What does one do when the thermometer starts creeping uncomfortably close to the century mark, but the skies are clear and you have nothing else to do? You head for the mountains, where elevation keeps things merely hot instead of furnace-like. That was the situation in late June, and its why I drove nearly 90 minutes to Bryce Resort, an isolated outpost west of the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, close to the border with West Virginia and George Washington National Forest.
The golf course here, designed by Ed Ault (he of seemingly infinite work in the Mid-Atlantic), is threaded through a narrow valley carved by a small creek. Never is the property more than two holes wide, though the land that the course itself occupies is flatter than you might expect. The final descent to the resort after driving along the adjacent ridgeline, on the other hand, is very much the opposite. Anyway, let's get to the golf.
The first hole is actually the longest hole on the course, playing 575 yards as the fairway bends gently right around the creek and the adjacent forest. There's also a fairway bunker left, just to make the landing area for driver a bit tighter. Since the hole is so long, and the creek crosses in front of the green, the second shot is really a question of where you want to lay up. A second fairway bunker, also left of the fairway about 100 yards from the green, makes the lay-up not just a matter of advancing the golf ball. A good second shot will leave a wedge over the creek to a green both modest in size and interest protected in front by two bunkers.
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| The first hole. |
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| Approaching the first green. |
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| The first green. |
The second hole is 375 yards and doglegs slightly left between groups of large trees. Driver is unnecessary on this tee shot, and unless you challenge the trees left, actively harmful if you push or slice the drive at all. A 3 wood will leave a wedge or short iron into the green, which is wide and shallow, and is also fronted by the creek. It's also got two bunkers for a bit of additional protection.
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| The second hole. |
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| Approaching the second green. |
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| The second green. |
The third hole is 180 yards, the first of three par 3s at Bryce Resort that plays to that length. The green is pressed up against the forest, and with three large bunkers both left and right, this is not the most inviting target in the world. The green is at least bigger than it looks from the tee, so there is some breathing room.
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| The third hole. |
The fourth hole is a short par 4 at just 315 yards. But don't expect to go for this green with the drive, as a small group of large trees stands directly between the tee and the green. You'd have to hit a big hook to get at it, and if you can't get that draw, you'll just fly straight in to the forest right. A long iron will leave you a 100-yard wedge, and that's honestly the best way to play this hole. The green is fairly small and flanked by bunkers.
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| The fourth hole. |
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| The fourth green. |
The fifth hole is 395 yards, which actually makes it the longest par 4 at Bryce Resort. This is not a long golf course. The tee shot is pretty straightforward; there are no bunkers, just the standard assortment of trees. A good drive will leave a wedge or short iron into the green, which is medium sized and has bunkers both left and right.
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| The fifth hole. |
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| Approaching the fifth green. |
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| The fifth green. |
The sixth hole is 510 yards and doglegs significantly to the right around a pair of bunkers about 260 yards out. They can be carried, and doing so brings the green into reach in two. Most will lay up, which is a simple matter of advancing the ball to your favorite length. The green here is on the smaller side and has some undulation to it, and it's also very well protected by three bunkers. Quite a difficult target if you're going for it in two, but not bad if you've laid up.
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| The sixth hole. |
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| Approaching the sixth green. |
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| The sixth green. |
The seventh hole is 390 yards, and while the fairway looks fairly narrow, there's actually quite a bit of open space right of the fairway. There are no fairway bunkers, but seeing as the green is guarded by a bunker front right (and back left), you're better off favoring the left side on the tee shot. The green itself is quite small and also has a steep dropoff behind leading down into forest. Definitely not a green to go long on.
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| The seventh hole. |
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| Approaching the seventh green. |
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| The seventh green. |
The eighth hole, just like the third, is 180 yards, though this hole does play a bit downhill. There are two big bunkers just left of the green, which is fairly narrow and tilted slightly from right to left. Hitting a little draw at the right side is the ideal shot to play, as the ball will kick toward the hole; conveniently, this also takes the bunkers out of the equation. The green itself does have some humps and bumps to it, but nothing too extraordinary.
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| The eighth hole. |
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| The eighth green. |
The ninth hole is 390 yards and presents the toughest tee shot we've seen thus far; there are four fairway bunkers guarding the fairway, two on each side, and a concrete drainage ditch cuts across the fairway about 275 yards out. Not something you'll lose a golf ball in, but worth mentioning. A good drive will leave a slightly downhill wedge or short iron into a medium-sized green guarded both left and right by large bunkers.
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| The ninth hole. |
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| Approaching the ninth green. |
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| The ninth green. |
That's it for this week, next week we'll take a look at the back nine.
