[Robert West]

Finally creating my first topic...

This seems to be tricky to search for so forgive me if I am trodding on some well worn territory.
Next week my lady and I will be traveling to Morgantown WV, and while I will be grateful to play the two courses at the resort (Lakeview), I was hoping that this forum might be able to point me to any other nearby courses that would be worth exploring. I see that Stonewall is ranked and is probably not far enough away to have me sleeping on the couch for driving out to it (unlike the Greenbrier unfortunately ). But perhaps there is a gem that I am missing? Any help will be gladly appreciated and I would be more than willing to bring an S&S Cheesecake in exchange for some local knowledge...

[Cory Lewis]

If you have access, the big two in the Morgantown area are Pete Dye down in Bridgeport and Pikewood National in Morgantown.  Lodestone at The Wisp resort is a fairly new mountain style course that is only 45 minutes from Morgantown, they are probably still public.

[Kris Shreiner]

Charlie has a great call in making an effort to hit Preston CC. Nice track in a wonferful setting. The Pines in Morgantown is another solid local course on theer edge of Morgantown.  Pikewood is the new big boy in the area, but it's a tough one to get on.
A call ahead to any of them might land you a round. Tell them you've heard good things from folks who went to WVU, would be happy to play with a member if that would help, and hope they roll out some West Virginia hospitality.

Cheers,
Kris

[Michael George]

Robert:

Pete Dye is bar far the class of the area.  Simply one of my favorite courses that I have ever played.  I would make every effort to play there.  They are usually pretty accommodating to reciprocal play.

Good luck.

[Jim Franklin]

Robert:

Pete Dye is bar far the class of the area.  Simply one of my favorite courses that I have ever played.  I would make every effort to play there.  They are usually pretty accommodating to reciprocal play.

Good luck.

Pete Dye is awesome but it is not "by far" the best option. Pikewood National is pretty doggone good and a close second in the area. These Buckeyes just can't seem to grasp simple concepts . I would imagine a call to PDGC could get you on and that would be my first call, but Pikewood would certainly be a quick next call.

[Michael George]

Buckeyes just don't have the travel time that certain Ibis castaways have

[Carl Johnson]

Good luck with Lakeview.  I have not played it in a couple of years, but the last few times I did play it, the course was a mess.  For a variety of reasons, it is not what it used to be.  By the way, because I had a prior engagement, I had to quit my last round after No. 14 and already 5 hours on the course.  (As others have said, you must skip the Mountain View course at Lakeview.)  I have not played Preston in a long, long time, but a good friend who visits there almost every summer says it remains a fun course to play, so I would back up others on that.  And, if you're adventurours, it's still around, and you can find it, try White Day (9 holes in a pasture), Anthony Gray's favorite.  I've heard that Pikewood is good, but very long (only one set of tees) and difficult.  It was designed and built for expert golfers by John Raese, an excellent and very wealthy golfer.  It is supposed to be exclusive, so I don't know how the average guy would get on it.  The Pines is Morgantown's local club.  It's fun, but I do not know how you can get on without finding a member to take you.  Maybe that has changed since the last time I was there. [By the way, I'm a Morgantown native, long since moved away, but I return for visits from time to time.]

[Greg Tallman]

Agree with Carl on Lakewood skip it you can line up the others

1. Pete Dye
2. Stonewall
3. Preston CC
4. Belle Meadow in Clarksburg...(might sneak in 36 in conjunction with Pete Dye or Stonewall) - Check ahead as confditons could be iffy here... lease was recetnly up so who knows what is going on there these days but plenty of pretty good golf holes on an otherwise pedesrtian facility.

[astavrides]

I liked stonewall.  Pete Dye is excellent.

[Robert West]

Well we just arrived, and though we came to the resort rather late it does seem like we are in a beautiful beautiful place. The Lakeview course seems to be in great shape and I really look forward to getting out there. It seems crowded but I'm hoping for a relaxing, if not on-pace, mid-week round over the next few days. I'm sorry for waiting so long to reply.
I can't thank the members of this awesome forum enough for their advice. The courses in the area will definitely provide me with some actual options that will be quite a treat for this Brooklyn boy living in a city that has a dearth of them. The Pete Dye certainly seems like the best choice but as I do not have a home club myself, I will be attempting to get on there with fingers crossed on both hands.... We'll see. Any advice? I'm not a very good weasel sometimes.
A few of you had mentioned that you hadn't played Lakeview in quite a while, I will certainly update this thread with my experiences of the course and the resort. As this is my first trip here, and to West Virginia itself, so far I have nothing but good things to say about both. I don't know how even handed I can be though on this trip. NYC golf does not provide great fodder for aesthetic discussion, let alone quality conditions. I'm probably going to give rave reviews as long as the greens aren't all chewed up. Alas, life could be a lot worse...
One more thing for the locals, I need a new bag, is there a golf shop worth checking out in the area or should I just go to the mall?

RW

[Greg Tallman]

Glad you were not out at Stonewall today.

Not a good scene as former WVU Head Football Coach Bill Stewart collapsed and died of a heart attck during a round at the course.

While many of us did not support Stew as our coach I suspect I represent all Mountaineers fans in saying our thoughts and prayers are with his wife and children. God Bless ya Stew.

[Carl Johnson]

Glad you were not out at Stonewall today.

Not a good scene as former WVU Head Football Coach Bill Stewart collapsed and died of a heart attck during around at the course.

While many of us did not support Stew as our coach I suspect I represent all Mountaineers fans in saying our thoughts and prayers are with his wife and children. God Bless ya Stew.

Too bad.  Although Stewart did not work out as a head football coach, I believe he served WVU admirably during his full tenure there, and as far as I could always tell, was a "true Mountaineer."

[Kris Shreiner]

Somber day for the Mountaineer nation. I too was tough on him. He did better than some would have, though the talent there in Morgantown during his tenure was excellent. He certainly loved WVU and except for the ending, devoted himself to running a quality program...even if he was a little conservative in the playcalling. RIP Coach.

Respectfully,

Kris

[Steve Wilson]

What an absolutely stunning coincidence that Robert West inquired about places to play in West Virginia and had Stonewall high on his list and might have been there when Bill Stewart died.  Like the other Mountaineers posting here I have to say I had no qualms about the Stewart the man.  He might have been ultimately overmatched by the WVU program and the expectations surrounding it in the wake of Rodriguez's departure, but as a man he was, so far as I can tell, universally acknowleged to be first rate and genuine.

The manner of his death, had it come thirty years later, would have been enviable.  Tto die in mid sentence, to literally pass from the living to the dead in an instant is how we should all like to go.  It's hard for those left behind to cope with the suddeness and shock of it, but a blessing to the one who has died.  My mother did virtually the same thing in December.  It was what I had said I had always wished for her--to go in mid stride as inaction and debilitation would have been anathema to her.

 Stewart left his friends in mid story, but in leaving a child who is still a senior in high school there can be no other conclusion that his death was too soon.  I was going to say no doubt, but, and my fellow Mountaineers will understand this, using no doubt in a sentence without quotation marks in a sentence about Bill Stewart would seem like poaching.

Finally, it's nice to see Preston Country Club getting some love.  I wouldn't hestitate to take 95% of the posters here to Kingwood.  I think they would find some quality golf there at a very low price.

RIP Bill Stewart and greetings to all the other Mountaineers in GCA world,










     

[George Pazin]

...to die in mid sentence, to literally pass from the living to the dead in an instant is how we should all like to go.  It's hard for those left behind to cope with the suddeness and shock of it, but a blessing to the one who has died.  My mother did virtually the same thing in December.  It was what I had said I had always wished for her--to go in mid stride as inaction and debilitation would have been anathema to her.

Some of us need a moment to repent...

My day at Preston with Steve Wilson is still one of my favorite golf days. If I could do that on a regular basis, I'd be one happy man.

I just was notified that a cousin is getting married at the Oglebay resort - which course should I play? It will be a fun round with friends, not a serious exploration of the realm of architecture.

[Greg Tallman]

...to die in mid sentence, to literally pass from the living to the dead in an instant is how we should all like to go.  It's hard for those left behind to cope with the suddeness and shock of it, but a blessing to the one who has died.  My mother did virtually the same thing in December.  It was what I had said I had always wished for her--to go in mid stride as inaction and debilitation would have been anathema to her.

Some of us need a moment to repent...

My day at Preston with Steve Wilson is still one of my favorite golf days. If I could do that on a regular basis, I'd be one happy man.

I just was notified that a cousin is getting married at the Oglebay resort - which course should I play? It will be a fun round with friends, not a serious exploration of the realm of architecture.

George,

Play Speidel or sneak over to Williams CC if you can.

Steve, Did you ever know or know of a Kevin Groves at PCC?

[Mark Steffey]

...The Pete Dye certainly seems like the best choice but as I do not have a home club myself, I will be attempting to get on there with fingers crossed on both hands.... We'll see. Any advice? I'm not a very good weasel sometimes.
RW

just call there...  i believe they have times reserved in the afternoon for outside play for the asking.

[Robert West]

My most sincere apologies for the delay in getting back to this thread.
Our vacation was amazing but it wasn't spent to it's fullest capacity. My family has had a rough few months and I had to leave the vacation to deal with some issues that I'd rather not get into here. I was not able to take advantage of the many golf offerings that Morgantown had to offer. I would have been able to play the Pete Dye as well as Preston and another course that was offered to me by Mr. DiBerardino another friendly soul from this wonderful forum.
Such luck was not able to be acted upon.
While I can not thank the gentleman from this forum enough (Mr. DiBerardino and Carl Johnson) for their advice, history, and invitations I was not able to take the time to get them. The vacation was wonderful but time got away from me and then we had to return to the city earlier than expected. Golf was the thing I had to sacrifice to be with my family. Alas.
I did get to play both Lakeview Resort courses and I have to say I was stunned.
I do not get to play private or resort golf often and by the reviews of this forums members I was expecting a lackluster showing from the resort. Apparently I need to raise my standards quite a bit.
The greens at the lakeview course were quite something. The pitchmarks were sparce and the grass was true. There was honestly nothing I could complain about. No, it wasn't a classic architecture course, and it wasn't in a pristine area with breathtaking views and ingenious routing, but for the price I have to say I really got my money's worth.

The Mountainview course was kind of a joke. It was beautiful with cool views of the surrounding "mountains" and really well kept greens but the fairways were like jungle gyms. I played just after quite a rain storm and even with the water slowing the ball down I had trouble keeping well struck balls on the fairway. I had no idea where to hit, and when I did guess right the ball would fall behind a tree or into the rough and I was left without and option beside hitting it as far as I can towards the flag. I was told this was a goat track. Well I am not an expert in many things when it comes to golf (I'm about an 11 handicap) but I do know a goat track when I see it. This course is not a goat track. It's not a great course in terms of strategy of play or design but it's well kept and the greens roll true. I can't ask for more for my $30. Compared to the NYC courses this is something special.

The lakeview course is definitely a better layout. With the signs saying the course record is a held by Sam Snead and Jack Nicklaus together I was a little taken with the history. There were lots of trees that definitely need to be re thought on a few holes (particularly on the back nine) but really, considering I was sleeping on a condo on the 6th fairway I had nothing to complain about.
The fourth (I Believe) Is a shortish uphill par 3 that slopes SEVERLY from back to front. I swear you had to hit the back 10% of the green if the ball was going to stay on it. This is a bit frustrating but for my lackluster golf habits I was more stunned in the creation and upkeep of such a beautiful green to complain. (And I saved par on it once). The rest of the course was really beautiful, forgiving fairways and "The longest hole in the State" leading you back to the clubhouse. Not really walkable but I wasn't expecting that. I just really don't get to play even above average greens often and these were really great. The ball when where I hit it (if not where I wanted it to) and the sand was clean. I couldn't quite tell where the fairways ended and the rough began off the tee but I didn't know the course so that's I guess fair (see below). The greens weren't all elevated and it had well placed bunkers sometimes instead of doglegs so my pet peeves were absent. Nothing accessible anywhere near NYC is so intricate, and so I had a great time, but... this is my problem with the whole complex...

While I understand that you need to know a course to really excel and score well, there is a required element of local knowledge for both of these courses (mountainveiw a bit more than the lakeview). There is really no way for me to know how to play a lot of these holes without playing them a few times, or playing with a local. After the round I started a conversation with some locals whom said they had seen rather well skilled golfers 8 putt that same par 3 green. This is absurd. It is this required local knowledge that I lacked that really inhibited me from playing with good course management. I know that the links courses in GB&I really require such knowledge but a parkland resort in West Virginia is quite a ways from Royal Portrush. I bought a yardage book my second round on the lakeveiw and still couldn't quite aim properly. I kept finding myself begging the course gods "give me a little something please!" The back nine is quite straightforward but on the front there are quite a few holes where you won't see your tee shot land. I hate this. But if those are my only problems I think I'm living quite a life. Needless to say everyone was more than friendly, the beer was cold and plentiful, (and cheap) and I had an absolute blast at the resort. Again, I know my standards are not near the level that some players on this forum would hold but I am golf starved and so I could only consider this a feast.

I can not wait to get back to the area and hit up a few more of it's offerings. I don't know the etiquette for revealing info about courses but it does seem like getting on the Pete Dye is a breeze if not expensive ($175). It looks amazing and I will definitely hit it up the next time I get to Morgantown.

Again, thank you all so much for the advice and info about the area and I look forward to playing with you next time I am there.

--Rob

P.S. Being a native New Yorker I know absolutely nothing of College Football though I was in town for the passing of Coach Stweart and I was actually in Dicks picking up some balls and a glove when it came over the radio that he had died. My sympathies go out to all his family and fans. He seemed to be rather missed, with signs and dedications everywhere when we were walking throughout the towns surrounding Morgantown. Perhaps we should all be so lucky to pass in the company of friends doing what we love. I just hope to be a little bit older, perhaps too old to worry about it all any more...

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