Raspberry Falls Golf & Hunt Club
 On an overcast early spring day made for links golf, we made our way to the Raspberry Falls Golf & Hunt Club for our inaugural review of the 2007 season.
This is our second review of the Gary Player design and the characteristics that make this course one of the best venues in Northern Virginia has only gotten better with time.
When you arrive at the course you're inspired by the underlying land. The gentle rolling countryside with it's multitude of various contours is the perfect setting for a links design.
You step to the first tee and notice the fairway guarded by slight mounding working its way all the way to the green. Then you see the deep front bunker guarding the green. The bunker looks at least 6 feet deep. From its bottom depth you can barely see the top of the flag.
Is it Scotland or Northern Virginia? For a moment, you feel like they're one in the same.
If the first hole doesn't capture your interest then there's plenty of variety in the remaining seventeen. No two holes seem even slightly similar and each is routed so you seldom see more than one hole at a time. There are several elevated tees offering great views of the surrounding area including the long 479-yard Par-4 3rd and the beautiful 550-yard Par-5 18th. It's hard to envision the property without the course; it seems Mr. Player knew what he was doing.
 You can easily get distracted by ascetic beauty course but it's important to stay within your game. Within the beauty of Raspberry Falls lies a multitude of challenges. The quick undulating greens and strategically placed deep Scottish-style stacked pot bunkers can wreck havoc on errant approach shots.
Some of the most memorable bunkers even have names, including "Lee's Bunker" and "Grant's Tomb" on No. 11 and "Satan's Foxhole" on No. 14. Trust me when I say, if you end up in any of these bunkers it's an experience you'll soon not forget.
One of the most impressive aspects of the course to go along with the challenge is the playability. The course offers wide open fairways with plenty of room for those with less than accurate drivers and the five sets of tees offer make the course approachable for all skill level.
So, no matter what your handicap, single and double digit hacker all golfers should have a great experience at Raspberry Falls Golf & Hunt Club. Iit's on of the most memorable courses anywhere in the Mid-Atlantic.
 Amigos Favorite Hole: With many holes vying for our favorite we settled on the reachable in two 549-yard Par-5 No. 4.
This risk-reward Par-5 is setup for birdie with a well placed drive directly across bunkers lurking within the corner of the dogleg. At the tee it seems the fairway is a narrow target but once your in the fairway you realize there is plenty of room so make an aggressive stroke and go for it!
Your chance at going for the fairway in two depends on how much of the dogleg you cut off with your drive. You could have anywhere from 240 to less than 200-yards depending on how aggressive an angle you took across the bunkers.
A good approach shot to the green sets up for a slight draw and this green is one of only a couple on the course that doesn't have one of those menacing bunkers guarding the front. If there is one word of caution it's to guard against going long. Anything over the green will end up in the thick grass behind the green leaving a difficult chip. No.4 is a birdie hole for the better player and with two good shots maybe a run at eagle!
Review Date:
04/12/2007
Course review ratings are conducted on a five point scale. ( 1 = Double Bogey 3 = Par 5 = Eagle)
Tees:
Raspberry Falls has five sets of tees ranging from 4,854to 7,191-yards. One of the best things about the course is the variety in tee sets.
All players can enjoy this course no matter what your handicap as long as you pick the correct set for your game. The better player will appreciate the challenge from the gold and black tees but the mid to high handicappers will have a great time from the blues or whites.
The tees were in decent shape with a few showing some signs of early spring maintenance which is to be expected this time of year. In a few more weeks they should be in great condition.
Fairways:
The fairways have some great contours and if you can turn the ball over should get plenty of roll to pad your driving stats. Variety is the spice of life at Raspberry Falls but most of the fairways have generous landing areas even though some of the angles at the tee can seem visually demanding.
Most of the fairways were in good condition with nice bent grass providing a nice tight lie. The course had just started fairway aeration but didn't impede our play. All courses during March and April will be doing some maintenance so it's expected.
Rough:
Even in the early season, the rough was one of the most penal aspect of the course. Thick and lush even in April, I can just imagine what May and June might bring.
Don't expect lots of spin coming out of this rough but with the wide fairways hopefully you won't see much of it.
Traps:
The bunkers are what you would expect from a links design, deep and plentiful. Raspberry Falls has some of the best bunkering you will see anywhere in the Mid-Atlantic. There are a few very menacing greenside bunkers that look almost impossible to escape from the fairway. But once you get to the green there is more than enough angle where even run offs usually end up with enough room to maneuver.
Be wary of plugs, these traps have plenty of great sand so any direct shots into the corners could be very troublesome. Hey, they are called "traps" for a reason!
Greens:
The greens are in great shape for early spring rolling at a smooth quick pace. During our visit the pin placements were pretty benign. We didn't have many issues with putting other than our rusty winter strokes trying to adjust to the warmer temperatures.
Hopefully during your visit you'll get the tucked left pin placement we had on number 10. The hole has the toughest approach shot anywhere on the course. Trust me when I say, just go for the middle of the green. Anything on the dance floor on number 10 is a good shot.
Amenities:
Public course with "private club amenities". The clubhouse exudes first class with a spacious Old English style tavern with a full service bar and grill. The proshop has everything you need for your round of golf including a wide selection of clubs just incase your itching for something new for the bag.
There course offers a natural grass range and short game practice green, including FREE range balls. There is another practice green just behind the clubhouse on your way to the first tee.
Staff Services:
You know your business is appreciated when greeted at the bag drop by staff wearing a bow tie. Everyone we encountered on the Raspberry Falls staff was helpful and courteous. The starter was a bit brief with us prior to sending us out for our round but the state of art GPS system included plenty of helpful reminders you might usually get from the starter at other courses.
There was a full service beverage cart making round offering anything but grill service, including FREE coffee. We thought it was a nice touch, especially on a day with a bit of chill in the air.
Pace of Play:
We had no issue with our pace but we did play a bit slower than normal. The scenic views can be distracting and the quite countryside can defiantly make the mind wonder if you’re not on your game.
Overall Average:
4.8, Birdie Course
Outstanding Course, must play recommendation
We would like to thank Head Professional Mr. Steve Bennett at Raspberry Falls for having us out to visit and review the course.
CLICK HERE for additional course information...
Location:
41601 Raspberry Drive, Leesburg VA 20178
Tee Time Phone:
703-779-2555
Course Type:
Public
*The opinions expressed in this course review are those of the individual reviewer(s) and do not reflect the editorial opinion of
www.GolfinAmigos.com
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