The Resort at Glade Springs

Stonehaven Course

255 Resort Dr., Daniels, WV 25832

Par, yardages: 72; 5,114 to 7,203

Greens fees: $55 (off season) to $99

     Stay-and-play: Basic golf packages at $118, $161 and $209 (double occupancy). Many other packages offered.

     Website: www.gladesprings.com

     Phone: (304) 763-2000); (855) 802-3080    

     You don't want to go crazy with superlatives in this business. Use them too often, and they lose their impact.

     That being established let me heap a superlative or two on the Stonehaven Course at Glade Springs Resort.

     Stonehaven is a great track. There wasn't a hole on it I didn't at least like. Many of the holes I really liked. Some of them I loved.

     Then there's the par-5, 515-yard 16th hole.

     This hole took my breath away, and that's not easily done after a 50 years of playing the game on many hundreds of courses.

     One of my playing partners at Stonehaven was Mike James, director of golf and recreation for the Resort at Glade Springs.

     Early in the round, I'd asked Mike to set aside a couple of minutes for a video interview. I remember him saying something about waiting until 16 because the hole would offer a "nice backdrop.''

Every hole had its virtues. The layout is challenging but not soul-crushing. The greens are well-tended and rolled true. As for the scenic backdrops, they are distracting in a wonderful way.

     We played from the white tees at 6,215 yards. It was plenty of golf course.

     Putting out on the 15th hole, a short-ish par 4, I notice the climb in the cart path leading to 16. Piques my interest, definitely, as I remind Mike we'll shoot the video before we tee off.

     He just smiles and says, "Sure.''

     A few second later, I'm at the top of the path as it makes a sharp bend to the left and I'm standing there, transfixed.

     With five sets of tees and measuring 601 yards from the tips, this is as visually arresting a golf hole as I've seen in a long time.

     From the black, green and white tees, you must carry the tee shot over a waste area to a landing area framed by bunkers at either end.

     Another bunker, on the left side of the fairway, is in play on the second shot. Bunkers in front of and to the right of the green lend an element of risk to the approach shot.

     There's work to do on the green, too, as subtle breaks must be allowed for in all putts beyond tap-in range.

     I hate to throw around the "p'' work, but if the 16th at Stonehaven isn't a perfect hole, it's darn close to it.

     Throughout the round, Mike talked about the other two courses at Glade Springs, Cobb and Woodhaven.

     We didn't play either, so I'll pass on his assessments of the Cobb as challenging but player-friendly and Woodhaven as extraordinarily challenging.

     The accommodations at Glade Spring include a main lodge and  manor houses. There is a recreation center with an indoor pool, bowling lanes and spa. The resort's restaurants are first-rate.

     Prices for stay-and-play packages are reasonable.

     I'd love to go back to the Resort at Glade Springs.
     The photo below is of the 16th hole. In no way, shape or form does the picture do justice to the in-person view.