Boy, we have some great golf courses in Central Virginia. One of my favorites is Stoney Creek, a Wintergreen layout in Nellysford. My regular golf buddies and I played there last week. We used our VSGA cards and played 18 holes for just $26, and with a cart.
Stoney Creek offers three 9-hole layouts, Tuckahoe, Monocan and Shamokin. We happened to play my favorite two – Tuckahoe and Monocan, both spectacular settings. Several times, our foursome would simply stop to admire the scenery with the mountains in the background and a trout stream trickling beside the greens.
I really enjoy playing Monocan, which has wonderful fairways sewn with Cavalier Zoysia. You never have a bad lie on a zoysia fairway. The trick is to keep it in the fairway, and away from the numerous fairway bunkers and water hazards.
All three of the Stoney Creek courses were designed by Rees Jones. The trademark of Rees Jones courses is evident in numerous moundings, which tend to funnel the golf ball back to the fairways. Jones, known as the “US Open Doctor”, used the Rockfish Valley along with other streams to accentuate the beauty of the course.
We played on a hot, summer afternoon, but fellow golfers be reminded that when the summer temperatures soar in the lowlands of Central Virginia, the mountain air can be as much as 10 to 20 degrees cooler on a Dog Day afternoon.
This summer, if you’re a Central Virginia golfer, keep Stoney Creek in mind when you book your next tee time. If you’ve never played this amazing layout, give it a try.
For golf information or tee times, call 434-325-8250.
