Primland

[Dan Chapman]

Who has played there?  I made the trip for the first time last week and wow, what an experience.  The long drive up the mountain definitely builds the anticipation and has some gorgeous views.

I found the golf course to be very interesting.  Our foursome got eaten alive by the course.  The greens are pretty wild; some are enormous with dramatic contours. The day we were there it was playing very firm and fast and that made for some extremely difficult (and very fun) chips and putts.  It was not uncommon for our group to putt off the green or have chips roll off the green.  The course was narrower than I prefer (though it seemed much worse the way I played) and it is very unforgiving in a lot of spots with big ravines and such.  I loved the par 3s on the course and also the front nine layout with three 3s, 4s, and 5s; you actually don’t play a par 4 until the 5th hole as it starts 5 3 5 3.  The course was immaculate and it is really gorgeous, but one thing that disappointed me a bit was that at times the course felt confined with the tree lines.  I had expected there to be more panoramic views of the mountains but many times there were trees that blocked the view (the 18th for example).  It seemed like a shame given the dramatic setting atop the mountain.  With some tree removal in these spots I think it would be greatly improved (visually, not relating to the golf).

All in all, it was a really unique golf experience and I look forward to going back.  It is very pricey ($200 a person) but worth it in my opinion.  What are others’ thoughts on Primland?

[Adam_Messix]

Dan--

Primland is very nice, I would be curious to know whether the lodge is now completed.  The course is over an interesting piece of property with some interesting drop offs to the sides of some of the holes.  There were a couple of spots that I'm sure they may have given the routing a second thought due to the severity of the land.  Definitely fits the description "minimalist."  Interesting greens, very few bunkers and I thought it was quite difficult.  They're talking about sliding the 18th green closer to the ledge on the right, although I thought it's a great hole as is. 

The pro at Primland, Jeff Fraim, paruses this site occasionally and I hope he can chime in. 

[Dan Chapman]

Adam,

I was told they're hoping to complete the lodge by April.  Looks to be a top notch facility when it is completed.

[Tim Gavrich]

I started a thread on Primland a few months ago, asking for comments on it, and didn't get much.  It's interesting to hear people's experiences there; it looks absolutely spectacular, judging by the website.  Gotta love the idea of tee times every half hour.

[Dan Chapman]

Tim,

I too was surprised by the lack of discussion the course has gotten here.  Every half hour tee times are perfect there as the rounds can get very long, due to the difficulty and the beauty of the course.

[Paul_Daley]

A shameless plug --- and strike me off the list if the penalty fits --- but Golf Archie Vol. Four (2008) has a highly stimulating essay on Primland, with equally impressive images of the course atop a plateau in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Its British designer, Donald Steel, enviably had the pick of 14,000 acres at his disposal. Busting the paradigm wide open, the layout has 5 x par-3s and 5 x par-5s. In speaking with Donald recently, he mentioned that many trees were cleared, but more work in this regard may be required.

[Scott_Burroughs]

Primland has it's charms:

[jefffraim]

Gentlemen,

It's great to hear that the course is a challenge. We are definitely minimalists when it comes to water. We do most of our watering via syringing. Each winter we are trying to open views of the gorge and surrounding areas.

I to, am surprised we haven't had more discussion on the golf course on this site. I am sure there are only a handful of you that have played it since we have done 3,500 round in 14 months .

I can't tell you how many people have added Primland to their vacation/travel list and have stopped at Greenbrier and Homestead and have commented that we have the best course of the three .

The 72,000 square foot lodge will be opened next summer and all of the roads will be paved by then as well.

Jeff

[Jay Kirkpatrick]

Love Primland.  We had a big group that stayed in one of the houses near the restaurant.   Though the accomodations were rustic, it was perfect for a group of guys on a golf trip.  The food in the restaurant is top-notch.

The course was interesting  I agree that some of the holes were clausterphobic, but that's to be expected given the unforgiving terrain.  Thought Steel and team did excellent job on the greens and bunkering.  In fact, my home course just hired Donald to do a complete renovation largely due to his work at Primland.

Strangely, our threesome tore the course up... each of us shot under par from the tips in our one and only round.  It must have been the inspiring views.

All in all, a great experience that promises to improve as their infrastructure builds out.  Highly recommend all to visit... especially when the weather gets oppressive in the flatlands.

[Brad Tufts]

Fraim!

Looks like you're doing great.  Good to hear.

3500 rounds?  Reminds me of another illustrious MA layout...

Primland sounds awesome, I might have to stop by sometime.

Take care.

-Brad

[Matt Varney]

Jeff,

I met you last year in May 2007 when I met Donald Steel and toured Primland.  You have an amazing facility on the top of the mountains and the arrival is just one of the unique experiences to get to the course.  Mr. Steel has done a superb job on the design and your superintendent had the course in pristine condition the day I visited with my family.

We toured all 18 holes and discussed architectue with Mr. Steel then we had lunch on the stone terrace overlooking the 18th green by the small log cabin.  Keep up the good work and I tell people all the time to play Primland if they want a really nice golf experience hihg up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.

Matt

[Robert Kimball]

I saw the write up for this resort in Southern Living over the weekend. I knew there would have been some discussion on the site and this was the latest I found dealing specifically with the course. It was also mentioned in the "best services at a private club" thread. Here is the article (very short, but enough to pique my interest):

http://www.southernliving.com/travel/south-east/primland-golf-spa-resort-00417000070839/


Anyone have any more updates since '08? Just curious. They have some pretty tempting deals on the website, so who knows, maybe the next time I am in Winston-Salem it could warrant a day trip.

Thanks for any help, Rob

[Mark McKeever]

Reminds me of Morgan Hill in Easton from the couple of pics posted.

Mark

[Roger Wolfe]

I visited there in 07 and 08.  Its awesome and a must play for anyone serious about golf.  Yes its tough and expensive... but its so uniquely beautiful.  I would put it up there with the Ocean Course and Pinehurst #2 for places you need to play at least once... regardless of your budget.

We are taking a trip to Ballyhack and traveling to Primland one of the days this May.  I cannot wait.

Jeff is top notch.

[Wade Whitehead]

Gents:

Primland is a fantastic place and the golf course is exceptional.  I've played mountain golf all across Appalachia and have never seen a setting that comes close.

Scott's first photo (of #1) hints at the incredible backgrounds found throughout the round.  The gorge behind #1 green and continuing along the front nine is as steep as can be found in this part of the country.  If I knew how to post photos (and I don't) I'd put up a couple that illustrate such.

After a well struck tee shot the player is left with quite a decision on #1; to think risk/reward so early in a round is a fun change from the norm.

I last played with a very good local player who made 14 pars and 4 birdies from the back tee (in our afternoon round), which was then the course record.  I shot 76 and lost my pants.  If Mr. Fraim posts sometime soon perhaps he can tell us if 4 under has been broken.

One of the coolest features (if spending the night) is the observatory in the lodge's silo.  It's home to an incredibly powerful telescope, situated on one of the darkest mountaintops in Virginia.

At least two guys are playing Primland on the way to Ballyhack this fall, right?

WW

[Wade Whitehead]

PS As head professionals go, Jeff Fraim can play as well as any.

[Dale_McCallon]

Played at Primland this afternoon and I thought the place was outstanding. Someone mentioned the unique routing and yes there are 5 par fives and par threes. I thought the par fives were really strong. I played from about 6500 yds and maybe I just had a real good day, bit I didn't think it was as hard a driving course as others on here have mentioned. There were some visually intimidating carries, but the only carry that seemed excessive  to me was on 18 (a really stout par 4).

If wild greens are a crutch, then Steel must have been limping badly after this course was built. I don't travel to as many courses as many of you guys, but I know I had never seen such huge undulating greens. They were still in recovery from aeration so I didn't get the full experience but I would think in the summer/fall they would be scary.

For those who like unique features on a course, right behind the 17th green was a mileage marker sign with the mileages and directions to cities around the world. Don't know the story behind it, but I thought it was really cool. Wished I had my camera.

If I had to nitpick about the place, I thought the rough  around the bunkers should have been mowed down. The green surrounds expanded out for quite a while providing chipping areas and just gave the course a really clean look, but then the bunkers were surrounded by thick grass.

Overall though an outstanding course. Great service and what little I saw of the lodge it really looked like a five star hotel. I think for those who can find Meadows of Dan VA (and it ain't easy to find) it would be an excellent addition to the Ballyhack outing or Dixie Cup.

[Roger Wolfe]

I found the "tight fairway" comment interesting, too.  The only one I can recall being remotely tight is #3; however once you navigate the chute just off the tee the fairway is very wide.  To be honest I must say it's the most wide open mountain course I have ever played!  Counting the days until I return there on May 19.  Carolina Golf Club, Ballyhack, Upper Cascades, Primland, Ballyhack again, Mimosa Hills.  9 rounds in 5 days.  Golf heaven!

[Cory Lewis]

Played here this past Saturday and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.  I was very worried how my wife would like it(28 Handicap) based on the rating and slope of the ladies tees, but she really enjoyed it even though she didn't play well.  I actually found it more playable than any mountain course I've played.  The greens were a little bumpy from the aeration but I thought the contours were incredible and the pin positions made the short game a lot of fun. 

[Carl Nichols]

It looks really cool.  Could one walk?

[Greg Holland]

Carl,

It would be a very difficult walk.  One of the cool things about Primland is the expansiveness of the place -- the resort and the golf course.  Also, because of the setting with the falloffs and vistas, there would be many places where you would pretty much have to walk on the cart path to get to the next hole, and there are some long green to tee jaunts. 

[Carl Nichols]

Thanks Greg.  Hope you're well.

[Jim McCann]

I was asked by the Top100 website editor to put the Primland course on the site a couple
of years ago and managed to get Martin Ebert to supply a sizeable quote for the article:

 http://www.top100golfcourses.co.uk/htmlsite/productdetails.asp?id=1572

It certainly looked a spectacular property from the research I conducted at the time.