I did some course evaluating for the Virginia leg of my trip. Took a look at 35 courses within 100 miles of Richmond and came up with the following list of 10 good looking courses for my two days there. Any of you guys have any comments/recomendations for these courses?
Name Rating Holes Miles-Away
The Grange - Darkside 5 18 42.9
Bryan Park 4 18 0
The Grange - Sunnyside 4 18 42.9
New Quarter Park 4 18 46.7
Loriella Park 4 18 46.8
Walnut Creek Park 4 18 65.4
Gillies Creek Park 3 18 3.4
Dorey Park 3 18 12.5
Goyne Park 3 18 18.9
Newport News DGC 3 18 60.5
Courses that almost made the cut, but not quite:
Giles Run @ Laurel Hill Park 3.5 18 75.7 ticks, thorns
Calvert Road Park 3.5 18 99.9 too far
Pharaoh's Tomb 3 18 22.6 objects
I've played (and reviewed) all the courses that made your cut except The Grange. Walnut Creek is definitely my favorite, and New Quarter is very close. Both are beautiful courses with lots of variety, challenge, and interesting holes. #17 at Walnut Creek is one of the very best holes I've ever played, but the whole course is a blast.
Bryan Park and Loriella are just a step below those two, IMHO, and are excellent courses. Bryan Park is all nice and manicured whereas Loriella's strengths are more of variety and challenge, though Bryan is plenty long. Unlike the first two, these two are both very close (in Bryan's case right on) I-95.
If you do go to New Quarter, is definitely worth doubling up with Newport News. Less remarkable than New Quarter and pretty straightforward, but still varied and very, very well cared for.
Finally, with my local bias, I love Gillies, Dorey, and Goyne too; Gillies is varied and looking good these days and has the only concrete tees in Richmond, Dorey is a fun but relatively easy woods course that's nice and serene, and Goyne I'm still getting to know but like it more each time I play out there. Objectively speaking though, these three are less worthy of your time than Walnut Creek, New Quarter, Bryan Park, and Loriella.
Enjoy!