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THE GREENBRIER SPORTING CLUB 2012
The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe
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8th hole, 193 yards
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FA Z I O P R E M I E R C L U B S
THE GREENBRIER SPORTING CLUB
EVAN SCHILLER
Imagine living at the country’s quintessential resort, then throw in exclusive amenities available only to members and you begin to see what all the excitement is about
2012 EDITION
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THE GREENBRIER SPORTING CLUB
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VERYONE WHO’S EVER VISITED The Greenbrier has wondered what it would be like to live the good life as practiced at “America’s Resort” full time. From golf to high tea, delicious dining to spa treatments and outdoor adventures, how nice would it be to have access to the ultimate in activities and hospitality whenever you want? Very nice, indeed. That’s part of the appeal of The Sammy” memorabilia. And the course, Greenbrier Sporting Club, a luxurious called The Snead, sits on land rich in private residential enclave nestled in the its own history, having been, among lush and lovely Allegheny Mountains of other things, a large horse farm with West Virginia amid the 6,750 acres of racetrack, an airstrip, polo field, the the country’s most comfortable Nationresort’s first skeet and trapshooting club, al Historic Landmark. “Part of” because even a World War II POW camp. while members have total access to the As graceful as its namesake, The resort’s wide variety of amenities and Snead glides along the floor of Greenbriactivities, the Sporting Club has its own er Valley among lakes and streams— Sam Snead (right) was part of The attractions available only to those lucky water comes into play on all but two of enough—and smart enough—to belong. Greenbrier family for nearly 70 years. the 18 holes—combining the natural Tom Watson followed Snead as the In keeping with the traditions of The corrugation of the land with manmade resort’s golf professional emeritus. Greenbrier, the primary lure is golf. Club enhancements, notably fast, undulating members have their own course, a Tom Fazio-designed gem greens and deep, voluminous bunkers. Despite its wide fairways that honors the legendary Sam Snead, who was associated and immaculate conditions, The Snead is much like the man with the resort for nearly 70 years: The Members’ Lodge, was: tougher than it first appears. Adding to that toughness is which serves as clubhouse, dining room, and activity central the steady wind that blows through Midland Gap, a V-shaped for the Sporting Club, features a mini-museum of “Slammin’ pass in the mountains at the western end of the valley.
FA Z I O P R E M E I R C L U B S
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STEVE UZZELL
The opening holes offer a fast introduction into what to expect during the rest of the round. Numbers 1 and 2, midlength par fours, have water on the left and strategically placed bunkers on one or both sides of the fairway as well as short of the greens. Number 3 is a virile par three—250 yards from the longest of five available tee boxes—over water to a green book-ended by sand. All three holes, and most of the other 15, finish at broad, deep greens that play much smaller due to pronounced slopes and angles that must be expertly negotiated to get the ball anywhere near the pin. “The real defense of the golf course are the green complexes, which are very undulating,” says head pro Robbie Gilmore, who has been at The Snead since its opening in 2004. “They have false fronts and false edges, and even good approach shots if they’re not hit just right will roll off the green leaving very severe up-and-downs.” Severe also describes the bunkers, 90 in all, which often give the unlucky golfer no option other than wedging out. On some holes the sand comes in bunches—the long par-four 5th
boasts 10 bunkers, the short par-four 9th has 13—while four holes have but one each, usually guarding the green. There are eight bunkers on the 6th hole, a confounding par five that isn’t overly long but plays into the prevailing breeze. Six of the sandy hazards sit on the left, pushing the action toward a natural wetland on the right, which extends a long skinny finger that becomes a stream fronting the green. There’s also a large bailout area just over the water: Large, tilting collection areas guard many of the greens, placing a premium on short-game savvy. Number 6 also kicks off a troika of memorable holes on the far side of Route 60, known as “Sam Snead Boulevard.” The 7th is a nearly drivable par four, its crowned fairway wedged between water and five bunkers, with a long green that slopes like Kate’s Mountain, which looms in the distance. The water-free 8th is a medium-length par three beginning from an elevated tee and ending anywhere on a massively long, tiered green bracketed by collection areas in front and behind. The back nine is just as wet and nearly as sandy. Howard’s Creek—named after John Howard, who led an exploratory party into the valley in the 1740s—flows into play on the long, curling par-four 14th and remains a factor all the way home. A steep climb leads to the tee of the short par-three 15th, called “Postage Stamp” due to its resemblance to the notorious 8th hole at Scotland’s Royal Troon: a small green set on a ridge and made trickier by the wind. The tee shot on the par-five 16th drops 85 feet back to the valley, its fairway lined by acres of sand and the creek. Once
Above: 9th hole, 356 yards Holes 8 (193 yards) and 7 (389 yards)
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As graceful as its namesake, The Snead glides along the floor of Greenbrier Valley combining the natural corrugation of the land with manmade enhancements.
16th hole, 542 yards
STEVE UZZELL
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THE GREENBRIER SPORTING CLUB
Summit Lodge
safely on terra firma, the next few shots must tack side to side to locate the green. The creek, alive with trout, bass, and other potential prey, continues to define the right side of the final two holes, which require flirting with more sand and firing precise approaches to spacious putting surfaces. Behind the final green is the Members’ Lodge, and next to it the private Sporting Complex, complete with fitness center, squash courts, outdoor infinity pool, outdoor tennis courts, even a climbing wall. Just beyond is the Eastern-inspired spa, Ananda in the Alleghenies, which offers a tempting array of body treatments and salon services. There are countless other diversions available to members, such as fly-fishing, hunting, rafting, snowshoeing, children’s programs, sporting clays, miles of hiking and biking trails, and an equestrian center with both English and Western riding. Many of these pursuits are available at the club or through
the resort, as well as on top of Greenbrier Mountain at the members-only Summit Village, which sits at 3,300 feet: The Summit Activities Barn has basketball and volleyball courts, its own infinity pool, and access to miles of trails that lace through the hills; the charming Summit Lodge offers casual dining, an inviting lounge with pool tables, big-screen TVs, and bar games, plus spectacular views in all directions—including awe-inducing panoramas of the shimmering night sky. Between mountaintop and valley floor are more than 500 home sites in 15 distinct neighborhoods (land ownership is a prerequisite to Sporting Club membership; sites begin at $300,000, finished homes at $1 million). Elegant houses, designed to complement nature’s beauty, line the hilly ridges that stairstep down the hillsides, most tucked in among the tall trees and natural cul-de-sacs. Every home site has been positioned to offer unparalleled vistas and privacy. Homes feature the latest in furnishings and appliances as well as an understanding of the needs of busy families looking for unhurried time together. There are also homes closer to the main hotel, around the resort’s three golf courses—The Old White TPC (home of the PGA Tour’s Greenbrier Classic), The Greenbrier (site of the 1979 Ryder Cup and 1994 Solheim Cup matches), and The Meadows—and with easy access to other local attractions such as the casino and the famous Greenbrier Clinic. (A new health facility, The Greenbrier Medical Institute, specializing in cardiovascular health, plastic surgery, and sports medicine, is scheduled to open in 2013.) Visitors have been coming to Greenbrier Valley since 1778 to “take the waters” of the natural springs, making the region rich in history. The Greenbrier Sporting Club offers families, sports enthusiasts, and anyone else looking for a luxurious leisure lifestyle the chance to make a little history ■ of their own.
EVAN SCHILLER
The Greenbrier Resort
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FA Z I O P R E M I E R C L U B S
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The green complexes have false fronts and false edges. Even good approach shots will roll off greens leaving very severe up-and-downs.
LOCATION
White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia PAR 71 YARDAGE 7,025 YEAR FOUNDED
2004 (The Snead) ARCHITECT
Tom Fazio CONTACT
thegreenbriersportingclub.com
4th hole, 541 yards