Virginia Golfer Jul / Aug 2020 | Page 32

Golf Staycation With air travel off the schedule for many, opportunities abound for great golf near home | by CHRIS LANG VIRGINIA REALLY IS IN THE CENTER OF IT ALL. A quick drive, flight or train ride can take you to all sorts of great golf destinations, whether it be iconic Bethpage Black in New York, Pinehurst in North Carolina, Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head in South Carolina, or the courses along the northeast Florida coast. But we understand that we’re operating under a strange reality this summer. Many of us are not yet ready to hop in an airplane or jump on a crowded train to travel for a golf vacation. Thankfully, the Commonwealth is filled with interesting courses that are only a day trip away. By now, most know about Virginia’s famous resorts: Primland, The Golden Horseshoe, Kingsmill and The Omni Homestead among them. Virginia features plenty of hidden gems worth exploring, though. So get ready to throw your clubs in the trunk and set off on an Old Dominion road trip adventure. THE GREAT NORTHWEST The Interstate 81 corridor in northern Virginia features plenty of public golf. Take a detour east on I-66 toward Front Royal to find tee times at Bowling Green Country Club or Blue Ridge Shadows Golf Club. The state’s northwest features three unique layouts worth exploring on any day trip. Add some hiking in the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains for an ideal quick trip. Let’s explore: ➽ The Schoolhouse Nine, Sperryville. Northwest of Culpeper on U.S. 522, you’ll find this nine-hole throwback gem that has drawn the attention of the self-professed “golf nerds” of the Sugarloaf Social Club (see Virginia Golfer’s December 2019 issue for more on SSC). Nestled in the shadow of Old Rag and the Blue Ridge Mountains, this unique design features nine challenging par-3 holes, ranging in length from 85 to 171 yards. As you work your way around the course, you’ll walk past a series of native wildflower meadows bordered by the Thornton River. Don’t go looking for an online tee time, though. Starting times are on a first-come, first-served basis. Pay online, check in at the Headmaster’s Pub and set off on an experience unlike any other in Virginia golf. Though the Headmaster’s Pub may not be open, simply pay online and tee it up at Schoolhouse Nine, the perfect course for a quick morning outing with your kids. 30 V IRGINIA G OLFER | J ULY/A UGUST 2020