Advice on Local Golf Courses

I'm looking to get out this weekend and play some golf, but I'm new to the area. Any advice on nice, local and fairly inexpensive golf courses?

 

have you looked at 1757? not sure what you consider inexpensive...

http://www.1757golfclub.com/index.php

they have a great restaurant too!

 

1757 is overpriced. Try brambleton or goose creek for a decent inexpensive round. If you are willing to drop some coin, raspberry falls and whiskey creek are excellent.

 

If you are flexible EzLinks is a great resource for cheaper rounds.

 

Westpark has really improved their course over the past few years, but I agree Goose or Brambleton are good. You can get decent deals for 1757 at times.

 

Here are my thoughts on courses I can recommend in three categories...

High End Daily Fee where you get what you pay for even though the price has three digits given the quality of the course, the facilities, and staff:
Raspberry Falls (Leesburg)
Westfields (FFX Station)
Cannon Ridge (Fredericksburg)
Stonewall (Manassas)
Whiskey Creek (MD)

Mid-Level courses where you make one trade-off and it is usually worth it:
1757 - Really nice practice facility, course is okay. It can be crowded.
Pleasant Valley (Chantilly) - Great layout; Nice people; Could be better maintained (Think B+ vs. A+ from courses above)
South Riding (South Riding) - Ditto

Everywhere else I can recommend:
Goose Creek - no range; tiny, tiny greens; really cheap so still worth it
Westpark - $40 if you play before 7:30AM on weekends CAN'T BE BEAT. Good layout, greens, and fairways are decent. Facilities are...interesting.
Brambleton - cheap and close

Haven't played there, but I've heard good things about Twin Lakes in Centreville, and Laurel Hill down in Lorton, which are both Fairfax County courses.

Hit 'em straight!

 

Depending on how you define local and inexpensive, I'd suggest Blue Ridge Shadows (Front Royal), Rock Harbor (Winchester), and Bull Run (Haymarket). You should be able to get to all three of these courses in less than an hour and all three are less than three digits.

 

I was going to mention about this as well - within an hour from here, Virginia National and Shenandoah Golf Club are both nice courses in addition to the ones mentioned above.

Brambleton has been in good shape this year - but often is crowded.

 

x2 on Rock Harbor and Bull Run. I have played Va National several times and liked it, but heard they went BK and were still recovering under new management. But if it is in good shape, it is a good layout/location down on the river.

 

It's awesome to see so many golfers in the area. I haven't played VA National this year (yet) but I've been told the course is in great condition, and they have redone all of their sand traps.

 

I know it's an expensive sport. But how much it costs to play? I am a newbie. How do I start playing this? where is the starting point? I watch lot of Golf on TV and I am very much interested but kinda scared this may be too expensive.

 

I just started playing, I took lessons last summer at Brambleton. I've only played Par 3 courses so far...trying to get better before I hit the regular courses. It is fun, but can get expensive.

 

It doesn't have to be uber expensive. I'd offer the following advise, based on my own trials and errors.

1) Take lessons starting out, even if it's only an hour or two session. It will make your time much more enjoyable on the course. I started golfing at 24, and just went out and hacked away...it wasn't fun. two years later I finally took some lessons, it's well worth it, especially starting out.

2) buy a set of used clubs, or entry level beginners clubs. Golf Galaxy (or Golf Smith?) and Golfdom are great places to start (in Tysons) or even the staff at Dicks in Dulles Town Center can guide you in the right direction.

3) have fun! it's a challenging sport / hobby, but it can be relaxing if you let it be.

now, costs, you can play a round during the week in the afternoons for 30-50 dollars. on the weekends, in the morning your going to pay upwards of 50 - 70 depending on the course. Brambleton is a good afternoon choice if you want to also walk (saves the cart fee).

Hope to see you on the course sometime.!

 

Thanks for the advise. I think this will help me.
I will start this soon.

 

NEVER play at Brambleton, staff are *******s and the course is over priced.

 

www.virginiagolf.com is a great site that lists all the courses in the Greater DC area.

 

All the courses in and near 'Cashburn' are overpriced in my opinion (like many things). After playing so many years at outstanding public courses in the southeast and northeast for $20-40/18 holes, the sticker shock is still too much for me to accept. I like golf, but not enough to fork over what they are asking for around here for the quality (or lack thereof) you get. 3-4 trips down south every year for or week or two and I get my fix of real courses with real hospitality at acceptable prices.

I don't begrudge the courses though. If people are willing to pay the dough, more power to them.