Since the three major hubs that house guests lay inside the loop as well, that means you’re probably driving a bit to your tee time if you stay Uptown (for the nightlife), South Park (to be closer to Quail Hollow for the PGA events) or the University Area (popular for its proximity to the racetrack). That being said, keep an eye out online if the private courses are offering any public deals during any of the major sports weeks. You might get lucky and there are some great courses if you can get on. Charlotte CC, Myers Park, Carolina CC & TPC Piper Glen are ones to jump at inside the loop. The Peninsula Club, Ballantyne CC and The Club at Longview are some to watch outside the loop. Check Boxgroove.com closer to the event to see who’s posting slots. Here’s the best of the many public offerings in town and some advice on where to stay if you’re new to town: North Stay: near Charlotte Motor Speedway/Concord Mills or in University City Play: Rocky River, Highland Creek and Skybrook are all solid tests at a similar level of difficulty, layout and price. Birkdale is a nice Arnold Palmer daily-fee course (the only in town), but has had its share of management drama - best to check local/recent reviews before thinking about teeing it up there. For the thrill seeker, don’t miss a chance to drive up to play Mike Strantz’s mountain masterpiece, Tot Hill Farm Golf Club (Asheboro, NC $39 weekday/$49 weekend). It gets less ink than some of his other courses (Tobacco Road, Caledonia, True Blue), but love it or hate it, you’ll talk about it for years to come! Stop on the way in/out or just drive up for the day. It's about an hour drive from the racetrack up NC-49 - but it’s worth the effort! The Mike Strantz designed Tot Hill Farm Golf Club in Asheboro, NC Got an hour of daylight left or have some bets to settle before you leave? You're in luck then. Paradise Valley is a neat little par-3 course tucked into an apartment complex right across the street from UNC-Charlotte's new football stadium (really nice BTW). The greens aren't the best you'll play on all week, but there are some fun holes, including an island green. BMAC & I hit it up the morning before the final round of the PGA and played all 18 in under an hour. (Crusader Note: the decision was made to play in the hotel room about midnight, after about 8-9 beers of course. "Let's even make a tee time online for 8:30!" You've heard of drunk dialing, well we've created "drunk tee-timing". Freaking idiots. We didn't even bring our clubs because we knew we couldn't resist the temptation. This poor example of decision making was regrettable about 3:00 later that day in the 90+ degree temps at Quail). South Stay: South Park, Ballantyne or Pineville Play: Tega Cay Golf Club (pronounced TEE-gah KAY, Tega Cay, SC $48/$57) sits on a peninsula overlooking Lake Wylie and boasts 27 holes of spectacular conditions, including some of the best greens in the region. This feels more like a mountain course than something you’d expect in a flat-ish metro area. Start on the Grandview loop and you’ll see what I mean on that first tee box. Waterford and Springfield are also on the South Carolina side of the border, while The Club at Ballantyne Resort is an excellent option right off of I-485 - I recommend a room at The Lodge at Ballantyne - very cool accommodations! East Stay: Matthews Play: Emerald Lake, Olde Sycamore & The Divide are all residential courses tucked within a mile or two of the outer loop, I'd steer clear of those. Charlotte National, Eagle Chase and Red Bridge are just about golf and are your better bets. The standout on this side of town has long been Stonebridge Golf Club (Waxhaw, NC $44/$59). Course architect Richard Osbourne’s classic layout is a pleasure to walk and is just a flat-out awesome layout. Another great example of Charlotte’s course diversity. The course was recently gifted to Wingate University... I hear that is an awesome school! Budget-minded golfers (and golf architecture nerds like us!) should stop in at Monroe Golf Club - just a few miles from Stonebridge - and take in the restored Donald Ross-designed front nine and a Tom Jackson-added back nine. West At least the airport is over there. And hey…You can see all the places you wish you played in the other parts of town from the air when you leave! (#dontbethatguy) However, Verdict Ridge stands out from the crowd just off the shores of the west bank of Lake Norman. A one-off design by a former judge (hence the cool name) is a rollercoster of emotion, great shot values and conditions mixed into one. Many tee variations and distance options keep it playable for the humble golfer willing to play the correct yardage. If you are stuck in Shelby or Gastonia for some strange reason (i.e. your company hates you and is trying to get you to quit - but that's another story), then Cleghorn Plantation is Rutherfordton, NC is the best thing within 50 miles on that side of town open to the public. It is now owned by the Tryon Equestrian Center (a huge attraction in that space), so if horseback is your preferred means of transport, this is also your spot! (*CRUSADER TIP* If you didn’t skim straight to the courses part, good for you! Tanglewood Park in Clemmons, NC is open to the public. Not many places you can just walk out and play that held a major championship. They have 36 holes, so if you travel in/out of town through Winston-Salem, stop and play a piece of history)

Dade City has been compared to the great golf meccas by no one but it just may be time for that conversation to start happening. Introduction When one of your favorite courses builds a second 18, how long should you wait to play it? Thirteen years apparently. That’s how long I waited. The South Course sits firmly in my top ten but I must admit that the “new” North Course has me smitten. Course setting A resort style course in hills north of Tampa with significant elevation changes throughout. Let me repeat the latter part of the previous sentence, it has significant elevation changes throughout. This is unheard of in Florida. I lived in Florida for over a decade and never had an address 10ft above sea level. The North Course will have you clubbing up or down because of its dramatic changes. Clubhouse/Pro Shop/Practice Facility A large clubhouse surrounded by live oaks overlooking the 9th and 18th greens of the South Course. They have a fairly big dining room and a small bar that was great for a quick bite after the round. The Pro Shop was small but had all the expected supplies and clothing options. The range is big with lots of room for driver but don’t work on your distances here. The tee sits about 50 feet above the rest of the range so it’d be tough to dial it in. The putting green is also pretty big but it sits on the side of a hill. It’s quick and it’s nice but you either hit straight up or straight down the hill. Any other direction will have you practicing your 40 foot breaks. Course Vitals A Kurt Sandness design from 2005 that plays long. At 7,226 from the tips, it feels a touch under 10,000. I would recommend couples counseling for you and your driver before coming here as it will be used and abused all day. The true realization of length begins on the second tee as you realize you may not be completely warmed up. There you will find a 225 yard par 3 staring you in the face. I don’t want to regale you with every shot I hit that day or how terrific I am at golf but I did knock it to 10 ft and make the putt. But enough about me and the greatest birdie of all time, the North Course shows its true colors on Number 4. Par 3, 187 yards and plays about 50-60 feet downhill…over water. The greens are pretty big and undulating over the entire course. Hitting a GIR in no way means an easy par at Lake Jovita. Getting back to the prodigious length needed off the tee, Nos. 10 and 11 require a 200+ yard carry over the shit, I mean wetland marshes or native areas. Number 12 angles to the right in such a way that a 250 yard tee ball to the left or right side of the fairway can leave about an 80 yard disparity in distance remaining to the pin so stay right. If you manage your way around the first 17 holes and still have a good score going, you may need a TV timeout before heading to 18 tee. A great American once said, “I pity the fool…that needs par on 18.” That may not actually be a quote but it is still true. The last is a 486 yard par 4 dogleg right with trees that will block you out if you are cavalier off the tee. If you don’t play the tips, the Blue tees are only 462 yards…what a break. Conclusion My driver and I are doing just fine, thank you, but it will forever remember the North. I found this course to be such a joy that I cannot wait to come back. How this place is unknown outside of Tampa astonishes me. It is a great course and priced well below its worth. It has made me a believer in Kurt Sandness and his design abilities. And how is the term ‘sandness’ not used to describe bunkering? The sandness on the North Course is quite striking, not to the level of sandness at Kingston Heath or Pine Valley but Sandness’ sandness holds its own out there. CRUSADER RATING: 5 STARS Last played in February 2018

Nestled in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia lies the scenic and emerging outdoor tourism destination known as the Appalachian Highlands. The region is also known as the Tri-Cities, a name far less interesting that was derived from three similarly-sized cities that serve the 'Lost State of Franklin' area that also stretches into Western North Carolina. The cities of Bristol (a border town whose main street is bisected by the TN/VA state line), Johnson City (TN) and Kingsport (TN) each offers something a little different, but collectively can satisfy nearly all tastes for food, culture, music and - of course - golf. The area knows a little bit about playing host to visitors. Bristol Motor Speedway races and regional music festivals regularly draw crowds in excess of 100,000 people. It stands reason to believe that you can find a great rate on a place to stay in addition to welcoming merchants and restaurateurs that will make you feel like you’ve lived there for years. About The Golf: Back in 2005, Golf Digest ranked all 330 metro areas in the country from top to bottom using factors such as course conditions, price, access, memorability and variety. The Appalachian Highlands region (better known then as the Tri-Cities) ranked number two on that list. People took notice. If one were to look only at a list of the course architects that have worked in the region, one might think they are reading an advertisement for Pinehurst or Myrtle Beach. A.W. Tillinghast, Donald Ross, Tom Fazio, Bobby Weed, Rees Jones, Dan & Ellis Maples, Dennis Griffiths, Mark McCumber, Tom Clark, Arthur Hills and George Cobb have all left their fingerprints on the region. The variety in the style of courses is refreshing. You can choose from traditional parkland designs, resort-style, links golf and of course some of the best mountain courses you'll find anywhere. Whatever your preference, you will find affordable prices without sacrificing anything from what you’d expect in big markets or fancy resorts. Do your own homework based on the style of course you prefer and budget you’re on, but here are a few places to start looking… GOOD Clear Creek (pictured) – Bristol, VA (Jack Sykes 1997; 6516/133/71.9; $36) Elizabethton – Elizabethton, TN (Wendell Ray 1938/D.J. DeVictor 1993; 6339/129/71.2; $34) Ridgefields – Kingsport, TN (Donald Ross 1949; 6809/135/73.5; Private-Call for Availability) BETTER Crockett Ridge – Kingsport, TN (Ault, Clark & Assoc. 1999; 6868/130/72.8; $36) Tennessee Golf Trail at Warrior’s Path – Kingsport, TN (1972, George Cobb; 6601/123/71.5; $34) Cattails at Meadowview Resort – Kingsport, TN (Dennis Griffiths 1998; 6704/130/72.5; $48) GC of Bristol (pictured) – Bristol, TN (Founded 1894/Alex McKay 1958/Mark McCumber 1999; 6474/126/71.0; private) BEST The Virginian Bristol, VA (Tom Fazio) 7025/138/73.7; Stay at Nicewonder Farm for access to Troon managed course Graysburg Hills [27 holes] (pictured) – Chuckey, TN (Rees Jones 1978; 6834/129/73.1; $37 for 18/$45 for 27) Johnson City CC – Johnson City, TN (A.W. Tillinghast 1913; 6402/121/70.1; (Private-call for availability) Blackthorn Club at The Ridges – Jonesborough, TN (Arthur Hills 1997; 7147/135/74.5; (Private but call) Notes from Best in Show: - Johnson City CC is a really fun walk through history. There are only so many Tillinghast courses around, let alone the really early ones. I say walk because you can play on foot fairly reasonably compared to some of the other, more mountainous courses in the area. Let's face it, they didn't have carts back in 1913, so the green to tee treks are short and were designed for walking. - Graysburg Hills lays claim to being one of Rees Jones' earliest designs. The man that would go on to be known as 'The US OPEN Doctor' laid out the original eighteen in the valley, while a new mountainous nine opened a few years later. - Blackthorn hosts one of the best fields in college golf annually at the East Tennessee Invitational. ETSU has a very strong program due to a pipeline overseas. There was this one kid that signed a letter of intent to play there, but he turned pro instead. It worked out OK for Rory though - he's doing fine from what I hear. The area is also home to two bucket-list worthy courses. Many publications list both courses within the top five courses in the state. You don't just have to know a member anymore either! If you do, then get them to take you to The Virginian (Tom Fazio 1993; 7110/130/74.4). The course hosted a Champions Tour event in 1994-95 and served as the site of the 2003 USGA Senior Amateur Championship (pictured above). The club is now under the Troon management banner and is rapidly expanding, adding a winery and boutique hotel, adding the specter of new stay and play opportunities! If you know a U.S. President named Bush or a quarterback named Manning or Marino, maybe they’ll invite you to The Olde Farm (Bobby Weed, Golf Digest Best New Private 2000; 6885/127/73.4/Caddies required). The Olde Farm, recently named the #1 course in the state by Golf.com (2020-21), has a heart to go with it's amazing assets. In 2018, the club hosted The American Legends, the largest single-day fundraiser in the history of the PGA Tour. The event featured Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Peyton Manning and others to help raise over $56M for the Mountain Mission School. We were fortunate to help capture some moments that day, which you can relive on this post. Overall, golf in the Appalachian Highlands is one of those diamond in the rough destinations that provides cheap rounds with really good courses and conditions. Throw in the southern hospitality and you might wonder, “why haven’t I heard of this place before?” If you book your next golf trip or come in for a round and a race, you instead may ask, “how soon can we come back?!?” Here are some other great shots from some AH area courses. Let us know in the comments section if you want to know which photo belongs to which course! Appalachian Highlands Golf By the Numbers: Golf Digest Ranked the (Tri-Cities) metro region #2 out of 330 markets in 2005 “Metro Golf” Rankings (August ’05 Issue) Average peak 18 hole round: $38 Public courses: 15 Private clubs: 7 Total Number of Holes: 382 Stay & Play Packages: MeadowView Resort by Marriott - Kingsport, TN Nicewonder Farm & Vineyards at The Virginian - Bristol, VA Other Lodging Options: Johnson City, TN – The Carnegie Hotel Bristol, VA – Bristol Hotel, Sessions Hotel Food/Drink: Johnson City – Southern Craft, Holy Taco, Label, Wild Wing Café, Watagua Brewing Co. Kingsport – Chop House, Stir Fry, Main Street Pizza Co. Bristol – 620 State, Quaker Steak & Lube, Burger Bar, Cootie Brown’s US Brewery Guide (interactive map) Tennessee Hills Distillery Area Attractions: - Bristol Motor Speedway & Dragway hosts the biggest crowds in motorsports & holds the world record for the largest crowd to ever watch a football game! - Birthplace of Country Music Museum which also runs the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion - Appalachian League Baseball features the rising stars of America's past-time. - Tannery Knobs Mountain Bike Park (view from park pictured) GO. ALL. OUT. If you didn’t get enough while you’re there… (good plays for diehards on the way in/out): North (via US 23) – Lonesome Pine, Big Stone Gap, VA (pictured) Northeast (I-81) – Draper Valley (VA) East (US 421/321) – Boone Golf Club (NC) South (I-26) – Grove Park Inn & Resort, Asheville, NC West (I-40) – Sevierville Golf Club, Sevierville, TN

What do you get when you cross an extremely rugged part of the country, a drainage basin and one of the best course architect's in the world? You get Wasioto Winds and a lot of accolades for a golf course. The course is celebrating its 18th birthday this year, but is it showing it's age more than one would expect from a top-5 course you can play in Kentucky? Introduction The list of accolades this course has collected are really impressive. It was a few years old by the time I first got wind of it (see what I did there? please don't leave!). Some of the photos of this place early on were striking (we'll show you some then and now's in a little bit), so much so that I had I not been a broke graduate student at the time, a 3+ hour trip may have been more realistically considered. Needless to say its been on the list of courses to play a long time. I had driven about ninety minutes out before dawn to get in a morning round at Woodlake Resort in New Tazewell, TN. After a quick 2.5 hour circuit, it wasn't even 9:30am yet. Being only about a half hour south of Wasioto and seeing a deal online, my impulses got the better of me and off to play 36 we (and by we, I mean me) go. Setting When on the road to 'BFE', Pineville, Kentucky would be the last exit before you reach your destination. While the course sits right next to a 4-lane highway, it sits down in a valley so well that you will miss it if you don't know where to look. Once you get parked and proceed to the back deck of the clubhouse, you see why they chose this spot for a golf course. Don't let the mountains fool you though. If you stripped away the hills and looked only at the course, you'd think beach instead of coal country. Clubhouse/Pro Shop/Practice Facilities I know it had those things, but didn't look around much or use them. Its a state park, so the bells and whistles aren't obvious. Course Vitals I must say, having now played all three of the Kentucky State Parks courses in the Eastern part of the state, they have some great layouts that are all really fun to play. This one gets the publicity more so that the other two (Hidden Cove at Grayson Lake and Eagle Ridge at Yatesville Lake). I could see why in the early days perhaps, but I'm not sure why that's still the case (cue suspenseful foreshadowing music...)? The course has two distinctive areas - one that plays around the two large lakes and the other plays over and along a creek. As mentioned, the course is about as flat as they come. The only true elevation (that you think you'd see more of being surrounded by hills) comes on the 12th tee. I'm not sure if they have rerouted this course over the years. Maybe they broke up the lake holes to be nice to the high handicapper or speed up play, but I'd like to have seen the front side as 'The Creek' and the backside play as 'The Lakes'. However, as my colleague says, "They wisely did not consult me during the design phase." -BMAC Crusader Tip: Get warmed up fast. The pro shop attendant and the ranger that rode by me both warned about the three-hole gauntlet beginning at the 5th tee box. The ranger even said making it out of there at bogey golf is win. Since I was playing so well at that moment (sarcasm) I was really excited now... That said, let's go to the 5th! I don't know if they have a name for this stretch of holes, but I'm calling it 'The Bluegrass Boneyard'. This is why you make the trip to play here. You've got to be precise with your irons if you want to keep the snowman at bay. The 5th is a long par-5 that is hugged the entire left side by the largest of the three lakes. Get used to seeing that water - you will see a lot of the rest of your round. While playing at 500 yards from the tips, the forward tees are considerably shorter but this hole is T-I-G-H-T. Hit your best/straightest club off the tee no matter the length and go from there. The long narrow green looks intimidating since it sits between an exposed cliff face and the lake. This is one of those chances to make a memory if its your only trip here, so fire away and pray. It worked for this guy! RESULT: Birdie (-1 thru 1 on Bluegrass Boneyard). The 6th is a nice medium-length par-3 across the lake with a forced carry all the way. About this point in my round is when I really started to notice that the brush growing along the shorelines really takes away not just the aesthetic value, but makes it much harder to gauge distance or even create some blind shots. See the view below of the 13th tee. It's not the best photo I've ever taken, but you can barely see the green - and this is from the forward tees. I somehow landed it on the upper ledge of the bunker on the right and two putted. RESULT: Par (Bluegrass Boneyard score: -1 with 1 to go) Closing this murderer's row is another par-5. You've seen all the Jaws movies right? The first one is a classic. The second one is good enough. But the third one had that 3D shark thing and you kind of laughed at it? Well, you might laugh at the third hole in this stretch too because it looks ridiculous(ly hard). It is really hard to capture how difficult this hole is in a photo because the land is so flat. You really need an aerial view. Here's the view behind the green looking back at the hole that essentially goes from island fairway to peninsula fairway connected only by an isthmus the width of the cart path. Now here's the Google Earth view: It's just a good golf hole with a lot of challenges (that I did not overcome). Congrats Dr. Hurdzan, you win this hole. The Boneyard claimed my tee shot. For some odd reason, I did not expect the edges of the fairways in Kentucky to feed towards the water like they do everywhere else. RESULT: Double Bogey to finish the gauntlet at +1. Since my ranger friend said +3 was a win, I'll be expecting a plaque or something in the mail any day. The rest of the course - as you can see from the rest of the partial map above - doesn't get much kinder. When named 4th Best New Affordable Course by Golf Digest back in 2003, they exclaimed Wasioto was, "a difficult course but friendly to the high handicapper." I agree with the first part. I don't think 'friendly' is the word I'd use to describe it. I'm not a high handicapper, but a course like this can make you one - and fast. The final four holes are every bit as daunting as the Bluegrass Boneyard. Water is in play on every shot, just what you want to see after a challenging round. The 17th isn't too difficult except perhaps from the tips, but the 18th (first photo in this post) is a monster. You're looking at a 639-yard par five from the back tees and 512+ from all but the most forward position. If you are a slicer, I'm really sorry since water runs up the right side for your first two shots. That's before you play over the creek that feeds the lake and runs up the rest of the left side. Regardless, be happy with a bogey, shake hands with your imaginary caddie, then have a beer because its Miller Time! Conclusion Might get a little more recap here than usual, but analysis is what you're not paying for, right? I'm sure because I had wanted to play this course for so long, that I had unreasonable expectations. In golf, those two things rarely match up. I also realize maintaining a course such as this is a great challenge and takes a lot of resources - capital and human alike. The design is strong. The turf was in pretty good shape as well, but the shorelines and shrubs really took away from the playing experience. It had rained a little the night before and it was very humid in the middle of summer, but the bunkers looked like they hadn't had new sand in a long time, maybe since they built it. Of course the photographer side of me wants the great shot too, but the golfer in me comes first. Here's what I mean... One of the first golf blogs I followed (and were a bit of inspiration for our site so a tip of the hat to them) was golfkentuckylinks.com. They played all over Kentucky and this was one of their favorite courses. Here is what it looked like when they played back in 2003 (their photo first) vs. virtually the same shot in 2017. In the 2003 photo, you see clean (or at least cared for) shorelines, turf differential and collars around the bunker in the foreground. You can see no less than 6 holes and 5 water hazards (7 if you look hard enough) from this spot too. Most clearly seen is the contrast between the fairways/rough. Super nice place with great lines that looks tremendously conditioned. Fast forward now to 2017: Now, I know their shot was early morning and mine was midday - there is certainly a lot I could critique about my own photo - but look past that for a second if you care more about lighting and aperture than the golf. Start with the bunker in the foreground. It's shape has been lost, the fairway moved to the side and the collar eliminated. Aside from the bunker and tee boxes, what can you see that even looks like a golf course? The shrubs and trees have overgrown the shorelines and the cattails and weeds have engulfed the water hazards to the point only one is even visible. Again, I have no idea how the state operates their parks and who gets what money for standard operations or capital improvements. It's been 12+ years since I played Hidden Cove and nine since I played Eagle Ridge, but those courses were in tremendous shape. Wasioto continues to rake in accolades - as evidenced by the #3 ranking of best courses you can play in state by GolfWeek (2018). However, we all know if you start in the top 25 at the beginning of the football season, its a lot easier to stay there than it is to break in if you're not highly touted from the start. None of this is to say the course isn't worth playing or the money you pay to do it (considered a bargain by anyone at less than $40). It really is a nice place, but just don't buy into the rankings hype. I did a little (or a lot) - but I'm a golf nerd who's wife makes fun of him for creating a golf website. If you go just to play a round of golf, it'll be a really good round. CRUSADER RATING: 3.5 STARS as a Destination, 4 STARS if you're local. Last Played: 2017 Website: http://parks.ky.gov/golf/courses/pine-mountain/ Tee Times Online/Deals: GolfNow.com or call 606-337-1066 GPS: 114 State Hwy 190, Pineville, KY 40977

Every course has a history. Not every course is history. The Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort has the distinction of being the course that launched the architectural career of the one and only A.W. Tillinghast. It opened its doors to guests and grass to golfers in 1911 and the rest is just like they say... history. Introduction This 3-star rated resort is a located about a mile north of the Delaware Water Gap off Interstate 80 between Scranton, PA and New York City. You can call it the Poconos if you want to - and that means skiing in the winter. While the Inn doesn't have its own slopes, it does have a partnership with Shawnee Mountain just three miles up the road. The course's history isn't just about Tilly, either. It's hosted its share of major events - literally - albeit a long time ago. Shawnee hosted the 1938 PGA Championship (Paul Runyon defeated the incomparable Sam Snead in the then match play final) and the 1967 NCAA Championship - won by Hale Irwin. It also gets a footnote in golf lore for helping establish what we now call the PGA itself all the way back in 1912. See... history! You can't rely on everything on Wikipedia to be accurate, but there is a claim that the land the course now sits on was once the site for Fort Dupuy, a fortification used during the French & Indian War (1755-1756). Setting For my money, this is the best part about the entire property... You get off I-80 and ascend up a road cut into the mountain before catching the first view of the Delaware River and the course below you. I mention the two together because you can't have one without the other. Not only do you get 27 championship holes here - always an added bonus - but 24 of the 27 holes play on an island in the middle of the river. You can't help but get chills the first time you visit. The old-timey inn just looks like it grew out of the ground like it has been there forever. The whitewashed building provides a stark contrast among forested hills (and foliage if you're in fall). This is the type of place they write stories about. Clubhouse/Pro Shop/Practice Facilities I already mentioned the really cool aesthetic of the Inn, but inside it isn't bad either. Not only are there two pubs on the property, but they have their very own craft brewery on-site! If that isn't the perfect pairing to a round of golf, then you're probably reading the wrong website. As for practice facilities, it just keeps getting better. Tom Doak - yes, him - was brought in to build a 9-hole Chip N Putt reminiscent of some of Tillinghast's greatest templates and green complexes. While only six of those holes remain in play, the other three greens have been turned into targets for a 250-yard practice range. Even better still, they have lights for night play during the warmer months! I ran out of daylight and played right at the end of the season or I else I certainly would have played it. Course Vitals The original 18-hole course that Tilly designed may not be there in its original state, but the general idea remains. The course is generally flat, but has some classic fairway cross bunkering or mounding that made places like Bethpage famous. The river itself doesn't really come into play that much even though you're playing on an island, but that doesn't mean it doesn't impact the course. Sadly, there have been some tragic floods over the years. If you have a few extra minutes, please read this 2007 Golf Digest article on the course's amazing history, hard times and perseverance - it'll break your heart, but make you want to support this course through play even more. The whole course wasn't open the day I visited due to recent high waters, but that didn't stop the owners from finding a make-shift routing for the day to keep the destination crowd (like myself) rolling in. There are a couple holes that play across the river, and a few holes that run the length of a par four or five, so it does have an impact. The 'inland holes' aren't terribly interesting, but then again, I didn't get to see them all. They are definitely the opportunities to score though, so be aggressive. The course does finish with a couple holes on the 'mainland' that are a lot of fun. A great par four with a perched green protected by mounds and bunkers, followed by a long par-3 with a enormous punchbowl green. I think the greenskeeper may have spent too much time in the brewery the night before, because to put the hole that far up the slope was just plain mean if he wasn't altered. Conclusions There are courses and there are stories about courses. This course has so many stories that each time I sat down to add something to this post, I would uncover a new fact, stat or anecdote that it took me a week to finish it. If you read it this far, then I hope you'll make the trip to play it. The course has probably seen its best days already, but you won't be sorry that you supported a true piece of American golf history. Crusader Rating: 3.5 star course gets an upgrade to 4 STARS due to historical significance. Last Played: 2011 More of the best shots from The Shawnee Inn: Website: https://www.shawneeinn.com Click for Tee Times or call 800-742-9633 GPS: 100 Shawnee Inn Drive, Shawnee on Delaware, Pennsylvania 18356

Next time you're in Myrtle Beach and are bored playing the same courses, do yourself a favor and head to the southern end of the Grand Strand. Play this rock star of a course composed by golf's true rock star architect, Mike Strantz. Anyway you slice it (see what I did there), this is a consensus Top 100 course that you can play. Introduction This was a bucket list course for me.  I have heard a lot and I have read a lot and I have driven by the sign on US Highway 17 a lot, so my expectations were set too high. Rarely does anything not disappoint when faced with such a high bar, but this place lives up to the hype and I can’t wait to play it again. "Caledonia is 152 acres of fury" -Me Course Setting Tucked away from the main drag you enter an oak alley that borders rice fields and the Waccamaw River beyond.  It’s a great property full of water and wildlife. In a former life, it was a hunting and fishing preserve (hence the nod in the name, some still fish on the grounds). Oak and pine trees are all over the course and come into play often, especially if you start getting crooked. Clubhouse/Pro Shop/Practice Facility An uncommonly small Clubhouse with a small pro shop and a small dining room but the veranda wraps around and is usually full of spectators watching the approach on 18.  The practice facility is unique in that there is a great chipping area with a few different greens but a small putting green down the way and no range on site.  The range is down the road at True Blue.  Range balls are included in the greens fee, which is nice, but it is not exactly convenient. Course Vitals Mike Strantz’s first solo design and likely his most notable.  All the tee markers are different types of ducks so it’s best to touch up on your avian identification because the tee markers are literally just ducks sitting there trying to confuse you. I played something called the Pintail tees. "Where'd you get that mallard?" -Dwight Schrute His unique routing and bunkering are everywhere and he managed to find (or perhaps create) some elevation too.This may seem novel elsewhere in the country, but it is nearly impossible to find in coastal South Carolina. There is even a blind tee shot on the eighth (if you've not played a Strantz course, you're bound to get at least one blind shot a round. The course has five par 3s but there probably should have been six (more on that later). Strantz's penchant for drama via bunkering comes at you full speed on the 13th hole. It is a par four with basically an island green after a dogleg left. I really enjoyed every turn around this course until I got to the home hole. It is a short par four that seems crammed in there to make use of the view along the rice fields.  I hit a 6-iron off the tee, quite badly if I must say, and left myself a 7-iron in.  This is not how a closer should play.  Now, the second shot is all carry over water but I wish he made it a long par 3. Imagine sticking a 200-220 yard carry tight with the typical standing audience that gathers on the clubhouse veranda. Now that would be an incredible finish. Conclusion This is a fun course that is very different from the normal coastal resort feel.  Strantz created a look that no one else will likely ever copy and it hits my eye just right.  But I think it’s time to talk about value because this place ain’t cheap.  I like Strantz designs so it is a must for me but probably not for everyone, especially someone who could care less.  It can run you up well over $100 in the peak season, so it may not fit everyone’s budget.  I plan to go back, but will make sure it’s during the summer when it’s hotter and cheaper. A feather in the cap to the rangers out there, I have never seen so many groups play so quickly and efficiently on a course before. I feel like there was no waiting during the round and I must have watched 15 groups tee off in front of me. Lastly, a bit of life coaching...move to Pawleys Island, SC. For under $2,000 plus cart fees you can become a member here...WHICH INCLUDES True Blue across the street. Crusader Rating: 4 1/2 STARS Last played in November 2017

You've probably never heard of it because it's in Knoxville. If HHCC were in a major market, you'd have it on your bucket list. Holston Hills deserves more attention and we're here to give it some! Introduction This is a top five course in the state of Tennessee according to just about any publication. For me, it might be in my top five courses ever played. In fact, if I were talking to the golf course itself, while trying to impersonate Will Ferrell impersonating James Lipton, I would say to it: “You are a delight.” It has hosted the Southern Amateur four times (once won by Billy Joe Patton), the NCAA Championship twice, twice hosted the PGA Cup (PGA Club Pro event just like Ryder Cup) and twice welcomed the PGA Tour back in the 1940s (once won by Byron Nelson). Course Setting The whole property sits on a trapezoidal shaped-peninsula that protrudes out from an old neighborhood down to its namesake, the Holston River. The river surrounds the course on the three shorter sides, but never comes into play and is barely visible. The clubhouse sits above it all with nearly every hole in view from its stately perch. The golf course lays on flat or gently-sloped land covered in a magnificent blanket of green Bermuda with accents of golden fescue and pure white sand bunkers that dot the landscape. Clubhouse/Pro Shop/Practice Facilities McConnell Golf manages a dozen or so of the best private courses in the mid-South, so when they put their name on it, you know it's going to be good. The clubhouse was renovated recently and includes everything you'd expect from a high-end club. Restaurant, bar, pro shop, tennis, pool (featuring competitive youth teams), locker rooms, card tables, etc., HHCC has it all and it's all done well. A new practice facility was added in the last year or two as well. CRUSADER TIP: Warm-up time is best spent on the practice green gaining a handle on the speeds and breaks of the famously difficult Ross greens. Course Vitals Donald Ross designed this course over 90 years ago. He died 70 years ago. Let's face it, the courses he built are gone. However, Holston Hills as we know it today is probably one of the best examples of his work that exists in the United States. Tom Doak touched up this beauty in the late 1990s. The management on-site and the members I met agree that the course is the best that it has ever been. Who am I to argue? The aura of this course is impressive. From the moment you step out onto the first tee, you feel like you're walking in the footsteps of Ross himself. The land is as he would have seen it for the first time. He cut some bunkers, contoured some greens and then teed it up! Doak's minimalist approach made him the perfect choice to rediscover the original lines of the course. While the design seems minimalistic, it is very intentional with every detail. The bunker edges are just high enough to impact a shot, but also to leave a shadow and provide contrast to make the bunker appear deeper than it is. Mounding cross cuts a fairway to make the green seem closer than it is. Combined with a false front green and you've got a recipe for double bogey. However, once you get past the visual intimidation (or the jitters of jumping into a cash game with members you just met), then you can appreciate how fun this course can be. The front nine seems to be the more difficult of the two loops. Again, it probably had more to do with trying to impress the group than the actual course, but if you're playing it for the first time, you'll face the same fear factor. There's a little more bend in the course's opening holes with doglegs, target holes and water to play around than the back as well. Once you get turned, you have some scoring chances. Earn a par on the 10th and you should feel great about what's left. Some shortish par fives and reasonable length par fours give you some chances at birdie. Ross greens should always yield to the Rocky IV strategy - always aim for the middle [What is that? You know during the fight with Drago when Rocky is getting pummeled? Between rounds he tells his trainer that he sees three of (Drago) out there, then Paulie says, "Hit the one in the middle!" If you are still reading this post, we really thank you for not leaving]. That should be especially true on the par threes. Conclusions I live right at 100 miles away from this course. When the day comes to join a course and we still live where we do, this is probably going to be the place we do it. It's that good of a course and the memberships are more affordable than you'd think. If I lived in Knoxville, I'd have joined the second I moved to town. The staff is tremendous as are the members that welcomed me into their group for the day (and for giving me 7 marks over my handicap for being a first timer!). CRUSADER RATING: 5 STARS Played October 2017 https://www.holstonhills.com/ https://www.facebook.com/holstonhills/ 5200 Holston Hills Road Knoxville, TN 37914 Phone: 865.523.4119 (course is private - please do not call for tee times)

Unless you live in Kingwood, WV, you're going to have a drive to get to Preston Country Club. However, once you get there, you'll find a course that has a great blend of challenges and scoring opportunities to go along with terrific course conditions. Introduction Let me first say this: Preston CC is a really fun golf course. I've played some courses that look good on paper in Northern WV, but then you arrive and find the clubhouse in disrepair or abandoned, forty-seven kinds of grass on the course and probably bunkers that had been neglected long ago. My expectations were not very high since the website was really old, their Facebook account wasn't set up much better and pretty much the only pictures you'd find online were of a flood many years prior. What's that old saying? Never judge a book by its website? No wait... Course Setting Driving in just after dawn, the entire course was shrouded in cloud cover/fog. Preston CC lay on the banks of the Cheat River framed by typical West Virginia hills. It also lay on a historically significant piece of land - being that it was once owned by George Washington. Clubhouse/Pro Shop/Practice Facilities There isn't much to speak of, so don't expect to do more than show up and play. There is a Mexican restaurant in the clubhouse, but didn't stay long enough to try it. Pro Shop had the bare essentials and is in need of a makeover, but its the course you come to play. Course Vitals The course is essentially flat, but uses mounding and what subtle sloping that naturally exists to create a visually pleasing championship test of over 7000 yards - something of a rarity in the WV hills. The thing that stands out about this course are the hazards. They're fair - in that they're in play and can impact your score, but not so penal that you're contemplating quitting the game altogether at the turn. The first hole features a large lake to the left of the fairway but you'd have to hook it out there pretty good to reach it. Bunker clusters in front of the green are the next obstacle to overcome, followed by large flat, fairway waste-like bunkers, mature trees lining fairways and protecting corners of the green complexes, high-walled principle nose like traps, to mound clusters preventing run-ups. My favorite hazard and holes had to be the road holes (7 & 8). You've got a par 4 (7th) and a par 5 (8th) that give you a pretty wide landing area for each, but well protected greens, the latter being elevated to deflect any peripheral shots. The road is far more in play on the 7th as shown in the first photo on this post. The management was kind enough as to allow me the pleasure of shooting the course to update their website and this hole was undoubtedly my favorite. The back nine uses the beginnings of the hills to form some elevated greens but only one true elevated tee to let you rip. The last three holes meander through the woods to provide even more variety to your round. Conclusions If you're ever in the Morgantown, WV area - or on a golf trip at Deep Creek Lake in Maryland - this would be a course worth the trouble and time to find. You'll be glad you did. There are some name brand courses in both areas, but you'll be hard pressed to find a better value. Crusader Rating: 4 STARS Played October 2017 Website: http://www.prestoncountryclub.com/ (probably doesn't work) Tee Times: 304-329-2100 GPS: 1 Camp Dawson Road, Kingwood, WV 26537

If you are a frequent traveler up and down the east coast, chances are you've been on I-81 a few times. Chances are also good you've driven right by Roanoke and not known that you're missing a cool-ass town, not to mention some great golf! About The Region: This month’s travel blog takes us right to the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and the greater Roanoke area. Roanoke – a city home to about 100,000 residents - sits in a bucolic valley setting amongst three to four thousand foot peaks in all directions, providing some of the most majestic terrain for golf in the mid-Atlantic region. The city itself offers a vibrant downtown core, splashed with restaurants and nightlife. The ever popular Blue Ridge Parkway runs virtually right through town. Sight-seers can get a great view of the entire valley from atop Mill Mountain, home to the famous star that provides Roanoke its moniker, “The Star City”. About The Golf: To find the brightest star in the region's golf landscape, one needs to look just off the Parkway south of town to find the area’s newest course, Ballyhack. This Lester George design - built as a national private club to serve as a quiet mountain getaway - offers dramatic long views from its many elevated tees and wide open fairways. Don’t stray too far off course however, its 7294 yards has plenty of teeth, as the 155 Slope/76.6 Rating testifies. Fear not the private label, however. Ballyhack does offer a great stay & play package with lodging provided on site in 4-person golf cabins with private bedrooms & baths for each player. When looking for a 5-star experience, you will find it here! Those looking to add on rounds or build their own packages can look at these great options found along the I-81 corridor just north of town: Hanging Rock (6828 yards/125 slope/72.3 rating, $48 peak rate) is a Russell Breedon layout that provides true mountain golf. Fire your way up and down the gentle slopes and enjoy the views! The 6th hole features two greens, one on a perch, the other on a lake that affords players the luxury to choose which green best fits their game. Ashley Plantation is another Breedon gem tucked away in an upscale development north of town. The original 18 plays as a championship course (6967/134/73.2, $45) featuring a 721 yard PAR SIX on the card and dramatic elevation change. You can see the dramatic 'off the cliff' par three, complete with view and massive bunker that follows that a couple holes later. Right next door, you’ll find Botetourt Country Club (pronounced BOT-a-tot). A favorite course of locals, you’ll find great conditions and greater playability (6133/116/68.7, $40) than its brawny neighbor. You may leave town with your fondest memory being how you hit your tee shots into the Blue Ridge backdrop! For the longer trip or thrill-seeker, you can take about an hour drive from downtown and be at one of these show stoppers… Pete Dye River Course at Virginia Tech (7685/147/77.5, $80), Radford, VA Poplar Grove (Sam Snead/Ed Carton, 7059/141/75.0, $65) Amherst, VA Olde Mill Resort (Ellis Maples, 6833/144/75.3, $60 Sat/$45 Sun-Fri), Laurel Fork, VA The River Course at VT (18th hole pictured) is a beast. Pete Dye painted 2.5 miles of New River shoreline with his devious brush. The new clubhouse is worth the trip alone, so enjoy a craft brew from Bull & Bones Grill on the cliff side deck overlooking the back nine. Poplar Grove is a modern beauty with classic overtones that delight the eye. That combination is no doubt owed to its two designers, the incomparable Sam Snead (his last design) and Ed Carton (formerly worked with Tom Fazio’s design team). Olde Mill probably has the most intimidating tee shot in Southwest Virginia. Crusader Tip: buy an extra sleeve of balls at the turn. Your 10th tee shot (pictured) is hit from just off the hilltop clubhouse, down to a peninsula fairway engulfed by the course’s man-made lake. They also have golf villas on site if you want to move the entire operation after a day in the city. A separate trip could really be combined with Olde Mill. These two great courses down there would make a great weekend golf buffet! Great Oaks (Floyd, VA) is so criminally underrated it should be illegal. The layout is a blast to play and the conditions are phenomenal. The price makes it the steal of the century at around $35-$40. People in Roanoke drive the hour to be members here because it is just that good. The Highland Course at Primland (Meadows-of-Dan, VA) is another top 200 bucket-lister, but bring a phat wallet for the $200+ rounds. It's on the list to tackle this year, we'll be sure to review it as soon as we can to see if the satisfaction matches the investment. Stay & Play Packages: Ballyhack Golf Club Olde Mill Golf Resort www.golfroanokevalley.com will set one up for you For My Money: Hotel Roanoke is right in the heart of downtown. A true throwback and you can walk to everything like... Food/Nightlife: Corned Beef & Company Frankie Rowland’s Steakhouse Alexander’s Blue 5 Cornerstone More highlights from the Roanoke area golf scene (Ballyhack, VT River Course, Draper Valley, Ashley Plantation, Great Oaks)

If you get an invite past the front gate, expect to see a beautiful course but don’t be surprised if this beautiful course eats your lunch coming down the stretch. Introduction There are ideal scenarios in which to play golf.  Beautifully sunny afternoons with temperatures in the 80s come to mind.   And then there was the scene in which I found myself on Masters Sunday… hungover at 8am, wearing three layers due to all 45 degrees that decided to show up that overcast morning. Welcome to Atlanta National. Course Setting Atlanta National is found in a high-end gated community outside Milton. The course itself is a parkland style that is contiguous with Capital City Club Crabapple.  The property seems to encompass a fairly steep ridge and surrounding flood plain with lots of large trees and water hazards throughout. Clubhouse/Pro Shop/Practice facility A ClubCorp run facility with a big clubhouse but a small pro shop downstairs with mostly clothing.  There was also a small pub down the hall from the pro shop that had a nice bar menu and some really big TVs perfect for watching the Masters.  The range was well done with flat, even turf and located directly behind the clubhouse next to the first tee.  They also have two putting greens, one quite large, between the clubhouse and the 18th green. Course Vitals A Pete and P.B. Dye design where all measurements are to the front and the greens are huge…really huge.  I believe #14 had a +44 pin placement that day.  There are some serious elevation changes on this course but the best holes by far are flat and run along the flood plain. There are a number of large waste bunkers on the course and I think they are a great asset both visually and strategically.  There are also a number of wild grassy areas and they don’t really make sense to me.  These areas are not really in play and look like someone forgot to mow them.  The oddly long grass is totally out of character, especially since the rest of the course is kept up quite well.  I wish they were made into the waste bunkers for a more cohesive theme. The elevation changes incorporated on the front are almost a gimmick, totally flat from the tee to around 100 yards and then straight up nearly eighty feet to the green on #5.  The seventh goes right back down the same hill.  Both straight, just traversing in opposite directions.  Both not very interesting in my opinion. Once you get through those holes the rest of the course is pretty damn great. The 8th is a long, sharp and narrow dogleg right off the tee. I was fortunate enough to play my second from a foot past the front tee marker thanks to the chute one must navigate to get to the corner. The par 5 #9 has a split fairway leading to a green well guarded by water.  The back nine has a fantastic long par 3, number twelve, over a pond that will make you feel like a hero or zero.  The last five holes are some of the best out there, including the signature Dye island green par 3 (17th). Conclusion I need to drink less watching the Masters.  However, Atlanta National is a really nice course and worthy of a trip if you get the invite.   I’d prefer to see less gimmick, especially the ludicrously deep bunkers on #13 and #18, but I was wisely not consulted during the design phase. Crusader Rating: 4 STARS Played April 2018