I played golf 4 times at Lake Norman last week. Two days were stifling hot and two days were glorious. I hit a few good shots and I hit lots of bad ones. My family reunion team ended up losing to “Darth” Mathera (my brother-in-law) and his gang by 5 strokes, but the next day, I beat Darth by one stroke in a head-to-head match at Trump National, so good sometimes overcomes evil. But while I was … [Read more...]

My Annual Family Golf Tournament, The Granny Classic, is this week. For all my brothers, children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, this is the equivalent of the U.S. Open. Problem is, heading into this momentous occasion, my driving in recent outings has ranged from “Barely decent” to “What the …. kind of shot was that?” Usually, the latter. My brothers, Pat and Charlie, are pretty good … [Read more...]

There is a handful of local golfers absolutely able to blister par and win the City Championship of Charlottesville. And then there’s the rest of us, where “blistering 100” can be an accomplishment. The annual City Championship at Meadowcreek Golf Course allows a wide variety of players to get together, compete with those in their own class and have some fun. Sponsored by Advantage Home … [Read more...]

One good thing about not being a member of a particular country club or golf course is that you get to play lots of different courses – and we have some really nice venues in Central Virginia. One of the best is just a few miles outside Charlottesville – Lake Monticello. The course is challenging, beautiful, and is kept in top condition. The famous golf architect, Buddy Loving, thoughtfully … [Read more...]

The local golf and sports community has lost a powerful voice -Jerry Ratcliff, former Sports Editor for the Charlottesville Daily Progress. I say former because the Daily Progress in their infinite wisdom has decided that after three and a half decades of loyal service and splendid columns that they part ways with Jerry Ratcliff. Jerry was new on board when I first began writing outdoors … [Read more...]

Old Trail Golf Club has made an appeal to all members of the Virginia State Golf Association to come play their course. With a valid VSGA card in hand, players can tee it up at the beautiful layout at the foothills of the Blue Ridge for just $42. This includes a cart, but is only valid on Mondays through Thursdays after 11 AM. The offer expires June 30, so there are still six weeks or so to take … [Read more...]

Most larger cities have a municipal golf course or two, but few have one to rival the overall quality of Meadowcreek Golf Course here in Charlottesville. My golf amigos and I teed it up at Meadowcreek last Wednesday and the course is in excellent shape as it prepares to host the City Championship in a few more weeks. But the best part? We played our round in just over three hours. That makes … [Read more...]

My brother Charlie was in town over the weekend and we chose The Greens at Tanyard for a Saturday afternoon golf outing. I picked Tanyard for several reasons – it plays quickly, there’s rarely a wait, it’s a fun course and you can almost always get a tee time after 1 PM. When we arrived, there was quite a bit of revelry out on the course, as several foursomes from a wedding party were obviously … [Read more...]

Greg Lefler, Kevin Mann and I made our annual spring pilgrimage to Swannanoa this week with mixed feelings. Pete Lang, the owner and a long time golf icon in Central Virginia had passed away in December. Pete was 95 and quite active until last winter, when a stroke took its toll. Buddy Lang, Pete’s son, has taken over the reins of this laid-back, affordable and scenic course. You know, I’ve … [Read more...]