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Virginia Oaks:
Not Just the 'Other'
Course on Lake Manassas
By
Jeffrey A. Rendall,
TravelGolf.com Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, VA (Feb. 11, 2002) - "I like to design hard golf courses," said PB Dye with
a chuckle when I asked him what his philosophy was behind creating Virginia
Oaks. The course is located about 35 minutes from downtown Washington,
D.C., and true to Dye's word, provides quite a challenge to the player
who decides to give it a roll. Jim Larkin, the course's Manager, adds
"Virginia Oaks is a shotmaking club. The nature of the holes require good
placement on the drives, but also around the greens."
The track probably isn't as hard as Dye's
other Northern Virginia design--The Gauntlet at Curtis Park--but don't
go to Virginia Oaks thinking it's going to be a picnic at an amusement
park. There aren't any cotton candy holes here, but there's enough of
a roller coaster ride to give you a thrill.
Measuring 6,928 yards from the back and
playing to a par 72, there are plenty of elevation changes, forced carries
over water, elevated putting surfaces, steep bunkers, and multi-tiered
greens to keep you busy for four hours. Boredom is never an option at
Virginia Oaks--each hole seems to provide its own unique challenge.
Dye puts a premium on accuracy off the tee, and doesn't let up greenside
either.
PB should be happy with his product--it's
certainly not easy. Echoing these sentiments is Pat Pender, Virginia
Oaks' Assistant General Manager: "The course requires you to hit it
straight. If you stray, you feel as if you're hitting in the dark sometimes."
If there's a knock on the course at all, it's
the setting of some of the holes. While the signature fourth hole spectacularly
winds down practically into Lake Manassas, there are several holes where
the vistas consist of townhomes and upscale houses. The holes are hardly
ruined by their presence, but it's not as picturesque as it would be without
them.
One only needs to glance across the lake
to the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, site of the President's Cup--to
see where the potential of the property is. But it's probably superb
for the homeowners!
All in all, Dye has done an outstanding
job carving the course out of what appears to be a very difficult piece
of ground. About the land, PB said "I told the developer, Milton Peterson,
to 'plow up the ground and you'll have a hell of a rock quarry!'" It
seems obvious in several spots that a great deal of earth had to be
moved in order to shape the hole.
A good example of this is the aforementioned
par 4 fourth, Virginia Oaks' signature hole. The hole plays to 432 yards
from the championship tees, and requires a fade on the mildly downhill
tee shot. If you don't get enough distance on the drive, you'll find
a somewhat blind shot into the green, since you're literally staring
at Lake Manassas below you with a green protected by mounds and steep
bunkers.
There's little room to run the ball on the green, so you'll have to
gulp hard and do it the high way. Anything long and you're negotiating
with the Kingfish of Lake Manassas for return of the ball. Dye did a
superb job of crafting the undulating green--and literally created something
out of nothing--that's where the earth moving comes in.
The tough frontside ends with another
Dye signature--his dad's and PB's--an island green. Having never been
to the TPC at Sawgrass, I can't say whether the 17th green there's any
larger--all I know is that the ninth at Virginia Oaks doesn't give a
lot to shoot at. 135 yards of water stands between you and the green,
and although there isn't quite the pressure of winning a prestigious
tournament piled on your shot--it still rattles the nerves.
Dye said he designed the hole to be viewed
from the clubhouse deck, where duffers who've finished their rounds
can watch the oncoming groups have a go at the island--and maybe even
place some bets! There's also an attractive waterfall bordering the
hole--very well done.
The backside plays 224 yards longer than the
front, but seems to be a fair amount easier. Maybe it's just because you've
lived through some tough ones on the first nine. The tenth hole is a unique
par five--and that's not only because it plays to 621 yards--it's an S
shaped hole. The tee shot is downhill, and a good drive will still leave
you with a tricky lie for the second. There's no going at the green here,
as there's a tall stand of trees blocking your way even if you could hit
a fairway wood from a downhill lie over three hundred yards.
As a result, the second shot is a 'layup',
where you'll still leave a medium to long iron into the green for the
third. As true a three-shotter as there ever was. Par here is an excellent
score.
Don't
go to Virginia Oaks thinking it's going to be a picnic at an amusement
park.
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As seems to be true with most modern courses,
there's a driveable (or close to it) par 4 at Virginia Oaks--the twelfth
at 310 yards from the back. The tee shot must carry water--but it's
not really in play for anything more than a pure shank. There's enough
of a landing area to temp you to have a go at the green--but unless
you've played here before, you won't have an idea what's there.
The green is protected by a large group
of mounds, and there's water on the right that isn't readily apparent
from the tee. This seemingly easy hole no doubt has caught more than
a few unsuspecting players by surprise when what would seem to be good
shots disappear into the Twilight Zone. This hole too is signature PB
Dye--nothing is ever as easy as it might appear.
The round ends with the 545 yard par 5 eighteenth. Here, again, Dye
calls for accuracy off the tee and the second shots. If you don't have
a short third from the fairway, it might be difficult to hold the green,
as it slopes somewhat severely on the edge down towards the water on
the left. Here, even a relatively good shot can find the water if it's
in the wrong spot.
The final shot on the final hole sums
up the course--it can bite you if you 're not careful. It's the type
of track that needs to be run a few times in order for you to know where
to be to avoid the trouble spots. However, the reasonable rate structure
(especially the twilight rates) will allow you to give it a go enough
times to find out where you should be.
There are a couple items that could be
improved with a small amount of care and attention. The range is located
a short cart ride from the clubhouse--and if you don't purchase enough
range balls, you're pretty much out of luck. In addition, on hot days,
the water coolers need to be replenished!
Virginia Oaks certainly deserves to be
towards the top end of the middle tier of courses in Northern Virginia--and
definitely merits a visit--if for nothing else, because it's challenging!
Virginia Oaks
7950 Virginia Oaks Drive
Gainesville, VA 20155
Phone: (703) 754-4200; (703) 551-2103
FAX: (703) 754-4136
www.virginiaoaks.com/Golf_Course.htm
Head Pro: Scott McArthur
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