From Orlando to north VA for a week & back

[chainedwraith]

Leaving July 11th after work (6-ish) from Orlando. I plan to stop, likely around Savannah that evening. Possibility for a early morning round at Tom Triplett Park before getting on the road to Williamsburg.

Arrive at Williamsburg, VA Saturday evening.. I will play New Quarter Park sometime on Sunday.

Monday we leave Williamsburg and head toward the north end of the Shenandoah Valley to our cabin in Edinburg, VA along I-81 where I will be all week until Saturday morning.

Tuesday - Friday I will try to get away to play a couple courses in the area. The 9-hole course, Signal View DGC, is closest to the cabin and will be a definite stop.

Other than Signal View, what suggestions do you guys have? North to Winchester to play Sherando Park and/or Jim Barnett Park? Maybe south to Harrisonburg to play Westover Park? I also see that maybe when we go to visit Monticello, maybe I can swing down to play Walnut Creek.

I also see that I'm not too far south from Paw Paw, WV, but that looks like a lot of golf to play in a day and might not be fun to have the wife 'n kid in tow for that one.

Aside from being in the cabin for the week with the family, I will be leaving early to head home on my own Saturday morning while my wife meets up with inlaws and stays a few extra days. I will be completely free to take whatever route home I want and stop in whatever city I choose. Only rule is to be home for work that following Monday morning. This is where I have a blank canvas to work with. Suggestions? Drive down to Charlotte Saturday and wake up and play some Charlotte courses Sunday morning before getting on road to Florida? Maybe drive all the way to Augusta and check out the IDGC Sunday morning? Maybe some other destination course is doable? What would you guys do if you were leaving north VA Saturday morning and just needed to be in Orlando sometime on Sunday night?

 

[bradharris]

Tuesday - Friday I will try to get away to play a couple courses in the area. The 9-hole course, Signal View DGC, is closest to the cabin and will be a definite stop.

Other than Signal View, what suggestions do you guys have? North to Winchester to play Sherando Park and/or Jim Barnett Park? Maybe south to Harrisonburg to play Westover Park? I also see that maybe when we go to visit Monticello, maybe I can swing down to play Walnut Creek.

I also see that I'm not too far south from Paw Paw, WV, but that looks like a lot of golf to play in a day and might not be fun to have the wife 'n kid in tow for that one.

Walnut Creek is definitely worth the trip if you can get there. Westover is a fun course, but it's not spectacular. I wouldn't go too far out of your way to get there. It is pretty easy to get to from 81 though.

Paw Paw, in addition to being a long day on the course, is quite a hike to get to. Unless you can really devote a full day to it, I would look elsewhere.

 

[chrishysell]

My suggestion is that while in Williamsburg you look into Waller Mill park. It is a brand new course that will open the 4th of July weekend. I think it will only have a 9 hole loop running now but will be an 18 hole course eventually.

When I used to play in Paw Paw events I would camp there. On a rainy weekend I booked a room in Winchester and it was only a 45 minute drive. In theory you could play Barnett and Paw Paw in the same day. Of course there are 2 courses at wapwap and they are quite demanding.

Signal View may even be an 18 hole course by now. One exit north on 81 is a great private course owned by Landon Furlong. It has 22 holes and a brutal island hole that is really just a putt.

 

[sidewinder22]

I'd say go to Paw Paw Saturday or try to make every effort to play it while nearby, it's as epic as Black Jack but not quite as much elevation. And yeah your family would probably hate you if you took them along. Other than hitting up Paw Paw, I'd say go to Mountain Lake Resort and Harmon Hills on the way home, and Walnut Creek if you can't get the family to go along before hand or get away while they are at Monticello. Those three courses are higher on my list than any of the Charlotte courses and right along the 81 corridor. There is a lifeguarded beach area by hole 1 at Walnut, so it's fairly family friendly for other activities too if they end up tagging along while you head away from New Quarter.

 

[Qstick333]

Having played both a fair number of times, Jim Barnett, IMO, is much better then Sherando. Sherando is perfectly fine and a fun course to play, but I find that I only use a few discs and have the same shots often. Jim Barnett has a little more variety to me.

I live about 20 minutes from Jim Barnett and would be happy to meet you for a round should it work out. We are working on figuring out dates for a July trip to the inlaws, but if I am here, I'm happy to play with you.

 

[chainedwraith]

thanks guys!

I think Paw Paw might have to be another trip another time. I just won't be able to break away from the wife 'n kid for more than a couple hours here and there and Saturday when I'm on my own heading back, I would rather be heading south than north since its a long drive back to Orlando.

I will only have time for one course in Williamsburg and I hear New Quarter is the one to check out. My wife and kid might be with me and they won't mind as long as the scenery is nice and the hike not too grueling.

I will consider trying to get them to come with me to Walnut Creek on the same day that we go check out Monticello so that might work out if its a good kid friendly park with some water to cool off in.

Harmon Hills is potentially an option, but it swings me way west on my way home which means, more driving time and less time for DG along the way. I'll do some route checking and see how much extra driving it will add.

 

[chainedwraith]

I live about 20 minutes from Jim Barnett and would be happy to meet you for a round should it work out. We are working on figuring out dates for a July trip to the inlaws, but if I am here, I'm happy to play with you.

Cool! I'll keep that in mind and post back if that works out.

 

[Qstick333]

Cool! I'll keep that in mind and post back if that works out.

Sounds good. You might send me a pm if it works out. I'm not the best about checking threads

 

[DavidSauls]

I'd check out Ashe County and Blackjack, in the North Carolina mountains. Ashe County is, perhaps, the best course I've ever played, especially from the long tees, and Blackjack is ever on my wish list.

More importantly, in July it is 15 degrees cooler than Charlotte or Augusta.

 

[chainedwraith]

I'd check out Ashe County and Blackjack, in the North Carolina mountains. Ashe County is, perhaps, the best course I've ever played, especially from the long tees, and Blackjack is ever on my wish list.

More importantly, in July it is 15 degrees cooler than Charlotte or Augusta.

Thanks David, and I agree! That's exactly what I did on last summer's trip. My cabin was like 3 miles from Ashe County Park and Blackjack was the highlight of the trip. Too bad I hear Blackjack closed down. I'm very grateful that I ran into the right DGCR member when I did at Ashe County park and was invited to play Blackjack. It was certainly a notch or 2 better than Ashe; although Ashe is the best public park course I've ever played.

So as you can see, last summer has really set the bar high for this year. I need to find a really good destination course to try to be as memorable as BlackJack was last summer. That's my challenge, but I think I'm going to have fun regardless.

There are just so many options and routes I can take home. I-81 to I-77 to I-26 to I-95 seems like the most logical route home with the least amount of drive time and maximum DG time; therefore, any epic courses along that route will take precedence over other more out of the way options. On the contrary, it does look like I-81 to Harmon Hills on Saturday is doable, then stop in Asheville that night and then drive home Sunday down I-26 possibly stopping at another course along the way. How long does a round at Harmon Hills take if playing solo?

Anybody play Greenfield DGC north of Roanoke along I-81?

David, is Stoney Hill open to visitors on Sunday July 20th? I've heard great things about your course. Columbia, SC might also be another viable saturday night hotel option depending on how early I leave the cabin that Saturday morning and whether or not I try to play another course along the way.

decisions, decisions..

Counting down the days till vacation!

 

[chrishysell]

New Quarter is a historic park with many signs explaining history. One of the oldest trees in Va is on hole 16. The kids can go exploring the revolutionary war redoubts while you play. Plus there are so many other historic things to do in Williamsburg. Disclaimer, I do not work for the Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce. I was just born there and spent many summers in the area.

 

[DavidSauls]

David, is Stoney Hill open to visitors on Sunday July 20th? I've heard great things about your course. Columbia, SC might also be another viable saturday night hotel option depending on how early I leave the cabin that Saturday morning and whether or not I try to play another course along the way.

We'd love to have you visit, but we, and Stoney Hill, will not be available that weekend.

 

[chrishysell]

the super secret private course in Hanover Va will allow people to play on the 4th of July for $10 all day.

 

[chainedwraith]

but we, and Stoney Hill, will not be available that weekend.

Well that stings like a missed 3 footer, but I understand. I look forward to the privilege to play there someday.

chrishysell,

I won't be leaving until July 11th, so I will miss the super secret opportunity to play in Hanover, but I am definitely playing New Quarter on Sunday July 13th while in Williamsburg. It sounds like the family is going to enjoy it as well. I kinda dig historic places so merging that with disc golf sounds awesome.

 

[chrishysell]

Well that stings like a missed 3 footer, but I understand. I look forward to the privilege to play there someday.

chrishysell,

I won't be leaving until July 11th, so I will miss the super secret opportunity to play in Hanover, but I am definitely playing New Quarter on Sunday July 13th while in Williamsburg. It sounds like the family is going to enjoy it as well. I kinda dig historic places so merging that with disc golf sounds awesome.

there are some interesting story boards near the bathrooms. Some of the stuff was never taught in our Virginia schools. And Cliff bars are $1 in the welcome center.

 

[chainedwraith]

Had a great week and checked the following newly played courses off my list along my way:

Tom Triplett Park - Savannah, GA
New Quarter Park - Williamsburg, VA
Bryan Park - Richmond, VA
Signal View DGC - Maurerton, VA
Walnut Creek - North Garden, VA

I'm about to start my journey home without the wife and kid and plan to head straight to Hornet's Nest. I should be there this afternoon around 2 or 3. Then I would like to play Nevin in the later afternoon. After that I was going to drive south and find a hotel near Renny & RL Smith and play those in the morning before heading homebound.

The vacation is almost over, but there's still plenty of golf left.

 

[chainedwraith]

Well that was a fun trip. The last 5 hours of my drive last night were so depressing as the reality of the returning to work sunk in.

Final course list in order in which I played them, how well I shot (for a 937 rated player) and how I would rate them.

I can't wait to pass through Charlotte again someday and hit-up some of the great courses that I missed. I met a really nice Charlotte local (Pro Master player) and he guided me around Renny Gold and was a pleasure to throw with and shared some extra insight and history on the courses. It was awesome getting to play a couple of VA's finest courses as well. Walnut Creek was probably my favorite course on the trip even though I bumbled around like an idiot (my fault for not checking tee signs and map often enough) for the first 6 holes and played to the wrong basket a couple times and lost a couple discs. No course on this list was a disappointment.

7/12 Tom Triplett Park - Savannah, GA - 53 from blue tees (in the rain) - rating: 3.75
7/13 New Quarter Park - Williamsburg, VA - 59 from longs - rating: 4.5
7/14 Bryan Park - Richmond, VA - 56 from longs - rating 3.5
7/15 Signal View DGC - Maurerton, VA - 29 from longs - rating 4.0
7/16 Walnut Creek - North Garden, VA - 63 from longs - rating 4.66
7/19 Hornet's Nest - Charlotte, NC - 61 HN layout (in the rain) - rating 4.25
7/19 Nevin Park - Charlotte, NC - 73 from longs - rating 4.33
7/20 RL Smith Park - Charlotte, NC - 61 - rating 4.33
7/20 Renaissance Park - Charlotte, NC - 83 gold - rating 4.5
7/20 The Sarge, Hardeeville, SC - 55 blue tees - rating 3.5

 

[sidewinder22]

Nice, Walnut is an awesome course! Did you play with Greg at Renny?

 

[chainedwraith]

Nice, Walnut is an awesome course! Did you play with Greg at Renny?

yep. It was Greg.. I owe him an extra thanks for the restaurant recommendation. Afterwards I went down to LuWan's Soul Food Restaurant and had some of the best southern eatin' I could have possibly asked for. :thmbup:

 

[sidewinder22]

Funny I also randomly ran into Greg my only time there, really nice guy.