Fellow Cville golfers. Tired of the same old, same old? Want to get out of your rut and play one of the most pristine golf courses on the Eastern Coast?
Let me suggest a road trip to Lewisburg, WV, and a round at the Lewisburg Elks Country Club. I played there last week with my brother, Charlie and was thoroughly captivated by its beauty. There were gorgeous wildflowers in the rough bordering the fairways, rhododendron in full bloom and beautiful bushes planted along the way. The grass was a green as it gets, and the gentle rolling hills were a thing of beauty.
This is the course I grew up on, where I learned to slice my drives, skull my wedges, and three-putt from 12-feet, so it brought back lots of memories. It was a 9-hole course way back then, but now boasts 18-holes of sheer beauty. It is in perfect condition and a joy to play.
Lewisburg is about a 2-hour haul from Charlottesville. It’s Interstate most all the way, so you could leave at 7, book a tee time at 10 and be free by 2 or 3 o’clock for a tour of Lewisburg and great dining opportunities. Try the French Goat in Downtown Lewisburg serving farm-to-table French cuisine in a charming house with refined decor, a full bar and terrace. Have dinner at 6 and be back in Charlottesville by 10.
The course accepts VIP Cards from Virginia so you can play a round on most days for under $30. The front nine is shorter than the back, and has three Par 3 holes, but the fairways are narrower. Water comes into play on five holes over the course. The greens are small but undulating. The course is short by modern standards, but it is deceptively difficult. The course was originally called the Greenbrier Valley Country Club until its purchase by the BPOE and was then renamed in 1985 .
The Lewisburg Elks Country Club is located on 368 Brush Road, less than a mile north of town. For tee times call (304)645-3660 or go to lewisburgelks@gmail.com
