Golf Course
The Golf Course
THE COURSE: This challenging, 18-hole track is unique in that it has six of each type of par hole (3, 4, 5). In total, it is a par 72 course that plays 6069 yards from the men’s tees (whites). Most of the par 3’s call for long irons, but several of the Par 5’s are potentially reachable in two after a good drive. The course’s signature hole is #10, a long par 3 with a tee shot from atop the hill towards a green resting near the edge of the lake below. A blank scorecard for the course is kept on the coffee table at the house, which also contains a small map of the layout.
LOCATION: The Alpine Lake Golf Course winds along the lake and through the wooded hillsides along the southern portion of the resort, creating a sensational mix of scenic terrain and natural hazards along the way. Many of the holes can be seen from the main roads on the property, starting immediately upon entering the resort. Play begins and ends at the lodge, with the pro shop for the course found on the right side of the lodge when facing it from the road.
CONDITIONS: The heavy snowfall and drainage off the mountainside often make for wet/damp playing conditions in the spring. The wet conditions also make it difficult for the maintenance crew to properly cut the fairways on some of the lower-laying holes (such as #12, by the dam). Once the weather dries out in June through September, the course is generally kept in excellent shape, often with a double-cut of rough. However, heavy rains or extended periods of rain can bring back the same drainage problems and occasionally close the course afterwards. The course routinely updates its conditions at AlpineLake.com/Status.
YARDAGE MARKERS: The holes on the course are marked only with 200-yard and 150-yard stakes along the sides of each hole. There are no sprinkler heads with distance labels, and the carts do not provide a built-in GPS system. So a range-finder or smartphone golf GPS app is helpful, especially with the undulating nature of the course’s layout. The par-3 holes are marked with yardages on the tee boxes, however.
PIN PLACEMENTS: The course regularly rotates the pin placements on each green, but it follows a numbering system to make those placements consistent. The pin placement number for the day is always posted on the wood sign by the cart lot, and the scorecards show a basic pin sheet corresponding to those numbers (front, center, back).
Fees & Tees
STANDARD RATES: Summer greens fees are in-effect from Memorial Day weekend through late September. The standard rates are $40 on weekends for 18 holes and $25 for 9 holes. Weekday rates are $33 for 18 holes and $20 for 9 holes. Those rates are reduced to $25 and $15 each after 3 PM on all days. All rates include a cart.
OFF-SEASON RATES: The off-season rates apply in the spring before Memorial Day weekend and in the autumn after the last Sunday in September. The off-season greens fees are $25 for 18 holes and $15 for 9 holes, both of which include a cart. Weather and course conditions dictate when the course actually opens and closes for the year, but generally April 1st is opening day and October 31st is the final golf day of the season.
WINTER RATES: Weather generally keeps the course closed every day from November 1st through March 31st. But when the weather is good enough for golf during those months, the resort simply chooses to allow golfers to play for free. The pins are left in the holes year-round anyway to maintain the significant presence of the course within the Alpine Lake community.
SENIOR RATES: Senior rates apply to golfers aged 55 and over. Those greens fees are $23 for 18 holes and $15 for 9 holes. Those rates apply in spring, summer, and fall, but only on Monday through Thursday.
JUNIOR RATES: Golfers 17 and under are given a bargain rate. The junior greens fees are just $15 for 18 holes and $10 for 9 holes. Those rates apply in spring, summer, and fall, but only on Monday through Thursday.
TEE TIMES: Tee times are generally very easy to obtain any time of the week and weekend, other than a few, short blocks that are reserved on weekdays for member leagues. Tee times can be reserved by calling 304-789-2481 x5. The online booking system can also be used, which provides a great way to see existing reservations, league blocks, and special events. That system can be accessed any time through the course website at AlpineLakeGolf.com/status, then by clicking on the green box in the bottom-right. Walk-ups are also accepted any day, and generally there is not much of a wait unless a private league is teeing off in the afternoon.
Course Overview
HOLE #1: A short par 4 that is reachable from the tee but requires accuracy to keep the ball in-play.
HOLE #2: A long but straight par 5 that is entirely downhill to a green with several bunkers behind it.
HOLE #3: The first of the long and challenging par 3’s is even more difficult because of its sloping green.
HOLE #4: A par 5 whose true length is dictated by the distance and placement of the uphill tee shot.
HOLE #5: A sneaky, mid-length par 4 that has a narrow landing area and some trouble on both sides.
HOLE #6: A long, uphill par 3 that requires at least an extra club or two, but still needs a soft landing.
HOLE #7: A testy tee shot between the tree-lined fairway is needed to navigate this right-bending par 5.
HOLE #8: A long par 3 that plays even longer than it appears to a green that’s more uphill than it seems.
HOLE #9: A short par 4 that requires some decision-making from the tee due to the severe dogleg left.
HOLE #10: The course’s signature hole is a long par 3 with trouble on all sides of the downhill slope.
HOLE #11: Rather short for a par 5, but it presents the course’s most-challenging tee shot over the lake.
HOLE #12: The most-difficult par 4 on the course due to a challenging 2nd shot to an elevated green.
HOLE #13: A short and simple par 4 that can ultimately become far more difficult than first meets the eye.
HOLE #14: A shorter but tricky par 3 that runs downhill to a green that slopes away from left-to-right.
HOLE #15: A long par 5 that requires distance and precision from the tee to manage the dogleg right.
HOLE #16: A shorter par 4 that tempts you to shorten the hole even more to the right, where trouble lies.
HOLE #17: A monstrously-long par 5 that continuously curves to the right, leading to an elevated green.
HOLE #18: A deceptively long par 3 to a green that is difficult to land, despite its size and simple layout.
Golf Amenities
PARKING: There is a small, gravel parking lot to the far right side of the lodge, near the lot/garage for the golf carts. It is indirectly marked “Members Only” by a nearby sign, but that is not enforced if you park to the right upon entry, in the gravel area and closer to the driving range. Excess parking is available on the opposite side of the lodge, in the main parking lot. A bag drop is available by main road for instances where the gravel lot is full.
PRO SHOP: All registrations and payments are made through the pro shop. The pro shop offers a small selection of golf equipment, apparel, and accessories. More importantly, it offers beverages, snacks, and hot dogs. The #10 tee is very close to the pro shop, allowing it to be an easy place to refill and refuel halfway through your round. Golf clubs can be rented through the pro shop for use on either the full course or on the driving range. Please check with the pro shop on applicable rates.
DRIVING RANGE: A small driving range was built into what was once the resort’s skiing area, which is located across the gravel parking lot from the pro shop. A large bucket of balls is around $5, which can be purchased in the pro shop. In order to allow for ample distance (without going into the water), the range aims up the slope of the hill. All shots are taken from natural grass.
PUTTING GREEN: There is a good-sized practice green just outside of the pro shop, situated on top of the hill overlooking the #1 tee. It is free to use any time and provides an accurate reading to the nature of the course’s greens prior to your round. It provides a great view over the lake and resort, but more usefully, it rests on a small hill overlooking the #1 tee to allow players to use the green up until the group in front of them has teed off.
BEVERAGES: Soft drinks and six-packs of beer are available in the pro shop. Under state provisions of the resort’s liquor license, golfers may not bring their own beer on the course, and the sale of beer cannot begin until 1:00 PM on Sundays. There is no food & beverage cart that works the course, but water coolers (with paper cups) are kept near several of the tee boxes.
GOLF PACKAGES: The course offers various levels of memberships to Property Owners and the general public. Those memberships are generally only worth it for individuals who play many rounds at the course. They also routinely offer “Stay & Play” specials for a weekend of golf with a room at the hotel.