[Tim Gavrich]

It looks as though I will be a General next year, as I have sent in my deposit to Washington & Lee University.  I'm excited to be going, and am very excited to have the opportunity to try out for the golf team at the University.

The majority of their practice rounds are played at two courses: Lexington CC and Vista Links.  When I visited the school a few weeks ago, I got a look at Lexington CC, and it appears to be an interesting golf course.  I understand that it was founded around 1910, but owes its current look to a ~1970 redesign by Ed Seay.

Does anyone have any thoughts on Lexington CC?

How about Vista Links, just down the highway in Buena Vista, VA?  I had a look at the website, but does anyone have any experience playing the course?

Thanks very much.

--Tim Gavrich

[david h. carroll]

Wow, Tim.  This is very timely for me!!  I am a General and played on the golf team there from 1988-1992!  As a matter of fact, I'm heading down to Lex Vegas tomorrow for my 15 year reunion and am looking to play both courses as well as the real treat, the Upper Cascades.

Lex CC is a fun golf course (ellis maples designed, not ed seay) that in my day was never the best conditioned...the back nine rides along the mountainous terrain of the area and is pretty interesting.  there are some very pretty vistas throughout but overall it's not too challenging.  In my father's day, he too was a General, it was a nine holer.

Vista Links just opened a couple of years ago and i've never played it...the website has a bunch of photos of it and it looks like it's a nice addition to the area.

First and foremost, congrats on choosing W&L!  It is an amazing place!  You'll have a blast floating down the Maury River, going to Wednesday night parties and playing tourneys in the far flung areas of SW VA.  I'm jealous!

DC

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[John Goodman]

Congrats, Tim - I know you'll enjoy W&L, even if you do end up finding yourself heading to Charlottesville on weekends

Give Poplar Grove a try - about 30 miles east of Buena Vista on Route 60 in Amherst, VA.  Ed Carlton layout (though they bill it as Sam Snead's final design), it's a little manicured to suit me but it's set in some lovely rolling country with fine views and I found it enjoyable to play.

John

[Mike Hoak]

I second John's Poplar Grove recommendation.  I played in a VSGA event there last year and enjoyed the course.  I have not played Lexington, but I can recommend Vista Links.  It's designed by Rick Jacobsen--a former Nicklaus design associate with several solid courses in the Mid Atlantic.  It's actually a municipally owned course.  The layout is interesting with lots of movement and it's a fun course to play.  The bunker styling is a little over the top in my opinion, but that's a personal thing.  

Good luck at W&L.  I almost went there myself, but ended up at W&M instead.    

[AndrewB]

Best of luck at W&L, but not too much luck in your conference tournament where you'll be trying to beat my Guilford Quakers.

As for the courses you mention, I never got a chance to play them but, from what I remember, the players from W&L I played with didn't have much to say about them (good or bad).

The ODAC championship was at Poplar Grove the past two years so it's likely you'll get a chance to play it.  It was never there when I was in school so I don't know anything about it.

[Evan_Smith]

Tim
Have fun playing College golf.  It was the best 4 years of my life playing for Longwood College from 1993-97.  We played at Lexington CC every year and it was a really fun course.  I would love to see it now as I have a much greater appreciation for architecture now than I did in the mid '90s.

If you're looking for a great course to play that isn't too far from campus, seek out the Stoney Creek course at Wintergreen Resort.  The original course (I haven't seen the new 9) are the Monocan and Shamokin 9's and were designed by Rees Jones.  We used to play our State Championship at the course and it's one of my favourite courses to play.  Another great course if you're in the Richmond area is Belmont Golf Course.  It's in the north end of the city and is a Municipal course that I still believe is under $20 to play.  The 1949 PGA Championship was played at the course (then known as the Hermitage Club) and won by Sam Snead.  It's a combination of A.W. Tillinghast and Donald Ross course but who knows how much is left of their original work.  There are some great holes that I'm sure are pretty close to how the masters left them and it will be well worth the drive to Richmond to play the course.

Have a great time and don't forget to study!!!!!

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