Course Review: Blue Ridge Shadows (Front Royal, VA)

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I played here 2 weekends ago and below is the review that I typed up. Pictures included below too although the dormant grass, leave less trees, and fog don't do it justice.

Blue Ridge Shadows is a course that I have been eye balling since I got to Virginia last fall. Since it opened in 2007 the course normally gets rated as one of the top public plays in the state and in the Mid-Atlantic. The fog still had not burned off when I teed off and I got paired up with three other golfers so I did not get to take as may pictures as I wanted in what is a beautiful part of the state.

I played from the blue tees at 73.1/138/6787 and thought that the yardage was a perfect match for my game, especially with some elevation change. The course starts out with a split fairway on the 393 yard 1st hole and a couple club drop down the hill to a green guarded by water. When I played the pin was in bowl and I actually used a ridge to get my approach close and make a birdie. I didn't hit any crazy good shots there, but I did thoroughly think my shots through. What I loved is that the course offered a couple different ways to play it, a golfer could work his way around the course strategically or overpower it as it was pretty open off the tee. In addition, the course had many different design elements which kept it fresh from one hole to another.

Holes #1 through #3 had a links feel to them even though they were up and down a hill. On a clear day I think the views of the surrounding mountains on these holes would have been spectacular. The rest of the front nine was routed through the woods which is typical of most of the courses in Virginia that I have played. These holes were very interesting though with the 4th, a par 5, requiring an accurate tee shot and an accurate layup for a chance at birdie while the 7th had a green with a huge false front. The 8th is a par 4 that gradually rose up a hill and was framed by a mountain range in the background. The back nine started out with a picturesque uphill par 3 to a semi blind green and then #11 had an elevated tee box and great views of the course and the area. The 11th and the 13th shared a green which is a neat feature to see on occasion. The 13th, a 459 yard downhill par 4, was a really quality hole as it required a long and accurate tee shot to see the green on the approach but it allow someone to hit it crooked and make a par with an up and down. The 14th is a double dogleg par 5 with an approach across two hazards and was my least favorite hole. It was not a bad hole, just one that would take playing a couple times to get the hang of it. The 15th was another long par with an elevated tee box and had views of almost all the holes on the back nine and the 18th was a short par 4 with an approach over a creek to green with a waterfall behind it. Most closing holes are long par 4s where making a par to close is a tough task, but I like a short closing hole. Even though there was trouble it was manageable and I finished the round with a par which is always a nice feeling. Not only does the course have some scenic views it has so many good design elements. The greens were challenging but fair, there was a good mix of uphill and downhill holes, it was well bunkered, and the course was not spread out. Most newer courses are community courses and cross a street after each hole. If I had to pick a couple things that I did not care for about the course it was that 3 of the 4 par 3s were about 200 yards. Typically I like a short par 3 and the yardages varied a bit. In addition, water was in play on the final 5 holes on most shots so it was quite penal on the closing holes.

I paid $26 on Golfnow to play here during the off season and it was a great deal for that price. I played with a local who said that the course just opened up recently after being close due to some snow so it was soggy when I played. The greens were slower than they looked and had some footprints and ball marks, but the winter conditions can be overlooked because the price is right this time of year. If I lived in Northern Virginia I would probably be out here quite a bit as it is an awesome value, even at the peak rates, compared to the courses up there.

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