Laurel Hill Golf Course in Fairfax: Challenging but Fair

Laurel Hill Golf Course opened last year on the grounds of the old Lorton prison facility. It is a Bill Love design, with a great practice area and driving range. The practice area is probably one of the best in the Fairfax area; it has a double tiered green with two bunkers and a sizeable chipping area. A separate putting green is also double tiered. You could spend a couple of hours at the Course just practicing and it would be a worthwhile afternoon. The course is open year round.

Due to the newness of the course, it is still cart path only because the fairways are so soft. The clubhouse has also fallen behind on the construction schedule. Other than these two complaints, the course is really nice.

The course is pricey for a municipal: Prime time greens fees will run you $79 during the season and $69 between 31 October and 31 March. During the week, fees are a little lower, $69 and $59 respectively. Greens fees do include power cart rental and a bag of range balls to warm up. Almost everyone rides this course, it is not links style and there are enough hills to make walking fairly challenging.

As most golfers never break 100, this is a course that offers even the weekend duffer a chance to score well. Only a couple of the holes are borderline unfair; number 3 is an over 400 yard uphill par 4; number 17, depending on tee placement is also a par 4 which plays more like 5 due to some dead space just in front of the green. The back nine offers some chances for birdies and the par 3s should make you feel good about your game.

The key to playing this course well is to hit your tee shots into the fairway, even if you are not a long hitter. Going out of bounds or into the rough, this course is unforgiving. As most of the greens are double tiered, hitting to the right level is critical. But the greens are pure and if you hit it straight, they will drop.

For true golf fanatics, Laurel Hill has club memberships available. Annual cost is $3,800 per individual, with $1,900 for spouse or family member. Included in the membership package is unlimited golf, use of the practice facilities, pro shop and guest discounts and advance tee time reservations. But unless you are able to play at least once a week, year round, it is probably not cost effective to join.

Watch out for the wildlife; a family of wild turkeys inhabits the 12th hole, a fox has been spotted up at the first tee by the ninth green; deer abound.

The course is only five minutes from the Lorton exit on I-95 and a couple of miles from Route 123.