JON HOOD |
As home to over 250 private and public golf courses , Virginia has a number of hidden gems — outstanding courses that because of their location are not as well known as other more famous clubs in the commonwealth . Certainly , one of the best examples is the superb course at Olde Mill Resort in Laurel Fork . Located just off the Blue Ridge Parkway and only about 20 miles from I-77 , Olde Mill opened in 1972 and was designed by Ellis Maples , a protégé of Donald Ross , and was later updated by his son , Dan Maples . Following the renovation , the course plays to a demanding rating of 75.3 and a slope of 144 from the tips , although five sets of tees allow golfers of all skill levels to enjoy this wonderful layout .
Built around a beautiful 54-acre lake nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains , Olde Mill rolls through the dramatic southwest Virginia countryside offering spectacular views with major elevation changes on virtually every hole . The large lake comes
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Black : 572 yards
Blue : 558 yards
White : 522 yards
PAR 5 YARDAGES
Gold : 408 yards
Red : 401 yards
into play on eight holes and with other water on the property , wet penalty areas are present on all but one hole at Olde Mill .
Certainly , one of the best designs at the resort is the stunning fifth hole , a slight dogleg left par-5 that plays downhill to a putting surface protected by the picturesque lake . A long drive can set up the golfer with a chance to go for the green in two on this great risk-reward hole , although four fairway bunkers and bordering out of bounds on the right along with a steep hillside on the left demand an accurate tee shot .
Following a solid drive , longer players are faced with a decision about whether to go for the green in two or lay up short of the water to set up a short-iron approach . While the putting surface is sloped toward the player to better receive long approach shots and there is a reasonable bailout area to the right of the green , the water and bordering rocks command a well-struck shot to create a good birdie opportunity on this truly outstanding hole .
A strong supporter of the VSGA , Olde Mill Resort has previously hosted the Virginias-Carolinas
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Women ’ s Team Matches as well as the Men ’ s Virginia-West Virginia Team Matches . A frequent site of VSGA One-Day events , Olde Mill is also one of the participating courses on the 2021 VSGA VIP Golf Card that provides college scholarships to deserving students pursuing their education .
A five-time VSGA Player of the Year , David Partridge was elected to the Virginia Golf Hall of Fame in 2020 . He lives in the Richmond area and works as a mortgage banker .
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