The post America’s Best Golf Road Trips, Part II: The Appalachian Mountains Trail, from the Homestead to Sweeten’s Cove appeared first on Golf.

The post America’s Best Golf Road Trips, Part II: The Appalachian Mountains Trail, from the Homestead to Sweeten’s Cove appeared first on Golf.

Buckle up, folks, and welcome to the second installment of America’s Best Golf Road Trips, a six-part GOLF.com series in which our well-traveled writers will guide you through some of the most thrilling itineraries for golfers with a nose for the open road. (Check out Part I here.) Each journey will be built around golf but we’ll also sprinkle in a few other sights and stops along the way. Bon voyage!

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Country road, take us home. But, please, take us to some great golf courses along the way. This killer itinerary does just that, on a trip that starts near Sam Snead’s birthplace and follows a winding path through Virginia and West Virginia, en route to Tennessee. The mountain scenery is stunning. The hot springs are soothing. And the barbecue isn’t shabby, either. Hungry for all that? Hop in, and off we go.

Starting Point: Charlottesville Albemarle Airport

End Point: Sweeten’s Cove GC, South Pittsburg, Tenn.

Days: 4 days

Miles: 470

Courses: 4 (though you could easily play more!)

Day 1: The Omni Homestead Resort (Virginia)

Milepost: 100

At some point during your stay at this historic resort, which sits on Sam Snead Highway, across the road from a restaurant called Snead’s 12, you are probably going to notice: the legacy of one man looms large around these parts. 

Slammin’ Sammy, the legend himself, was born and raised less than two miles away, and, at age 17, he landed a job at the Homestead, as a maker of hickory-shafted clubs. Five years later, Snead was promoted to head pro at the Cascades Course, one of two sublime 18-hole layouts here. Before long, he moved on to bigger things, like, you know, an 82-win PGA Tour career.

But back to the glories of the Homestead itself. Of the Cascades Course, Snead once said, “If I could play only one course, this would be it.” And no wonder. Designed by William Flynn (the author of Merion, among other classics), the layout oozes Golden Age greatness, all nuanced slopes and angles in an artful routing that rolls naturally over pine-fringed terrain in the shadow of the Allegheny Mountains, rugged peaks that compose part of the Appalachian range. 

Widely regarded as the top public-access course in Virginia, the Cascades Course has staged such big-time events as the U.S. Men’s and Women’s Amateur Championships, the Curtis Cup and the NCAA Division I Men’s Championship.

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Its sister course, the Old Course, has a rich pedigree, too, and a claim to fame reflective of its name: it is home to the oldest continuously operating first tee in the United States. That tee opened for play in 1892, when the layout consisted of just 6 holes. The course was soon updated, stretched out and improved by Flynn and, later, Donald Ross. 

Like a lot of old courses, it is not especially long; it tips out at less than 6,100 yards. But there’s ample intrigue packed into its modest frame, thanks to fairway contouring that yields all kinds of quirky bounces and challenging lies.

Cap your day at Woody’s, a casual eatery named for the late (and lovable) Homestead caddie and staffer, Woody Pettus. We recommend the Homestead Burger (charred tomato aioli, lettuce, cheddar, pickles, thickly sliced tomato) paired with a Bailey’s-infused milkshake. You earned it.

Day 2: The Greenbrier (West Virginia)

Milepost: 140

Golf wasn’t in the offing at the Greenbrier in 1788, when the luxury resort welcomed its first guests. Mineral hot springs were the main draw, the same natural waters that supply the Greenbrier’s spa today. As for golf, there’s now plenty of that, too, with four courses from which to choose. 

These include the Meadows, a 1911 Seth Raynor original that was later reworked by Dick Wilson and then Bob Cupp; the Ashford Short Course, a nine-hole delight; and the Greenbrier, the only resort course in the world to have hosted both the Ryder Cup and the Solheim Cup. 

But if you only squeeze in one round during your stay, make it 18 on The Old White. Designed by the C.B. Macdonald, the grandfather of American golf architecture, and later modified by his disciple, Raynor, the course unfolds as an educational celebration of golf design, with template nods to some of the world’s most famous golf holes. 

The par-3 8th, for instance, tips its cap to the Redan at North Berwick, while the 13th is patterned after the Alps at Prestwick and the 15th pays tribute to the Eden at St. Andrews. 

Is there a signature hole? We wouldn’t say so. But there is a signature experience at the Greenbrier. You’ll find it at the spa. It’s called “The Greenbrier Treatment,” and it includes a soothing soak in the salubrious waters of White Sulphur Springs, followed by your choice of a 25 or 50-minute massage. 

By the time you’re done, you’ll be as loose and limber as a young Sam Snead, who, for the record, worked as a head professional at the Greenbrier, too.

Day 3: Downtime in Knoxville, Tenn.

Milepost: 330

It can’t be all golf, all the time, can it?  OK, sure, it can (and if you really want to play, we’d suggest Island Point Golf Club, a sweet Arthur Hills design at the confluence of two fivers).  

But since you’ve just covered a roughly four-hour leg, the longest stint behind the wheel of this road trip, you might also want to take a day to relax. Options abound. Among them is to wander the Old City in downtown Knoxville, a vibrant district dotted with cool bars, idiosyncratic shops, artist’s studios and other one-of-a-kind outposts. A 20-minute walk from Old City takes you to the verdant grounds of World’s Fair State Park, where the World’s Fair was staged in 1982.

Here you can admire Knoxville’s iconic Sunsphere, a 266-foot tower with a giant gold-dust filled, glass-paneled ball on top (for the time being, because of Covid, visitors aren’t allowed in the tower itself). It’s the most striking structure on the city skyline. 

By now, your stomach might be grumbling. Maybe you’d like some barbecue, which is big in Knoxville. No place does it better than Sweet P’s Downtown Dive, a local favorite in Old City. Never mind that you’re in Tennessee, the dry-rubbed St. Louis ribs are what you want to order. And don’t forget your sides of collard greens and mac-and-cheese.

Day 4: Sweeten’s Cove 

Milepost: 470

You could, in theory, start your day with a detour to Dollywood, the rollicking Dolly Parton-themed amusement park, which sits in the Smoky Mountains, some 25 miles away. But we know you’re itching to get back to playing, so prepare for a wild ride of a different kind. 

Set in a valley, 30 miles west of Chattanooga, Sweeten’s Cove is an iconoclastic charmer with a bootstrapping story that belies its lofty standing in architecture circles (GOLF Magazine ranks it as the 7th best nine-hole course in the world.) Designed and built on a shoestring by the then-unknown architect Rob Collins, it soon became a darling of the Instagram set, who captured stunning images of the place that set social media afire. 

What the golf world saw was a rambunctious layout with huge, unruly greens and holes that invite all styles of play, from aerial bombing to creative, bounding bump-and runs. The bunkering is rough-hewn, and the routing allows for various alternative loops, which many golfers take advantage of on slow days. 

Slow days are rare, though. The secret is out. Sweetens Cove sells all-day passes, ($90 on weekdays and $100 on weekends gets you all the golf that you feel like playing) but they get snatched up quickly by the ever-growing legions of devotees. 

The course’s admirers include Peyton Manning and Andy Roddick, who were so smitten by it that they became part owners of the operation. You get the picture. This place is a must. Be advised, though. Sweetens is all about the golf, not the creature comforts. The clubhouse is a shed. For a post-round meal, your best option is to ring up a delivery from Domino’s (Rory’s fave), which is three miles away. 

Just outside the shed, there’s a fire pit with seating and views of the course. Relax. Enjoy. That country road has done its job. It has brought you to a place where you belong.

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The post PGA Tour permanently removes Greenbrier from tournament schedule amid changes appeared first on Golf.

The post PGA Tour permanently removes Greenbrier from tournament schedule amid changes appeared first on Golf.

The PGA Tour schedule is now one event shorter. A Military Tribute at the Greenbrier has been permanently canceled among broader schedule changes brought about by the spread of the coronavirus. Instead, the event’s Sept. 7-13 dates will be used by the Safeway Open to kick off the 2021 PGA Tour season.

“We are happy to reach a resolution with the PGA Tour that is mutually beneficial to both parties in this time of crisis,” Dr. Jill Justice, President of the Greenbrier, said in a statement to the media announcing the changes.

The Justice family purchased the Greenbrier resort in 2009, led by Jill’s husband Jim (who is now governor of West Virginia). The tournament has served on the Tour’s schedule since 2010 and was under contract through 2026.

“We are very grateful to Governor Jim Justice and his Greenbrier Resort for a highly successful 10 years of partnership with the PGA Tour,” said Andy Pazder, chief tournaments and competitions officer at the Tour. “Governor Justice’s vision and leadership helped shine a light on the men and women that serve our country through the military and first responder programs he implemented through the tournament, and The Greenbrier Resort was an incredibly unique and world-class venue that our players will always remember and cherish.”

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The post Can shooting 59 be a bad thing? It was, in part, for this PGA Tour winner appeared first on Golf.

The post Can shooting 59 be a bad thing? It was, in part, for this PGA Tour winner appeared first on Golf.

Kevin Chappell missed a majority of the 2018-19 PGA Tour season with a back injury. Between November 2018 and his return in September 2019, he made just two starts (both on the Korn Ferry Tour) as a tune up for his return to the Tour.

Then a crazy thing happened.

In his first start on the Tour in 10 months, Chappell fired an 11-under 59 in the second round at a Military Tribute at the Greenbrier. It was the 12th sub-60 round in PGA Tour history.

“Ten months ago, I was on the couch and I couldn’t walk,” Chappell said as he fought back tears during the post-round interview. “So many people had a lot to do with getting me back out here and getting me competitive … (The time off) gave me some perspective on what the game means to me and what my family means to me, and maybe why I play the game.”

It was a career milestone and a beautiful moment for the 33-year-old who’d battled through adversity. But shooting 59, he said, actually had a downside, too.

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In a recent interview on GOLF.com’s Subpar, Chappell told hosts Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz the round was “a great accomplishment, but a mistake at the same time.”

“It validated that I was ready to start competing, and in hindsight I wasn’t even close,” Chappell said. “It was a great day. I hit some great shots. I made some putts, but I wasn’t even practicing yet.”

Leading up to the event, Chappell was hitting fewer than 100 balls per day. That number pales in comparison to other pros’ practice regimes, which typically consist of hours upon hours of work each day.

“I was ignorant enough to think I could compete with the most elite golfers in the world only practicing that much,” Chappell said. “It kind of validated that, but it was some false validation … It probably sent me in the wrong direction in the comeback.”

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Chappell closed with two rounds over 70 that week in West Virginia. Since then, he’s made only four cuts in nine starts as he continues to search for that peak form that he exhibited at the Greenbrier.

In his time with Knost and Stoltz, Chappell also belted out his favorite country jams, reflected on his college days at UCLA and explained why he came to the interview dressed as a narwhal. Check out Subpar every Tuesday for more in-depth interviews with the biggest personalities in golf.

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The post Joaquin Niemann, 20, wins A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier in dominating fashion appeared first on Golf.

The post Joaquin Niemann, 20, wins A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier in dominating fashion appeared first on Golf.

Joaquin Niemann had a two-shot lead after 54 holes at the PGA Tour’s season-opening event, A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier, but a handful of hungry pros were on the chase. Here’s how the final round unfolded on the Old White TPC Course.

Who won: Joaquin Niemann (six-under 64, 21 under overall)

How it happened: Niemann got off to somewhat of a slow start on Sunday, making the turn in one under, but he broke away from the pack on the back nine. He birdied the 10th, 12th and 13th, and even a bogey on 15 was followed with a birdie on 16. Suddenly he stood on the par-5 17th tee with a four-shot lead over Tom Hoge and Richy Werenski, but he didn’t falter — not even close. He finished birdie-birdie to beat runner-up Hoge by six.

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Why it matters: It’s the first PGA Tour victory for Niemann, who is still just 20 years old. He also becomes the first player from Chile to win on Tour. Sunday was his 44th pro start. Last year he played in 28 events and recorded four top 10s. He’s off to a good start in the new season.

Best stat: Good nugget from PGA Tour Communications here. As if you needed any more proof that Viktor Hovland is the real deal.

Viktor Hovland’s 6-under 64 in the final round @GBRMilitary marks his 17th consecutive round in the 60s tying @BobEstesPGA for longest consecutive rounds in the 60s on @PGATOUR since 1983.

— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) September 15, 2019

Best return: The Greenbrier had special significance to Niemann before Sunday, and now he’ll remember this place forever. He made his PGA Tour debut at The Greenbrier in 2017. He tied for 29th as an amateur.

Up next: The Tour heads to Jackson, Miss., for the Sanderson Farms Championship. Zach Johnson, Jimmy Walker and Brandt Snedeker headline the field, and Niemann is also entered.

Joaquin Niemann tees off during the final round at The Greenbrier on Sunday.

Getty Images

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The post Kevin Chappell ties PGA Tour record with 9 straight birdies, shoots 59 at Greenbrier appeared first on Golf.

The post Kevin Chappell ties PGA Tour record with 9 straight birdies, shoots 59 at Greenbrier appeared first on Golf.

The post Kevin Chappell ties PGA Tour record with 9 straight birdies, shoots 59 at Greenbrier appeared first on Golf.

The post After a stormy setback, a venerable golf nirvana is seducing us again appeared first on Golf.

The post After a stormy setback, a venerable golf nirvana is seducing us again appeared first on Golf.

When you call yourself “America’s Resort,” you’d better back it up, and The Greenbrier does just that.

Tucked into the Allegheny Mountains in West Virginia, this lush sanctuary and its healing spring waters have greeted guests since 1778. Twenty-seven U.S. Presidents have visited. So have countless Hopes and Crosbys. Sam Snead, a longtime pro here, presided over a collection of three courses, one now called the Meadows, another known as the Greenbrier and Snead’s ultimate pride and joy, the Old White TPC, which hosts the PGA Tour’s newly renamed A Military Tribute at the Greenbrier this week.

Faithfully restored to the 1913 C.B. Macdonald original following a devastating flood in 2016, the Old White TPC soaks up praise from tourists and purists alike for its revered classical design virtues and “template” holes, its playability for all levels, its routing through mountainsides and valleys, and its soothing scenery.

Sure, you could spend an entire stay sampling the resort’s spa, sporting clays, fine dining and casino gaming. You could even tour the once-secret underground bunker built as a Cold War fallout shelter to house members of the U.S. Congress.

But golf is why you go, and for golfers, the best bunkers at The Greenbrier line fairways and frame greens at the Old White TPC. That’s where the fireworks were held as the Tour celebrated Independence Day at — where else? — America’s Resort.

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