Need Advise on Raleigh, Richmond, DC

[OReilly]

doin a road trip from Raleigh back up to Philly

My buddy and I are driving to Raleigh, NC to pick up my brother and then golf our way back to Philly. We will be in Raleigh on a Friday, Richmond on Sat (looking to play 36), and DC on Sunday. I found a bunch of info in another thread about the DC area, but can't seem to find much on Richmond area. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[priceless]

I can't speak to Raleigh, but I do have some suggestions regarding Richmond and DC. In Richmond, I would suggest one of the following--the Independence or the Crossings. However, if you are willing to travel a bit north on 95, I would heartly reccomend Mattaponi Springs. As for DC, if again you are willing to take a reasonable drive, I would not miss the opportunity to play Lake Presidential in Maryland.

[dirt nasty]

While in Raleigh, I suggest checking out the Lonnie Poole course at NC State. Palmer designed. [url="http://www.lonniepoolegolfcourse.com/"]http://www.lonniepoolegolfcourse.com/[/url]

[Carolina Golfer 2]

A couple options in Raleigh area that are based on location and convienence for your trip.

If you're picking up your buddy near RDU, there is a new course about 5 minutes from the airport. Brier Creek, it is semi private I believe. Also on the way out of Raleigh not far off Route 1 in Wake Forest is a great course, called Hertiage at Wake Forest (the town not college). It is a great layout and usually in great condition about 15 miles or so North of Raleigh.

I agree 100 percent with Priceless on Mattaponni Springs, it's past Richmond and should not be missed. Probably one of the best courses in the state.

On Sunday near DC, I would consider either Laurel Hills in Lorton or Old Hickory in Woodbridge. Both are in Northern Virginia before you get to DC. Laurel Hills is about 10 minutes off I-95, Old Hickory more like 15 or so minutes. A bit further south between Richmond and DC is Cannon Ridge. It's about 30 minutes north or Mattaponni and would actually make for a good 36 day on Saturday.

If you want to travel past DC on Sunday and play in Maryland, then Lake Presidential is good as Priceless says or a couple miles from it is Renditions... a fantatic replica style course that has Amen Corner and the Island Hole from Sawgrass. It's maybe 10 miles or so off I-95/495 exit.

[wreiman]

Cannons Ridge in Fredricksburg is a nice layout.... played there the other month on my way down to Jacksonville.

[avgjoe]

Tobacco Road down in Sanford is a very unique course... The Preserve is among the nicer public courses around. Neither are that close to RDU, but there is nothing worthy really close. Greens at The Crossings are slow right now, Falls Village is not in great shape, and Duke is not worth the price IMO. NCState/Poole is new and pricey, and prob your best bet if looking for something nice close by. Discount coupons and local courses can be found here (click 'read our current issue'): [url="http://www.trianglegolf.com/"]http://www.trianglegolf.com/[/url]

[OReilly]

You guys are Awesome for helping me out here. I found the discounts for the NC State course for $67.50 on a Friday. I'm gonna post up a little photo / written review of the trip. The three of us are on a quest to play all 50 states, so each summer we try to knock a few off.
So far the itinerary looks like this, (remember it's 2 27 yr. olds and me the 32 yr. old, so slumming it is still cool)
Thursday 6/24 Me and freind leave Philly at 11pm drive down to Raleigh for a 6am arrival
Friday 6am pick up brother then possibly play Lonnie Poole then cruise up to Richmond area stay in fleabag motel.
Saturday early am grab 18 at Mattaponi then 18 at Canon Ridge, stay at family home in DC
Sunday looking at 18 possibly at Augustine, Virginia Oaks, or maybe 36 at Twin Lakes.

We are looking for courses in the $50-$100 range, but if something is a must see we'll go up to $150. Should be a great time with great freinds!!

[Carolina Golfer 2]

Sounds like a good weekend with the buds. As for the Virginia courses you mention, all three of those have seen their better days...especially Augustine. But Virginia Oaks isn't bad and usually a good bargain. I've never been a big fan of the Twin Lakes courses.

If that's the area you concentrating in...yoiu might want to consider Westfields...it is probably around $115 or so on a weekend...but in my opinion may just be the best public course in Northern Virginia. If you can afford the $$$ you won't be disappointed in it.

Everything else sounds awesome!! Enjoy and be careful on that overnight drive

[OReilly]

So it sounds like in the DC area we should look into Old Hickory, Westfeild, and Lake Presidential. If Westfeilds is really nice we'll swing for the extra dough. The other two guys were able to knock off Maryland last year with Renditions. Perhaps I can convince them to play it again.

[Carolina Golfer 2]

[quote name='oreilly77' date='11 May 2010 - 04:06 PM' timestamp='1273608397' post='2435226']
So it sounds like in the DC area we should look into Old Hickory, Westfeild, and Lake Presidential. If Westfeilds is really nice we'll swing for the extra dough. The other two guys were able to knock off Maryland last year with Renditions. Perhaps I can convince them to play it again.
[/quote]
Just keep in mind Presidential and Westfields are about 60 miles apart from each other complete opposite sides of the beltway. If you're setting up base in NOVA with your family, then Westfields is the way to go...Much better course and the difference in greens fees between it and Presidential isn't that much and would be eaten up in gas and time. Old Hickory or Laurel Hills would be solid back up choices to Westfields. Westfields was designed by Fred Couples and the back tees are called the Boom Boom tees

edit: There is a brand new course out in Virginia as well called 1757. It was supposed to be a private corporate club but never sold the needed memberships. I think it just recently opened as all public. I don't know anything other than that about it. Might be worth a check of the website or call to.

[thechief16]

I second the suggestion to stay away from Twin Lakes, Augustine and VA Oaks. If you are going to venture the Virginia side of the beltway, I would do Westfields and Bull Run (probably no more than 30 minutes apart). Old Hickory isn't a bad recommendation either, if you don't mind target golf.

[OReilly]

Thanks guys, it looks like we area staying in Arlington, VA. Not quite DC so I'm gonna map out all of your recommendations.

[Carolina Golfer 2]

[quote name='oreilly77' date='11 May 2010 - 07:35 PM' timestamp='1273620908' post='2435674']
Thanks guys, it looks like we area staying in Arlington, VA. Not quite DC so I'm gonna map out all of your recommendations.
[/quote]

Arlington is kind of spread out in some ways, not far from DC at all like just across the river. Depending on where exactly in Arlington you will be you're less than 30 minutes to all the Virginia courses mentioned and maybe 30 to 45 minutes to Lake Presidental if you decide to go that route.

Army Navy Country Club is a nice private course right in the middle of Arlington if you have any connections.

[Borthwick]

Augustine over the hill? Really? What is the basis of that opinion?

[Carolina Golfer 2]

Conditions last time I played Augustine, granted it was 08, were very bad, fairways were getting bare and the greens were not good at all. When it opened in what 95 or 96 somewhere around there, I considered it the premiere public course in NOVA at that time.

I just got the impression that ownership or management hasn't put the money into keeping it up, I'm sure with all the other competition that has opened in that area, they down in rounds played as well.

[matpatsheehy]

Augustine is passed its prime. Definitely lost its luster due to financial problems. The original owner passed away and the family running the course is not investing as much cash into the course as its previous owner.

The same can be said for Bull Run.

I would not recommend Twin Lakes on a weekend. Not a chance you get a tee time on a weekend and it will be crowded.

If you are going to drive to VA Oaks then you might as well spend the extra cash and play Stonewall. The course is far superior and worth the extra money.

From Arlington, your best bet maybe to play Laurel Hills given its proximity to the interstate. You will once again have an issue getting a tee time so playing 36 at a county course will be an issue.

If driving 30 to 45 minutes is not an issue then this is how I would rank the courses on the south side of the Potomac:

1. Stonewall
2. Westfields
3. Laurel Hills
4. Old Hickory

Westfields and Stonewall are definitely worth the extra cash. Their conditioning is always top notch.

FYI, you are playing two of my favorite courses in Mattaponi Springs and Cannon Ridge. Both a lot of fun and worth the stop. If you get a chance, look up Mattaponi and read how the course was built. It was really one man's labor of love.

[Carolina Golfer 2]

[quote name='matpatsheehy' date='13 May 2010 - 01:44 PM' timestamp='1273772692' post='2439598']
Augustine is passed its prime. Definitely lost its luster due to financial problems. The original owner passed away and the family running the course is not investing as much cash into the course as its previous owner.

The same can be said for Bull Run.

I would not recommend Twin Lakes on a weekend. Not a chance you get a tee time on a weekend and it will be crowded.

If you are going to drive to VA Oaks then you might as well spend the extra cash and play Stonewall. The course is far superior and worth the extra money.

From Arlington, your best bet maybe to play Laurel Hills given its proximity to the interstate. You will once again have an issue getting a tee time so playing 36 at a county course will be an issue.

If driving 30 to 45 minutes is not an issue then this is how I would rank the courses on the south side of the Potomac:

1. Stonewall
2. Westfields
3. Laurel Hills
4. Old Hickory

Westfields and Stonewall are definitely worth the extra cash. Their conditioning is always top notch.

FYI, you are playing two of my favorite courses in Mattaponi Springs and Cannon Ridge. Both a lot of fun and worth the stop. If you get a chance, look up Mattaponi and read how the course was built. It was really one man's labor of love.
[/quote]

Good call on Stonewall, I don't know how I could have forgotten it. It and Westfields are 1 and 1A in either order in my book.

I passed the exit for Mattaponni today on my way down to Pinehurst, I seriously thought about stopping and getting a round in, but I didn't want to get down here at midnight. It is a great story about the owner and the time and dedication to building it.

[OReilly]

Well, we finalized our itinerary,
Friday 18 @ Pine Needles and 18 And Mid Pines
Saturday 18 @ Tobacco Road and hopefully 18 @ Mattaponi
Sunday 18 @ Golden Horseshoe

[Carolina Golfer 2]

[quote name='oreilly77' date='27 May 2010 - 02:51 PM' timestamp='1274986303' post='2471187']
Well, we finalized our itinerary,
Friday 18 @ Pine Needles and 18 And Mid Pines
Saturday 18 @ Tobacco Road and hopefully 18 @ Mattaponi
Sunday 18 @ Golden Horseshoe
[/quote]

Very Nice!!! Doesn't get much better than that lineup!! Having just made the drive on a recent Sunday, If I am remembering my drive correctly it will be about 3 hours give or take from Tobacco to Mattaponi.

Also I don't know what route you planned on taking but the new (well maybe 2 or 3 years old now) expansion of Route 64 from Raleigh to I-95 is the best thing that ever happened to get to and from Pinehurst...It bypasses all of Raleigh and is 70 MPH wide open.

[Puppetmaster]

[quote name='matpatsheehy' date='13 May 2010 - 01:44 PM' timestamp='1273772692' post='2439598']
I would not recommend Twin Lakes on a weekend. Not a chance you get a tee time on a weekend and it will be crowded.

If you are going to drive to VA Oaks then you might as well spend the extra cash and play Stonewall. The course is far superior and worth the extra money.

From Arlington, your best bet maybe to play Laurel Hills given its proximity to the interstate. You will once again have an issue getting a tee time so playing 36 at a county course will be an issue.

If driving 30 to 45 minutes is not an issue then this is how I would rank the courses on the south side of the Potomac:

1. Stonewall
2. Westfields
3. Laurel Hills
4. Old Hickory

Westfields and Stonewall are definitely worth the extra cash. Their conditioning is always top notch.

[/quote]


This is pretty much what I'd say too.

Twin Lakes sucks on the weekends and is overplayed and under maintained.

Carolina Golfer mentioned 1757 GC in Sterling - I played there when it was still 10 holes and the condition at the time was pretty good for a new construction, especially the tees and greens. However, the full 18 prices look high for a still unestablished course. Also, if you don't enjoy a challenge or target golf, it may not be the most fun. Most of the holes penalize misses to the right and it is a tight course, at least the 10 holes I played were. The greens roll very nice though, and to me, that's typically the most important factor on the enjoyability scale, followed by the lay out. They do have an awesome range and practice area though, lol.

[Carolina Golfer 2]

[quote name='Puppetmaster' date='28 May 2010 - 10:11 AM' timestamp='1275055915' post='2472744']
[quote name='matpatsheehy' date='13 May 2010 - 01:44 PM' timestamp='1273772692' post='2439598']
I would not recommend Twin Lakes on a weekend. Not a chance you get a tee time on a weekend and it will be crowded.

If you are going to drive to VA Oaks then you might as well spend the extra cash and play Stonewall. The course is far superior and worth the extra money.

From Arlington, your best bet maybe to play Laurel Hills given its proximity to the interstate. You will once again have an issue getting a tee time so playing 36 at a county course will be an issue.

If driving 30 to 45 minutes is not an issue then this is how I would rank the courses on the south side of the Potomac:

1. Stonewall
2. Westfields
3. Laurel Hills
4. Old Hickory

Westfields and Stonewall are definitely worth the extra cash. Their conditioning is always top notch.

[/quote]


This is pretty much what I'd say too.

Twin Lakes sucks on the weekends and is overplayed and under maintained.

Carolina Golfer mentioned 1757 GC in Sterling - I played there when it was still 10 holes and the condition at the time was pretty good for a new construction, especially the tees and greens. However, the full 18 prices look high for a still unestablished course. Also, if you don't enjoy a challenge or target golf, it may not be the most fun. Most of the holes penalize misses to the right and it is a tight course, at least the 10 holes I played were. The greens roll very nice though, and to me, that's typically the most important factor on the enjoyability scale, followed by the lay out. They do have an awesome range and practice area though, lol.


[/quote]
Puppetmaster...thanks for the update on 1757. Sounds challenging to say the least. I'd like to give it a go sometime this year...I guess I'm a glutton for punishment.

However, I agree with you 1000 percent about greens. Nothing can spoil an otherwise beautiful course than greens that run slower than Hanley Ramirez chasing a booted ball !!!

[Puppetmaster]

Oh, don't get me wrong, I'd play there again too, but it is a tough slog of a round if your ball striking is off. The full 18 is only 6600 yards from the tips, but from what I recall, you're not gonna be hitting the driver very much - I think I hit my driver three times in 10 holes, with maybe one other hole I could have hit driver but chose not to, all the others were pretty much 2-iron off the tee or a par 3. One positive about the rates being a touch high is that you're less likely to have high volume, and thus, the condition should be good. It is a sister course to VA Oaks and Reston National, and I think that group does a decent job with upkeep. Their early bird rate is $49 and I think that's a very fair price for that course, but probably wouldn't pay the full weekend rate of $95. IMO, it is more like a $65-$75 value.

[OReilly]

So we got back last week from our trip.
Left Philly at 11pm Thursday night and drove to Raleigh Airport to pick up our 4th. Stopped at the good old Waffle House and checked in to Southern Pines. What an awesome resort, such an old school feel and great rooms. We played 36 holes and crashed hard that night. Southern Pines was great and mid pines was good. Saturday woke up and played Tobacco Rd., handsdown my most favorite golf experience so far. Sunday played Golden Horseshoe Green Courcse. Golden Horeshow was very tame compared to Tobacco Rd. and was a welcome warm down course before our 4 hour drive back to Philly. I'll definatley be headingback to the area and staying at Southern pines again. It was a great trip, only shame was we didn't have enough time for needed sleep and relaxing. Oh yeah it was 100 degrees everyday with little wind, but still had an awesome time.

[Carolina Golfer 2]

[quote name='oreilly77' date='07 July 2010 - 09:48 PM' timestamp='1278553697' post='2561424']
So we got back last week from our trip.
Left Philly at 11pm Thursday night and drove to Raleigh Airport to pick up our 4th. Stopped at the good old Waffle House and checked in to Southern Pines. What an awesome resort, such an old school feel and great rooms. We played 36 holes and crashed hard that night. Southern Pines was great and mid pines was good. Saturday woke up and played Tobacco Rd., handsdown my most favorite golf experience so far. Sunday played Golden Horseshoe Green Courcse. Golden Horeshow was very tame compared to Tobacco Rd. and was a welcome warm down course before our 4 hour drive back to Philly. I'll definatley be headingback to the area and staying at Southern pines again. It was a great trip, only shame was we didn't have enough time for needed sleep and relaxing. Oh yeah it was 100 degrees everyday with little wind, but still had an awesome time.
[/quote]
Oreilly...Glad you enjoyed the trip. Yes Southern Pines is a great classic Donald Ross course. Did you stay on site there or at Mid Pines, I didn't know Southern Pines had lodging. I know Mid Pines has a rooms that look right out on the 18th hole.

Southern Pines and Pinehurst area is my favorite golf destination. I agree with you about playing the Green Course right after Tobacco Road, it'd be like going from Space Mountain at Disney to the kiddie rollercoaster in Tooney Town

[OReilly]

we had 2 rooms in the Kirk Lodge along the 18th fairway / green at Mid Pines. BTW the Breakfast at the lodge is AMAZING. it was in our package which was $189 for 2 rounds of golf 1 night stay and breakfast. I would have paid $30 just for the breakfast easily!!!

[chadam44]

+1 for Mattaponi Springs, tough course, but very nice.