Virginia Golfer September / October 2014 | Page 29

LEFT: Hikers and nature
lovers enjoy breathtaking
surroundings in the heart of
the Blue Ridge Mountains.

WINTERGREEN RESORT (2)

THIS PAGE: The resort
features two visuallycaptivating layouts, including
Stoney Creek at Wintergreen.

at nearly every turn. The resort borders
the Blue Ridge Parkway and is bounded
on two sides by the George Washington
National Forest. It overlooks the historic
Rockfish Valley, where you’ll find a growing
selection of breweries and wineries. Guests
at the resort can choose from 230 villastyle condominiums and rental homes, with
accommodations that range from studio
suites to nine-bedroom homes.
“You can check in at the timber framed
Mountain Inn or end up in a condo on the
top of the mountain,” Roberts says.
Roberts suggests that guests make their
reservations through the resort to take
advantage of the exclusive benefits only the
resort can offer. The list includes access to
Devils Knob Golf Course and Devils Knob
indoor and outdoor tennis. Visitors can
also pleasure their palate at the Devils
Grill restaurant, Mountains of Adventure
passes with free and discounted activities,
and complimentary access to the Aquatics
and Fitness Center and 20-acre Lake
Monocan Park.

DESTINATION WITH DIVERSITY
Golfers have mountain-top or valley play

w w w. v s g a . o r g

options. The two golf courses are distinct in
their layout.
“Golfers look for the variety if they haven’t
been here before. They want to experience
both,” says Geoff Redgrave, the resort’s PGA
director of golf. “The diversity is so great. It’s
two golf experiences in one resort.”
Stoney Creek at Wintergreen in Rockfish
Valley offers a traditional open design with
natural springs and native habitat as well as
views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Rees
Jones designed Stoney Creek’s original two
nines, Monocan and Shamokin, in 1988
and the Tuckahoe nine in 1998. All three
offer generous landing areas as well as large,
deceptively contoured greens.
The Ellis Maples-designed Devils Knob
mountain-top course is situated at 3,850
feet above sea level, making it the highest
course elevation-wise in Virginia. The course
features a unique design concept, quite
different from the Stoney Creek layout.
“Devils Knob is narrow, like a bowling alley
with trees,” Redgrave says. “It’s popular for
two reasons: It’s a fairly demanding mountain
course and it’s the perfect place to grow grass,
which sets it apart when it comes to the
condition of the golf course.”

Wintergreen also offers a year-round Golf
Academy, where teaching professionals can
assess your golf game and tailor a program
to help improve your swing.
Activities at the resort are plentiful.
A mountain or valley hike is a treat any
time of year but especially in the fall. The
resort has 30 miles of marked hiking trails.
Mountain trails wind around Wintergreen’s
two mountain peaks—Devils Knob and
Blackrock—with views of waterfalls,
natural gardens and local wildlife. The
resort’s trails are maintained by The
Wintergreen Nature Foundation, a nonprofit that advocates for the conservation
of the natural and cultural resources of
Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains.
Tennis enthusiasts can play on one of
Devils Knob’s 15 outdoor clay courts or on
one of three indoor hard courts. The Stoney
Creek tennis facility in the valley is equipped
with four outdoor clay courts and three
indoor hard courts. Adult tennis players can
sign up for lessons to polish their game at
Devils Knob.
“We offer daily programming that includes
cardio tennis, drills for skills and advance
workouts,” says Jon Sarosiek, the director

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014 | VIRGINIA GOLFER

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