The Greenbriar (Old White & Greenbriar Courses)
White Sulphur Springs, WV
Old White #18
Golf Digest, 4/11
PGATour.com/Links Magazine, 7/10
TravelGolf.com/GolfChannel.com, 7/10
T&L Golf, 2006
Golf Magazine, 2005
Greenbrier Course: 1925, George O'Neill
Gold 6675, 73.1, 135, 72
Blue 6377, 71.5, 133, 72
White 6031, 69.9, 129, 72
Fees: ~$135
Getting There: 7 hours from Philly by car, also served by Greenbrier Valley Airport (Delta & US Air) and Amtrak, or Roanoke Regional Airport is a 90-minute drive.
Host to industry tycoons and U.S. Presidents since 1835, The Greenbrier defines tradition. Sam Snead remains an integral part of the golf legacy here. He began his career here in 1936 and later became the golf pro. Ben Hogan started his miraculous comeback from a terrible auto accident here in 1950, shooting a then-tournament-record 21-under par. Both the hotel and the grounds are impeccably maintained, and the staff often outnumber the guests.
Golf Digest Away Game: The Greenbrier
Back To A Classic
By Matt Ginella
Photos courtesy of The Greenbrier
April 2011
Ginny and Ira Boskey, married for 62 years, have been making the drive between Florida and Pennsylvania since 1960. Asked about the secret to a long and successful marriage, they politely keep their answers to themselves. But when asked why they stop at The Greenbrier, Ginny, 86, doesn't hesitate: "The people. They treat us like we own the place." The Boskeys typically come to The Greenbrier, in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., in the spring, as they make their way home after a winter down South. When they came through last year, Ira, 87, was so sick he could barely leave the room, so the couple came back in the fall, just as the leaves of the surrounding Allegheny Mountains were starting to change.
"When we pulled up," Ginny says, "Dale, who was working the front door, said, 'Welcome back, Mr. Boskey. I remember you weren't feeling well on your last visit. How's your health?' " Dale Mann, a lead doorman at The Greenbrier, has been there for 33 years, and he's one of the more than 300 employees who have been working at the resort for at least 25 years.
Mann's loyalty and attention to detail is a significant part of The Greenbrier's enduring appeal. But it wasn't long ago that the 233-year-old resort was in terrible health. Buffeted by competition, union problems and a crumbling economy, it filed for bankruptcy protection in March 2009 -- only to be rescued by coal-mining entrepreneur Jim Justice, a local billionaire with golf and The Greenbrier in his blood.
Justice, who won the West Virginia Junior Amateur twice, bought the resort (which his parents called The Emerald City) in May 2009. He immediately paid off the debt and signed a long-term labor agreement with the staff. Within 14 months he added a 103,000-square-foot casino (320 slots, 33 gaming tables) and three new restaurants, including Jerry West's steakhouse, Prime 44 West.
Perhaps Justice's most significant acquisition was a PGA Tour event that brought The Greenbrier a week of national exposure and galleries of more than 40,000 a day on the weekend.
The Greenbrier Classic was played in late July 2010 on Old White, which is my favorite of the resort's three courses. Old White was built in 1914 by C.B. Macdonald, who's considered the father of American golf architecture. Old White features 14 of Macdonald's 18 template holes, which are variations of what Macdonald considered the best holes in Europe.
I enjoyed finishing on the 162-yard 18th. A hump that runs through the middle of the green resembles an area rug that has been pushed together from the ends. While playing this hole in front of a large gallery at a Greenbrier member-guest tournament in 1995, Sam Snead, who was 83 and the pro-emeritus at the time, made the last of his 37 holes-in-one. (I hit it to 12 feet and three-putted.)
Old White is one of the few Macdonald designs open to the public. It was restored in 2006 by Lester George, and not long after Stuart Appleby won the inaugural Greenbrier Classic with a final-round 59, Justice had the course torn up again. Changes included new grass on all 18 greens and the addition of 130 yards. (The par 70 will now play close to 7,160 yards from the back tees.) Old White is scheduled to open in June before the second Greenbrier Classic, July 28-31.
The other two courses are the Greenbrier and the Meadows. The Greenbrier course was built by Seth Raynor in 1924 and was renovated by Jack Nicklaus in 1977. It was the site of the '79 Ryder Cup and the '94 Solheim Cup. Tour pro Kenny Perry played the Greenbrier last fall and liked the narrow, tree-lined test so much he thought it should have been used for The Greenbrier Classic. (PGA Tour officials initially had the same idea until they got a look at Old White.)
The third course is the Meadows, which Bob Cupp renovated in 1999. It's the quintessential resort course: ideal for higher-handicappers, shorter hitters and juniors.
There are plans to bring Nicklaus back at the end of the year to rework the Greenbrier course and have Tom Watson, the current pro-emeritus, renovate the Meadows. Watson also intends to skip this year's U.S. Senior Open to play in the Classic.
Known as the resort with natural sulphur springs and the Bunker -- a secret fallout shelter built during the Cold War era to house members of Congress in the event of a nuclear war -- The Greenbrier is showing signs of a speedy recovery.
I played in the Tom Watson Fall Classic in 2008, a pro-am open to the public, and the resort was so empty it was eerie. CSX Corp., then the owner, wanted out. The labor unions were threatening to strike. Most of the 30 high-end shops in the Dorothy Draper-designed hotel were closed. Signs on the doors read, "Call if you need assistance."
Justice answered the call. Despite his aw-shucks delivery, the 6-foot-7 owner is a shrewd businessman who shouldn't be underestimated. In The Greenbrier's predicament, Justice saw an opportunity to buy low (he paid $20.1 million) and to bail out a community that revolves around the resort. The staff, the locals and loyal customers see Justice as a savior. As much as it seems to be a philanthropic mission, Justice has made it clear that he's in it to make a profit.
At the 2010 Fall Classic, two years after my first visit, the hotel was overbooked, there were lines in the stores and coffee shops, and the casino was at least three deep around the gaming tables.
Out from under all that debt, the resort now offers a wider range of prices. From March 15 to Nov. 30, rates start at $475 a night for the Bed & Breakfast Golf Package, which includes a cart and one round of golf a day per guest (based on double occupancy).
The Boskeys are scheduled to return this spring, but Ginny says they avoid golf: "It's hard to have fun playing when you're as bad as I am." So the Boskeys know their limitations. Could that be the key to their successful marriage?
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
Pack a jacket -- Tom Watson filled the pro-emeritus position at The Greenbrier (formerly held by Sam Snead) in 2005. Watson has been entertaining business associates at the resort for 30 years. He appreciates The Greenbrier as one of the last pockets of formal tradition in an increasingly informal world. "Sometimes I like putting on a coat and going to dinner," he says. After 7 p.m., jackets are required for dinner at In-Fusion, the Main Dining Room and to gamble in the casino. They're suggested at Prime 44 West and The Forum.
Sparkling or sulphur? The Greenbrier wouldn't exist if it weren't for the natural sulphur water. From General Robert E. Lee to royalty, the spa treatments of The Greenbrier have attracted a worldwide clientele for more than two centuries. Its 40,000-square-foot spa features treatments such as the Golfer's Game Saver, which consists of a mineral-water bath, warm heat packs and a massage of forearms, hands, back and shoulders (50 minutes for $150).
All aboard! Delta and Continental offer daily nonstop flights to the Greenbrier Valley Airport from Atlanta, New York (JFK) and Cleveland. (GVA is 10 miles from the resort.) The Greenbrier is a 90-minute drive from Roanoke, Va., and Amtrak runs to The Greenbrier from Chicago and Washington, D.C. Resort owner Jim Justice is renovating one of the last steam locomotives in existence. In 2012, The Greenbrier Express will start making trips from Union Station in D.C. to White Sulphur Springs.
Destination: Greenbrier Resort
PGATour.com/Links Magazine, Jul. 27, 2010
The golf world returns to White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., for the first time since the 1994 Solheim Cup. This week's Greenbrier Classic will showcase the Greenbrier Resort, which has been returned to its former glory by new owner Jim Justice, who bought the property out of bankruptcy.
There are plenty of activities and amenities for players and guests to explore on the 6,500-acre resort, from the historic Old White course to sporting pursuits like sporting clays to a unique attraction that is a reminder of the Cold War.
WHERE TO PLAY
Old White: The PGA TOUR players teeing it up at the Greenbrier Classic aren't the only players who are able to tackle C.B Macdonald's template holes like the Redan (8th), Alps (13th) and Eden (15th). The Old White is the only Macdonald course in the country that is open to the public.
Glade Springs Resort: Greenbrier owner Jim Justice recently bought this nearby resort community. Now, visiting golfers have the option of adding Glade Spring's 54 holes to their stay.
Greenbrier: Jack Nicklaus redesigned this namesake course prior to the 1979 Ryder Cup. Although fairly short at 6,675 yards, the layout has plenty of elevation changes and is much more challenging than its distance would indicate.
WHAT TO DO
Bunker Tour: Built in 1962, this once-top-secret installation was scheduled to house both houses of Congress in the case of an emergency. Uncovered in 1992, this vestige of the Cold War remains one of the resort's most popular attractions.
Casino Club: Opened on July 4 weekend, the casino, which Justice describes as "Gone with the Wind meets Monte Carlo," is open only to guests, homeowners and members.
Greenbrier Sporting Club: In addition to having access to all of the resort's activities, homeowners of the Greenbrier's private community enjoy a number of member-only amenities, including a Tom Fazio-designed golf course.
WHERE TO EAT
Main Dining Room: For those who believe a meal can still be an event, the Greenbrier's showcase institution is not to be missed. An exception in a dining culture that is growing increasingly casual, jackets and ties are still required for dinner.
Sam Snead's: For a more casual atmosphere, the golf clubhouse offers regional, seasonal fare at the restaurant named for the resort's longtime golf pro emeritus. Afterward, take a tour of the clubhouse, which is filled with memorabilia from Snead and his successor, Tom Watson.
Prime 44 West: The new steakhouse honors West Virginia native and NBA icon Jerry West, who has a home at the Greenbrier. As at Sam Snead's, diners can enjoy not only the food but also memorabilia like West's 1960 gold medal.
Golf Channel's Destination Golf: Greenbrier Itinerary, 7/10
Day1
The Greenbrier Course
The Greenbrier Course, originally constructed in 1924 by Seth Raynor, was redesigned by Jack Nicklaus in 1977. It's the only resort golf course in the world to be the site of both professional international cup matches: The 1979 Ryder Cup and 1994 Solheim Cup.
18 holes | Par: 72 | Length: 6685 yards | Jack Nicklaus
Phone: (800) 453-4858
Tree Tops Canopy Tour
Tree Tops Canopy Tour offers ziplines, skybridges, rappels and hikes on the newest adventure experience in West Virginia's extraordinary New River Gorge playground. Take a half day adventure including 10 ziplines, 5 sky bridges, 1 rappel and 3 short hikes. You'll spend 3 ½ hours in the old growth hemlock and hardwoods forest of pristine Mill Creek Canyon, immediately adjacent to the awe-inspiring New River Gorge.
Tree Tops
Ames Heights Road ~ PO Box 78
Lansing, West Virginia 25862-0078
Phone: (877) 811-5321
Day 2
Tour of The Presidential Cottage
The Greenbrier has been host to 26 U.S. presidents. The memorable moments from their stays are on display at The Presidents' Cottage Museum, a historic two-story building overlooking the Springhouse. These archives contain documents dating back to The Greenbrier's earliest days.
The Greenbrier
Phone: (800) 453-4858
The Old White Course
The Greenbrier's first 18-hole golf course, The Old White Course, opened in 1914. The course was named for the well-known Old White Hotel, which stood on the grounds from 1858 to 1922. One of the first golfers to play the Old White was Woodrow Wilson in April of 1914. The course features generous fairways and challenging, undulating putting greens. Every hole has an obvious and well defined strategy that allows for either a very challenging approach to the green, or one that has less risk and a higher chance of success.
18 holes | Par: 70 | Length: 6826 yards | C.B. Macdonald and Seth Raynor
Phone: (800) 453-4858
Off Road Driving
Guests of The Greenbrier have the opportunity to get behind the wheel of luxury SUV's and put the vehicles through their paces on a specially designed off-road course along the 6,500-acre mountain estate. The Greenbrier Off-Road Driving School offers lessons seven days a week.
Phone: (800) 453-4858
Prime 44 West
The Greenbrier continues to raise the bar on culinary excellence with its recent premiere of Prime 44 West. Honoring NBA legend and West Virginia native, Jerry West, the restaurant features exceptional cuts of beef in addition to a wide selection of entrees ranging from your classic New York Strip to a tableside Dover Sole. In addition to great food, Prime 44 West showcases over 100 pieces of West's memorabilia, including his most monumental basketballs and his 1960 Olympic gold medal.
The Greenbrier Resort
Hours: Wed, Thur & Sun: 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri & Sat: 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Phone: (800) 453-4858
Day 3
The Meadows Course
The Meadows Course was dramatically updated in 1999. Most guests agree that the course offers an excellent variety of challenging holes, but also offers the best scenic opportunities of the three courses with its beautiful panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.
18 holes | Par 71 | 6795 Yards | Dick Wilson and Bob Cupp
Phone: (800) 453-4858
Gun Club
Test your skills on four combination trap and skeet fields and a 10-station sporting clays course, located atop Kate's Mountain in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.
• Trap & Skeet
• Sporting Clays
• Shooting Lessons
Phone: (800) 453-4858
White Water Rafting At The New River Gorge In West Virginia
Rafters of all levels are sure to enjoy this incredible journey, as the Lower New River includes more than 25 class I to V rapids. The best white water rafting on the New River and Gauley River in West Virginia is waiting for you at Class VI-Mountain River, located on the New River Gorge, the East Coast's must experience outdoor adventure destination.
Phone: (800) 252-7784
Day 4
The Snead Course
The Snead golf course, named for longtime Greenbrier golf pro and legend, Sam Snead, is the 7,025-yard, par 71 centerpiece of The Greenbrier Sporting Club designed by Tom Fazio. Rated #3 in Golf Digest's Top 10 New Private Courses in America, The Snead combines challenging links with stunning Allegheny vistas. Limited tee times are now available for guests of The Greenbrier.
Phone: (888) 741-8989
Drapers
Inspired by the inimitable style of Dorothy Draper, her protégé, Carleton Varney decorated the café providing a bright, cheerful and relaxed atmosphere for lunch, afternoon snacks, desserts and a full service bar with late night dining options.
Located in The Greenbrier Resort
Hours:
Breakfast 7:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Lunch 11:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Dinner 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
"Late Night" 10:00 p.m. - 5:00 a.m.
Phone: (800) 453-4858
T&L Golf Reviews: In the nineteenth century, the South's elite used to summer here, enjoying the cool mountain air, "taking" the sulfurous waters and introducing eligible young ladies of fine families to eligible young men of similar stock. The place still has an old, refined feel, with more square yards of floral carpet and wallpaper than a Laura Ashley factory. Guests can try their hand at more than fifty activities, from falconry to gourmet-cooking classes. The spa offers twelve styles of massage and seven types of facials. For kids, there's an "adventure zone" that includes art classes, puppet shows and pony rides.
300 West Main Street, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia; 800-624-6070, www.greenbrier.com. Rooms: from $389.
The Greenbrier, Old White ****1/2
Back in the day, the Old White course at the Greenbrier resort was like an annuity for Sam Snead. As resident pro, Snead made himself available for matches with guests, winning most before they started. He'd ask a guest for his handicap, and if, say, the guest answered "ten," Snead would offer him ten strokes. Then they'd agree on a set of tees, usually the whites. "Of course," recalls a longtime Greenbrier member who sometimes filled out Snead's foursomes, "from the white tees, Sam rarely shot higher than sixty-six." The course is no pushover, though, and it ultimately wasn't for Snead: The greens are so subtle they're believed to have caused his infamous case of the yips. This spring, architect Lester George will finish a restoration of C.B. Macdonald's original bunkering and contours. Expect retro-looking cross-bunkers and humps and swales in seemingly random places.
300 West Main Street, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia; 800-624-6070, www.greenbrier.com. Yardage: approximately 6,825. Par: 70. Slope: approximately 140. Architect: C.B. Macdonald, 1914. Greens Fees: $185 (resort guests), $350 (non–resort guests).
The Greenbrier, Greenbrier ****
The eponymous course at the Greenbrier is considered to be the resort's championship layout because the holes are tighter, by and large, and more demanding than those on Old White. A former host of the Ryder Cup, the Greenbrier course is in consistently good shape and indeed has its share of strong, exacting holes. The par-three eleventh, strikingly similar to the twelfth at Augusta, is as good a rendition of the original as you're likely to find in a mountain setting. The Greenbrier suffers somewhat from a set of par fives that play almost like long par fours, lacking interesting strategic options. And the physical surroundings of the course don't have quite the charm of Old White's. But then again, few places do.
Yardage: 6,675. Par: 72. Slope: 135. Architects: Seth Raynor, 1924; and Jack Nicklaus, 1977. Greens Fee: $185.
Golf Magazine Review, July 2005: Sam Snead's presence here lasted 65 years. Seth Reynor's 1922 Greenbriar Course was redesigned by Jack Nicklaus before the 1979 Ryder Cup held there. The keys are hitting fairways--no easy task on this tight course with mature tree lines along the fairways--and more importantly, hitting the correct side of the fairway as sand and water keep a close watch on the greens. You can only go flag-hunting from green-light angles, and 3-putts will be all too common if you don't hit the correct level of the multi-tiered greens. The Slammer still holds the course record of 59 set in 1959. The Old White course was the resort's first, by Charles Blair Macdonald in 1915 with Seth Reynor updates and a 2005 restoration. Fast, sloping greens, audacious bunkering, and 12 varied par-4s are hallmarks. Death by Old White doesn't come with a bang, but by a thousand nicks and cuts. The Meadows Course is a diverse resort layout with a complex lineage by Reynor, Dick Wilson, Bob Cupp, and Tom Fazio. Panoramic views of the Allegheny Mountains make this a must for golf-as-a-walk-in-the-park types. Wide fairways and open greens are mildly offset by a few forced water carriers. Nearby Oakhurst Links was the first golf club in the U.S., established in 1884, and is a must-play for historians and masochists. Played with hickory-shafted clubs and gutta-percha balls (specially made in the U.K.) loaned from Oakhurst. The biggest hazard might be the sheep that tend the course. It all sounds quaint--until you make a 13 on a 322-yard par-5. You'll leave thinking Old Tom Morris was the greatest golfer ever.
Best Bar Nearby: Philadelphia and Golf Magazines say hit Sam Snead's (on-premisis restaurant at the golf course) serving up sandwiches, chili, salads, and more in a casual atmosphere. Avoid the pulled pork. Golf Digest named Slammin' Sammy's as one their 2009 20 Best Off-Course Attractions, saying "The Greenbrier is synonymous with, among other things, Sam Snead, the former pro emeritus. Now Tom Watson, winner of eight majors, is filling Snead's spikes in that role for the resort. Both have contributed memorabilia to the small museum in and around Slammin' Sammy's sports bar. You'll see 35 of Snead's hole-in-one golf balls and replicas of his claret jug and the Wanamaker and Masters trophies. On our recent visit, Watson pointed out the wedge he used in the 1982 U.S. Open, his six Player of the Year rings, his five British Open medals and his favorite golf picture: a shot of his approach to the 18th at Turnberry in 1977, when he beat Jack Nicklaus by one stroke in The Duel in the Sun." The more sophisticated Old White Lounge features pianist Peter Mintun's "Cabaret at The Greenbrier".
Where To Grub: Rated 2005 #1 Golf Resort Restaurant in the Midwest, Northeast, and MidAtlantic by T&L Golf. Per Philadelphia Magazine, most Greenbrier guests eat on the Modified American plan in the Main Dining Room, jacket and tie required. However, given the volume of people they serve in the 739 room hotel, the fare is fairly standard for hotel catering. OR, the Tavern Room on-premisis is the resort's most intimate fine dining experience, with a wine bar and "the piano stylings of David Hill". Draper's Cafe is dripping in pink and green, and is best reserved for children's meals.
Golf Magazine digs Food & Friends (304-645-4548, www.foodandfriends.com) in nearby Lewisburg. Featured on the Food Network's "Best Of…" and rightly revered for sizzling steaks. Or General Lewis Inn (304-645-2600, www.generallewisinn.com), also in Lewisburg, is a staple best known for rainbow trout--sauteed, broiled, or blackened.
T&L Golf likes: Julian's (Continental) Steve Jackendoff, owner and chef at this intimate place in an old frame house off Lewisburg's main drag about fifteen miles from the Greenbrier, got his start as a teenager pulling greens off strawberries in the kitchen of Lutece, the erstwhile Manhattan citadel of haute cuisine. By a very winding country road, he made his way to Lewisburg, but he hasn't forgotten what he learned in New York. 102 South Lafayette Street, Lewisburg, West Virginia; 304-645-4145. $$$$
Where To Stay: How good is the service at The Greenbriar Hotel? Both sides occupied the original hotel during the Civil War. Rooms at The Greenbrier run $265-$375 PP Apr-Oct, $211-$268 PP Nov-Mar. The 2005 Deluxe Golf Package ($430-$494 per day) ran through October and included unlimited play plus breakfast and dinner.
Other Stuff To Do: Greenbriar's Cold-War Bunker-- Postwar Washington was possessed by the fear that at any moment the capital might be destroyed by Soviet missiles. That led to one of the Cold War's more curious relics, a Congressional bomb shelter dug deep beneath a false wing of the Greenbrier hotel. The bunker included rooms for all members of Congress and separate meeting chambers for the House and Senate. A secret until 1992, it's now open for tours in summer. Or try white water rafting, $130 PP wkdy, $150 wknd (with lunch). Also available: fly fishing, a 300 seat movie theater, cooking classes, upscale retail shops, and a full spa menu.