Column – What Club Would You Hit?

Today’s golf hole photographic illustrations are of the 4th Hole Old Hickory Golf Course located in Woodbridge, VA – it’s the closest golf course to my house. I’ve had the honor of playing this golf course multiple times over the years. Click the link to read an illustrated PDF version of 4th Hole Old Hickory Golf Course

Today’s golf hole photographic illustrations are of the 13th & 14th Holes of Tobacco Road Golf Course located in Sanford, NC – it’s in the Pinehurst Region of golf courses. Tobacco Road is part of “The Maverick Golf Trail”. I’ve played Mike Strantz golf courses. My golf experiences on “The Maverick Golf Trail” is a chapter in my golf book “Golf a la Cart Version 2.” Click the link to read an illustrated PDF version of 13th & 14th Holes of Tobacco Road Golf Course

Today’s golf hole photographic illustration is of the 11th hole at Laurel Hill Golf Course, located in Lorton, VA. Run by the Fairfax County Authority, it’s the crown jewel of golf courses in Fairfax County. Designed by golf course architect Bill Love, he has created an impressive 18-hole course on land occupied until 2000 by a maximum-security prison that was operated by the District of Columbia Department of Corrections as the Lorton Reformatory and Correctional Complex. Click the link to read an illustrated PDF version of 11th hole at Laurel Hill Golf Course, located in Lorton, VA.

As I said in “Golf Course Graveyards Part 1,” over the years I’ve had the opportunity to play and photograph many golf courses. Unfortunately, some of the golf courses in question have closed. Here in Golf Course Graveyards Part 2 are other golf courses I have photographed that are now closed – Colonial Golf Course, Virginia National, and Vista Links Golf Course. Click the link to read an illustrated PDF version of Golf Course Graveyards Part 2

For this week’s column, I’m doing something a bit different. Golf Course Graveyards Part 1 are golf courses that have since closed. Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to play and photograph many golf courses. As a contributing writer for Washington Golf Monthly and later GolfStyles, Washington, I published several “Play the Game” features on golf courses that have since closed. Click the link to read an illustrated PDF version of the column of Golf Course Graveyards Part 1

Today’s golf hole is the 12th hole at Wellesley Country Club (WCC) in Wellesley, MA – just outside of Boston. WCC is the golf course where I first learned to play golf. When I played WCC, this was the 3^rd hole, the golf hole where I made my only hole-in-one that no one saw. Click the link to read an illustrated PDF version of the column of 12th hole at Wellesley Country Club (WCC)

Today’s golf hole illustration of the 5th hole at South Riding Golf Course, located in South Riding, Virginia, is out of date. For all the years I’ve been playing South Riding Golf Course, there has been an unusual feature – an old workman’s shed to the right of the 5th hole. It frames the green quite nicely in the illustration. Unfortunately, due to age and deterioration, South Riding had to remove the workman’s shed this summer. Click the link to read an illustrated PDF version of the column of 5th hole at South Riding Golf Course,

Today’s golf hole digital painting illustration is of the 7th hole at Rock Harbor Golf Course, the “Rock Course” located in Winchester. The 7^th hole features an island green. Click the link to read an illustrated PDF version of the column of 7th hole at Rock Harbor Golf Course, the “Rock Course”

Is it me, or are we seeing a whole new Tiger Woods 2.0? Am I the only one who thinks he sounds much friendlier? It’s now as if he truly appreciates playing golf. He interacts with the fans more. When Tiger returned to professional golf, he was now a veteran of the PGA Tour. Age and injuries had brought a new perspective to his golf game. Click the link to read an illustrated PDF version of the column on Tiger Woods 2.0

Today’s golf hole is the 7th hole at the Carolina Club Golf Course, located on the Outer Banks of North Carolina in Grandy, N.C. Opened in 1998, Carolina Club Golf Course has won the “Outer Banks Best of the Beach – Golf Course multiple times. Click the link to read an illustrated PDF version of the column on the Carolina Club Golf Course

Today’s golf hole is the 7th Hole at Cape Cod Highland Golf Course in Truro, Cape Cod, MA. As the oldest golf course on Cape Cod, this nine-hole golf course is like what you might find in the Highlands of Scotland. Built on a natural bluff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in the grand tradition of the Scottish links. With its wide-open, windswept fairways and pot-style bunkers, it’s appropriate that the golf course is built with the game’s history in mind. Click the link to read an illustrated PDF version of the column on 7th Hole at Cape Cod Highland Golf Course

Today’s golf hole is the 14th Hole at Grand Dunes Golf Course in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Located on the Intracoastal Waterway, Grande Dunes has been ranked among “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses” by Golf Digest, and Golfweek list The Grande Dunes as one of the best public-access golf courses, a ranking of the best courses you can play. Click the link to read an illustrated PDF version of the column on 14th Hole at Grand Dunes Golf Course

Today’s golf hole is the 12th Hole at Canaan Valley Resort Golf Course in Davis, West Virginia. Located on the northern edge of the Monongahela National Forest, more than three thousand feet above sea level. With the breathtaking views of the Canaan Mountains as the background, it’s hard to concentrate on this long par three. Click the link to read an illustrated PDF version of the column on Canaan Valley Resort Golf Course

Today’s golf hole is based on a digital painting I created of the 10th Hole at Forest Greens Golf Course in Triangle, Virginia, near Quantico Marine Base. The peaceful setting is adjacent to Quantico National Cemetery, and Prince William Forest State Park is free of distractions, even though Interstate 95 is behind the 10th green. Click the link to read an illustrated PDF version of the column on 10th Hole at Forest Greens Golf Course.

Today’s golf hole is the 16th hole at the Devil’s Knob Golf Course at Wintergreen Resorts, located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Wintergreen, Virginia. Devil’s Knob course is the highest in Virginia at 3,850 feet. Click the link to read an illustrated PDF version of the column on 16th hole at the Devil’s Knob Golf Course at Wintergreen Resorts,

Today’s golf hole is the 7th hole at the Stonewall Golf Course at Lake Manassas, located in Gainesville, Virginia. Opened in 2001, Stonewall Golf Course is rated among the top public courses in Virginia. Featuring scenic mountain views from Bull Run Mountains and located along the shores of Lake Manassas, across the lake from Robert Trend Jones Golf Course. Click the link to read an illustrated PDF version of the column on 7th hole at the Stonewall Golf Course at Lake Manassas

Today’s golf hole is the 18th hole at the Jones Course at Lansdowne Resort, located in Leesburg, Virginia. The original golf course was designed and built by Robert Trent Jones Jr., son of legendary golf course designer Robert Trent Jones. Click the link to read an illustrated PDF version of the column on 18th hole at the Jones Course at Lansdowne Resort,

Today’s golf hole is the 11th Hole at True Blue Golf Club, located in Pawley’s Island section of Myrtle Beach, SC. If you’ve been reading my “Golf Hole” columns, you might have figured out that I love Mike Strantz’s golf course designs. I only played True Blue once, but it’s one of my favorite golf courses. It’s a thinking-man’s golf course. You can’t just “grip it and rip it.” Strantz forces you to plan your attack on each hole. Click the link to read an illustrated PDF version of the column on 11th Hole at True Blue Golf Club.

Today’s golf hole is the 11th Hole Drapper Valley Golf Course, located in the southwest part of Virginia along the I-81 corridor. There, you find a wonderful golf course located in the valley between two of the Blue Ridge mountain ranges. The mountain ranges provide wonderful backdrops for the more than 7,000 yards from the tips of natural rolling hills that make up this golf course. Even at that length, this is still a course designed and priced for the weekend golfer. Click the link to read an illustrated PDF version of the column on 11th Hole Drapper Valley Golf Course

What Would You Hit? Today’s golf hole is the 3^rd Hole at Stonehouse Golf Course, located in Williamsburg, Virginia. It’s the sister course to Royal New Kent Golf Course, and this is another Mike Stran gem. I love Mike Strantz’s golf course designs. Since Williamsburg is a couple of hours away, I’ve played Stonehouse Golf Course several times over the years through the good and bad times. Click the link to read an illustrated PDF version of the column on 3^rd Hole at Stonehouse Golf Course,

What Would You Hit? Today’s golf hole is the 11th Hole at Tryall Golf Course in Montego Bay, Jamaica. I’ve played the golf course during my honeymoon in Jamaica. While there, I played all five golf courses in the area while writing my “Golf in Jamaica” article, which I included as a chapter of my book “Golf a la Cart Version 2,” now available on Amazon. Click to read an illustrated PDF version of the column on 11th Hole at Tryall Golf Course

What Would You HitToday’s golf hole is the 9th Hole at Bull Run Golf Course in Haymarket, VA. I’ve played the golf course several times over the years. On the success of the Augustine golf course, golf course designer Rick Jacobson built another “high-end, daily-fee golf course” in the Northern Virginia region. Recently, the digital painting shown here has taken on much more meaning. I read that Chip Sullivan, the golfer in this digital painting, passed away this spring. Click to read an illustrated PDF version of the column on 9th Hole at Bull Run.

If you hit your drive long enough down the middle on the first fairway at the Caverns Country Club Resort Course in Luray, Virginia, you might find your golf ball in one feature of this mountain golf course that you will not find on any other golf course in this country – a cave opening! Click to read an illustrated PDF version of the column on Caverns Country Club Resort Course

What Would You Hit? Today’s golf hole is the 18th at Whiskey Creek Golf Course, Ijamsville, MD. Designed by Architect J. Michael Poellot with design consultant pro golfer, Ernie Els, I photographed and played for a feature article. The 18^th hole is another classic risk/reward par-5 hole. At 545 yards from the tips. It’s often rated as one of the best finishing holes in the mid-Atlantic region. Click to read an illustrated PDF version of the column on18th at Whiskey Creek Golf Course,

What Would You Hit? Today’s golf hole is the 12th Duke University Golf Course, Durham, NC. I photographed and played for a feature article. Even though it was April, there was an early morning brisk wind whipping across the pond. I was at the Washington-Duke Golf Course on Duke University’s campus in Durham, NC, looking for an image that would capture its beauty. The 12^th hole at this golf course is a short hole, where the green rises like a small island in the middle of the pond. It’s actually a peninsula, a finger of land surrounded by water on three sides. It’s considered a medium-length par-3. Click to read an illustrated PDF version of the column on 12th Duke University Golf Course.

Today’s golf hole is the 18th Hole Green Complex at TPC Golf Course in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Located in the Murrells Inlet section of Myrtle Beach, SC. Murrell’s Inlet section is located in the middle of Myrtle Beach, commonly known as the “Grand Strand.” Myrtle Beach TPC Golf Course is the brainchild of the legendary architect Tom Fazio. Click to read an illustrated PDF version of the column on the 18th Hole Green Complex at TPC Golf Course in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Today’s golf hole is the 12^th hole at Augustine Golf Course in Stafford, VA. I’ve played the golf course several times over the years. It was one of the first “high-end, daily-fee golf courses” in the Northern Virginia region. Click to read an illustrated PDF version of the column on the 12^th hole at Augustine Golf Course