Snowshoe Magazine...

THE RAVEN GOLF CLUB AT SNOWSHOE MOUNTAIN:

TOP-FLIGHT ALLEGHENIES GOLF

Few things can get me off Snowshoe Mountain once I head up that beautiful winding road. However, give me a tee time at the resort’s great golf course and you’ll see me flying down the mountain for some serious Gary Player magic with an upscale Intrawest Golf flair.

Last year was the first year the well-known Hawthorne Valley layout was part of Intrawest Golf’s prestigious family of Raven courses. This wasn’t some simple name change--this was an honor bestowed upon Snowshoe’s entire golf experience, after meeting many Raven standards of excellence from the fairways to the clubhouse.

Though Intrawest Golf owns or manages more than 20 courses in North America, only four other layouts bear the Raven name (The Raven Golf Club at Sabino Springs in Tucson, Arizona; The Raven Golf Club at South Mountain in Phoenix; The Raven Golf Club at Sandestin in Destin, Florida; and The Raven Golf Club at Three Peaks in Silverthorne, Colorado). In fact, the Raven brand is only the second branded network of golf courses in the world (TPC, owned by the PGA, is the other).

So what’s in a name? If you like a total golf experience that’s rarely surpassed, then the name game can mean everything for Snowshoe golf

It all starts with a great golf course. If the name Gary Player doesn’t mean anything to you, you’ve already missed par. If, like me, you’re a fan of the man in black, get yourself a tee time (and check your ego with the starter).

Player, known as ‘The Black Knight’ for his attire, is no stranger to great golf or golf courses. One of only five players to win golf’s Grand Slam, his career has included three Masters and British Open victories, as well as two wins at the PGA Championship and one at the U.S. Open. Along with his 21 U.S. PGA Tour championships, he’s also won 20 U.S. Senior PGA Tour tournaments.

Player is also definitely a big-time player when it comes to designing great golf courses, with Gary Player Design having built more than 200 layouts worldwide. Some world-class examples include: Hilton Head National; Pinehurst’s Pinewild Country Club; Melbourne’s Baytree National; The Woodlands in Houston; Princeton’s TPC at Jasna Polona; Puerto Rico’s Palmas del Mar; and many more.

Opened in 1993, I personally think The Raven Golf Club at Snowshoe Mountain is one of his best to date. Golfweek must agree, having named the layout #15 on their annual ‘Preferred’ rankings. This stringent ranking program has a long list of criteria, including integrity of routing, contours, flexibility of layout, fit of the golf course with natural and cultural surroundings, overall land plan, conditioning, and more. One round on this paramount Player design and you’ll easily agree with Golfweek (and me).

Carved into the Allegheny Mountain foothills at the base of Snowshoe Mountain, Player created a challenging course that many golfers have attempted to tame over the years. You can count me among the failures at taming the rough and rugged layout, but I’m no worse for the wear. In fact, by the time I’m off the 18th green I’m already ready to go another round with Player and his Raven.

The elevation changes (as in 250 awe-inspiring feet at times), deep hollows, meandering creeks, stone fences, loomingly large sand traps, multi-level greens, and much more make this mountain course a place of tall tales back in the clubhouse. Personal favorites include numbers three, four, 12, and 18, but each hole has its own personality carved out of the West Virginia woods. In addition, seasonal changes provide different lighting and colors for a unique experience from spring to fall.

Along with great Gary Player golf, the entire Raven experience is first-class. From the time you arrive at the clubhouse until you head back up Snowshoe Mountain, this is golf the way it’s meant to be experienced. Golfers are met at the bag drop area, where there bags will be carried to the practice tees or greens or straight to the first tee.

Once inside the pro shop, you’ll likely see pro Gary Williams and his staff attending to your every need. Gary is a West Virginia native who has come home to roost at this great course. They still refer to West Virginia as ‘Almost Heaven’ and you can certainly tell Gary thinks he’s in golf heaven. Before heading out ask him or another staffer about their favorite holes--they’ll likely include different ones from my picks--this course seems to have an incredible number of ‘signature’ possibilities.

In addition, the Raven and Intrawest Golf experience doesn’t stop when you leave the 18th green. This 19th hole features 11,000 square feet of upscale space for golfers to enjoy after their round. Along with the full-service pro shop where Gary Williams and his golf-crazy staff hold court, there are elegant locker rooms for showering and changing, a bar to trade Gary Player torture stories, and a restaurant that has gotten such rave reviews that non-golfers are heading down the mountain for meals.

Given all of this, on and off the links, it’s easy to see why you’ll often find me heading down the mountain as well. This Raven is ready for takeoff.

SIDEBAR/BOX

PLAYING GARY PLAYER:

A HOLE-BY-HOLE ACCOUNT

# 1 - From a downhill tee shot, you have a wide landing area (don’t get used to this). The second shot must carry over a creek and is a slight dogleg left. The small green is tucked back into the trees, providing a hint of greens to come.

# 2 - This ‘easier’ hole features an ample fairway landing area and the green has bunkers to the left and below. If you can keep it straight, there’s very little trouble here compared to other holes.

# 3 - A short, but dramatic, Player par three classic that has an elevation change of 75 feet from tee to green. A short iron shot must clear a native stone wall and the two-level green is well protected by sand traps. Say hello to Mr. Gary Player.

# 4 - From the tee, the drive drops an incredible 200 feet before reaching the landing area, which is guarded by sand and water on the left. The green is narrow and protected by bunkers.

# 5 - You get a bit of a chance to unwind a solid drive here, thanks to a wide fairway. The green is tucked away to the right, protected by a creek and numerous grassy hollows (or little ‘hollers,’ as my West Virginia friends like to call them).

# 6 - This uphill par three requires proper club selection and accuracy (a Player prerequisite). A deep hollow separates the tee site from the green and is protected by sand to the left.

# 7 - The tee shot should be kept down the right center as it finds its way uphill to the landing area. The approach typically takes a mid-iron downhill to the green, which is protected by a deep hollow on the right. Sand traps along the right side of this arrow green should will stop errant rolling shots in their tracks.

# 8 - From the tee, an accurate shot is necessary, in that the landing area is narrow and paralleled by sand on the right. The large green is also guarded by sand traps on the right.

# 9 - The hole requires a drive over the creek to a landing area protected by pot bunkers on the right and a creek on the left. The slightly uphill approach presents a unique situation, hitting to one of two greens separated by a sand trap. Take a little break and gather yourself for the back nine.

# 10 - An elevated tee site gives way to a triple-tiered landing area. A solid short iron should get you to the large green, which is protected by numerous sand traps on three sides.

# 11 - A good drive is essential, in that the long dogleg left takes you across a hollow to a multilevel landing area. Creeks run along the front and back of the two-tiered green.

# 12 - Accuracy and proper club selection is essential. After a downhill tee shot, the green is protected by water on the left and large sand traps on the right.

# 13 - A long hitter may gamble on this hole, as a solid shot from the elevated tee area to the right center of the fairway could give the golfer a shot at the green. However, like me, you may find that a conservative approach shot is a bit more realistic.

# 14 - Accuracy and club selection are again the key on this hole. The green is guarded by water on the right and by sand traps on three sides. The only safe place to miss the green is short.

# 15 - A slight dogleg left will require a solid drive over a flowing creek. One should favor the right side of the fairway. The green is tucked back into the pines, with a large pot bunker on the left and a two-level bunker on the right.

# 16 - You have an option on this hole. The long hitter can play straight away, leaving a middling or short iron shot. Alternatively (and my choice), the shot can be strategically placed between the waste area and the cart path on the right, leaving a shorter approach to the flat green, which is surrounded by grassy hollows.

# 17 - From the tee, you face a deep gorge to the landing area, which is guarded by bunkers on the left. The second shot plays straight away to a narrow landing area. The long hitter is left with a short approach to the green, which could make this a good birdie hole before heading to the 18th.

# 18 - Picturesque and challenging, the final drive must carry a natural area to a narrow landing area that is guarded by mounds on both the left and right. The fairway widens once past these mounds and the approach uphill to the green is complicated by sand on the left and a sheer rock wall on the right. Say goodbye to Mr. Player....for now.