Stonewall Resort #17

The Arnold Palmer Signature Course

Stonewall Resort - Not Your Grandfather's State Park

By Brian Weis

I admit, the phrase "state park golf" generally does not inspire me. When I hear those words, I envision a tired course with poor conditions accented with rustic hole signs coated with layers of chipping brown paint. My stereotype completely vanished the moment I pulled onto the property at the Stonewall Resort. In complete shock, I uttered, "this is not your Grandfather's state park."

The Arnold Palmer Signature Course is a 7,149-yard thrill ride through the rolling terrain of North Central West Virginia. Perched high above the property the first tee provides a "wow factor" that will have you reaching for your camera. While the panoramic views of Stonewall Jackson Lake are stunning, the pristine conditions, jaw dropping elevation changes and demanding shots needed to tackle the course will form your lasting impression.

Notable Holes

Before my round, I asked Randy Hernly, Head Golf Professional, for his favorite hole. Without hesitation he said, "take your pick."

After a long pause and some deep thought, he shared the following:

Hole #7 - "I love this hole and how it sets up from my game," beamed Hearnly.

I realized on the tee, Randy must be a long ball hitter with a draw. The monstrous par 5 offers generous landing areas guarded by a lateral hazard running the length of the right side. The second shot is demanding as the fairway narrows bending to the left. The approach must be precise as you climb to an elevated humpbacked green. Three good swings will be needed to reach this 580-yard beast in regulation.

Hole #14 - "Number 14 proves you do not have to have 400 yards to have a great par 4. Big hitters will be fooled with thoughts of driving the green. Put the driver away and attack the hole with a well-placed tee shot leaving around 100 yards. If you are going to birdie this hole it will be with your putter not your driver," shared Hearnly.

Hole #17 - Arnold Palmer has deemed this hole in his top 18 holes ever built. The fairway rapidly slopes downhill to a marshy ball swallowing grave. To get a clear look at the green for your second shot favor the right side to avoid a petrified tree protruding from the wetlands. Rumor has it Palmer and the management debated heavily on whether to leave or remove the tree, 10 years later it still stands.

Recent Award and Accolades

Golf Digest - 2012 Best West Virginia Golf Courses #8
Golfweek - 2012 Best Courses You Can Play - #2 in West Virginia
Golf Styles - Must Play Courses, May 2011
Golfweek - 2011 Best Courses You Can Play - #2 in West Virginia
Rolex World's - Top 1000 Golf Courses. (2011)
Golf Magazine - Best Public Golf Courses in West Virginia 2010
Golf World - readers rank the course #22 among resort courses in the US, 2009 and 2010
Golfweek - America's Best - 2010 Top Resort Courses - #39
Golf Digest - 89th among America's top 100 public courses April 2009
PGA Professional's Guide to Travel - Favorite Hidden Gems 2008
Golf Digest - America's Best New Course - 2003 #2
Golf Magazine - Top Ten You Can Play - 2002 - #2
Winner of AAA Four Diamond Award 2004-2008

Food and Lodging

Stonewall Resort is West Virginia's only lakeside resort and has been awarded the prestigious AAA Four Diamond Award for the 8th year in a row.

Lakeside Cottages
The saltbox style cottages feature a vaulted ceiling with exposed cedar post and beam wood framing, stacked stone gas fireplace, hardwood floors, area rugs and Mission style rustic furniture. A French door opens out to a private deck with a gas grill and outdoor furniture overlooking Stonewall Jackson Lake or the surrounding woodland and the natural beauty of the resort park grounds.

The Adirondack Lodge
The Stonewall lodge features 198 lodge guest rooms that marry rustic elegance with modern pleasures. Every room has a magnificent view of either the Lake, the mountains or the golf course.

Restaurant Options
The resort features three unique restaurants offering seasonal menus. Stillwaters and TJ Muskies are located on the lower level of the resort and treat guests to scenic views of the lake and mountainsides with a choice of indoor or patio seating. Lightburn's is located inside the clubhouse, perched atop the resort property overlooking the spectacular Arnold Palmer Signature Golf Course.

The Skinny

5 Tee Boxes: 7149, 6726, 6227, 5821 and 5038 Yards
Back Tee Slope/Rating: 143/75.4
Par 72
Weekend Rate: $99 ($89 if resort guest)

More Information

940 Resort Drive
Roanoke WV 26447
888-278-8150
www.stonewallresort.com

Photo Gallery

Revised: 05/31/2012 - Article Viewed 33,033 Times - View Course Profile

About: Brian Weis

Brian Weis is the mastermind behind GolfTrips.com, a vast network of golf travel and directory sites covering everything from the rolling fairways of Wisconsin to the sunbaked desert layouts of Arizona. If there’s a golf destination worth visiting, chances are, Brian has written about it, played it, or at the very least, found a way to justify a "business trip" there.

As a card-carrying member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA), and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG), Brian has the credentials to prove that talking about golf is his full-time job. In 2016, his peers even handed him The Shaheen Cup, a prestigious award in golf travel writing—essentially the Masters green jacket for guys who don’t hit the range but still know where the best 19th holes are.

Brian’s love for golf goes way back. As a kid, he competed in junior and high school golf, only to realize that his dreams of a college golf scholarship had about the same odds as a 30-handicap making a hole-in-one. Instead, he took the more practical route—working on the West Bend Country Club grounds crew to fund his University of Wisconsin education. Little did he know that mowing greens and fixing divots would one day lead to a career writing about the best courses on the planet.

In 2004, Brian turned his golf passion into a business, launching GolfWisconsin.com. Three years later, he expanded his vision, and GolfTrips.com was born—a one-stop shop for golf travel junkies looking for their next tee time. Today, his empire spans all 50 states, and 20+ international destinations.

On the course, Brian is a weekend warrior who oscillates between a 5 and 9 handicap, depending on how much he's been traveling (or how generous he’s feeling with his scorecard). His signature move" A high, soft fade that his playing partners affectionately (or not-so-affectionately) call "The Weis Slice." But when he catches one clean, his 300+ yard drives remind everyone that while he may write about golf for a living, he can still send a ball into the next zip code with the best of them.

Whether he’s hunting down the best public courses, digging up hidden gems, or simply outdriving his buddies, Brian Weis is living proof that golf is more than a game—it’s a way of life.