Stay & Play on Devils Knob Mountain:

From Peak to Valley at Wintergreen Resort.

Posted by Alistair Orr

A mere stone’s throw from the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway lies the Wintergreen Resort located on the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Central Virginia roughly 50 miles southwest of Charlottesville. This one of a kind resort spans 11,000 acres and is both a winter and summer playground for golfers, tennis players, skiers and outdoor enthusiasts alike. Home to 45 holes for golfers to enjoy - 18 designed by Ellis Maples at the mountain top and 27 by Reese Jones on the valley floor below. Wintergeen has the distinction of being the only ski resort in this part of the world where golf is offered year round and perched at the apex of Mount Devils Knob, at an elevation of 3,850 feet, the resort’s Devils Knob Golf Course is the highest golf course in Virginia.

This year round facility offers a myriad of activities where guests can enjoy a world class spa, a full service tennis academy featuring 22 tennis courts, 25 slopes and trails for the skiing crowd, hiking, biking, boating, fishing and much more. Also, if you are looking to add a little business with your pleasure the resort has 18 meeting rooms and 40,000 sq ft of indoor and outdoor meeting space suitable for events large or small. However, for the golfer, the “raison d’être” for a visit to Wintergreen is the 45 holes of golf. The Ellis Maples designed Devils Knob course is a challenging layout routed atop the mountain offering spectacular scenic views while the 27-hole Reese Jones designed Stoney Creek facility flows through the Rockfish Valley floor and is open year round.

The Accommodations: With varied mountaintop and mountainside accommodation options available guests can choose from studio or lodge guest rooms located at the Mountain Inn or from condominiums, houses and exclusive properties which are conveniently located near the Inn, shops, Devils Knob golf course, ski slopes, fitness & aquatics centre, spa, tennis centre and restaurants. Whichever you choose the units are uniquely appointed and each offers a spectacular view over the distant mountain ranges and valleys, ski slopes or golf course.

The guest rooms are housed in the main Inn and in two nearby structures. Both the studio and lodge rooms offer a kitchenette which includes a mini fridge, stove, coffee maker and toaster while the lodge offers a separate bedroom. The condos range from one to five bedrooms and are replete with full kitchen, living room with fireplace, balcony or deck, washer / dryer and daily maid service. The houses range from two to six bedrooms and feature all the comforts of home. The exclusive properties cater to large groups offering seven to nine bedroom options.

The Amenities: Outdoor recreation options at Wintergreen are not limited to golf in the summer and skiing in the winter. In addition to the 25 slopes and trails (14 of which are lighted for night skiing) Wintergreen features two terrain parks, a 900 foot multi-lane snow tubing hill, mountain biking, archery, a children’s fun park with a scaled down tubing slide and a 45’ x 90’ ice rink located in the heart of the village. During the summer months, Memorial Day through Labour Day, Lake Monocan Park features sandy beaches and a floating trampoline on its 20-acre lake. Beach volleyball, boating, kayaking, biking and fly fishing lessons can be enjoyed at the park.

The Discovery Ridge Adventure Center is the place if you have a little thrill seeking in your blood. The 900 foot zip line will satisfy your need for speed, the Plunge Tubing Park, bungee trampoline, climbing wall and 18-hole mini-putt are all located at Discovery Ridge. With more than 30 miles of hiking trails, marked from easy to difficult, traversing Wintergreen’s mountain peaks and circumnavigating the resort property, there is a trial for all abilities. There is also no shortage of indoor fun at Wintergreen for the kids. Discovery Ridge offers numerous Xbox and Nintendo stations, 4 Kinect systems, a Wifi lounge, foosball, a pool table, mechanical bull and more to keep the children occupied.

The Spa at Wintergreen and the Aquatics & Fitness Center occupies a 12,000 sq ft facility located at the highest point on the resort. With wondrous views of the surrounding mountain vistas it is an ideal setting for some pampering and to recharge the batteries.

The fitness center offers personal trainers, fitness and wellness classes, hot tubs, steam and sauna rooms and utilizes state of the art fitness equipment such as a 12-station strength and conditioning circuit with free weights, treadmills, stationary bikes, steppers,...etc. A therapeutic soak pool, indoor pool and outdoor pool are also on site.

Featuring thirteen individual treatment rooms, luxurious changing rooms and co-ed lounge the spa offers a wide range of therapeutic massages, reflexology, herbal body wraps, skincare treatments and more. A full service unisex salon will take care of all your hair styling, manicure, pedicure and waxing needs while the accompanying youth spa caters to teenagers needs. The center offers several signature spa packages that range from fifty minutes to three hours which utilize a variety of treatment, pampering and wellness regimes.

The Dining: There are four dining options at Wintergreen which should satisfy your inner foodie. The Stoney Creek Bar and Grill, located at the Stoney Creek clubhouse, is open for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunches. In a casual environment the meals are served on the outdoor verandah or the inside dining room. The casual menu features a steak and seafood culinary concept. The Devils Grill calls the rustic environment of the Devils Knob clubhouse home. This upscale restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and features American fare. The Copper Mine Bistro serves breakfast and lunch with dinner available during the ski season. Diners in the Copper will enjoy Mediterranean fare and their gourmet pizzas are famous. The Edge Restaurant is the casual family friendly option and nightlife hotspot rolled into one. Serving a wide variety of fare with something to appeal to everyone the Edge is also the spot to catch the game on TV and enjoy some live entertainment. For those who would prefer to eat in the solitude of their own abode The Market at Wintergreen is a country store which offers take away deli sandwiches, pizzas, salads, fresh baked goods, cheeses, snacks, drinks and more.

The Golf: The 27 holes that comprise the Stoney Creek course at Wintergreen Resort are located in the Rockfish River Valley some 3500 feet below the peaks of the adjacent Devils Knob and Black Rock Mountain’s. Golf can be enjoyed year round in the valley at Stoney Creek, whereas the mountaintop Devils Knob course is put to bed by the coming winter conditions in late October and returns from hibernation in early April. For those who pleasure in hitting the slopes as much as hitting golf balls Wintergreen offers a ski and tee policy where skiers can present their same day lift ticket for a round of golf at Stoney Creek. Shred the runs in the morning the tread the fairways in the afternoon.

The Devils Knob course has severe elevation changes, tight tree lined fairway corridors and striking views of the distant mountain peaks and the valleys below. In contrast the Stoney Creek nines’ feature modest elevation changes, wider fairways and the network of ponds and creeks that meander through the valley floor play an integral part of the design. The views of the surrounding mountains are equally spectacular as those afforded to players atop the Knob –especially in the fall months when the trees are in full colour. The mountain design demands precise distance control, while the valley design grants you more shot options while plotting a course from tee to green.

Devils Knob: Perched high atop the Blue Ridge Mountains at an elevation of 3,850 feet Devils Knob Golf Course at has the distinction of being the highest golf course in Virginia. Wintergreen’s addition of the highly acclaimed Ellis and Dan Maples design in the mid 70’s complimented the resort’s ski operations creating a true four season resort. The Maples routed this natural beauty over the top of the mountain and is characterized by narrow contoured fairways lined with mature hardwoods, severe elevation changes, stone outcroppings and fiendishly sloped green surfaces. With the distraction of the stunning views of distant mountain peaks and the Rockfish and Shenandoah Valleys below it’s tough to keep ones focus on the task at hand of tackling this demanding routing. Ranging from 4443 to 6712 it may not be beastly long but the ups and down, tight landing areas and mountain top winds will demand that you give club selection much thought and the well defended green complexes will require you bring your “A” short game.

While Devils Knob plays considerably shorter than Stoney Creek’s combinations from the back tees don’t let your ego march you back to the tips for the demanding nature of the layout more than makes up for the yardage difference and your patience will be tested should you try to bite off more than you can chew.

Course Stats:
Devils Knob: Par 70, 4443 to 6712 yards; Slope: 124/140; Rating: 64.7/75.7

Stoney Creek Course: As is typical of many Reese Jones courses the architect doesn’t force you to play a tick-tack-toe target style of golf. Utilizing five tee decks his goal for Wintergreen was to create a resort experience where players of all abilities can enjoy a challenge suited to their level of play. There are plenty of risk reward opportunities for the skilled lower handicapper while the higher handicap players are offered choices while navigating the routing. The strategically placed mounding that lines the generous fairways aid in keeping the ball in play and the larger greens affords the novice and intermediate player a chance to post some good scores. However, careful attention must be paid to the pin placements as the green complexes are large and contain some fairly dramatic contours and tiers. If your approach finds the wrong area of the putting surface your green reading skills will be put to the test. The skilled player will find the greens the largest obstacle that must be overcome if the course record is to be put in jeopardy.

Each nine at Stoney Creek is named to honour local native heritage. The Monocan nine is a tribute to the Monocan Indians who belonged to a vast confederation of Algonquin speaking tribes who ranged from eastern Virginia through the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Shamokin side pays homage to a gathering place for the remnants of Virginia’s Saponi, Occaneechi and Tutelo people who, in 1730’s, moved north out of Virginia to Shamokin Pennsylvania to seek the protection of the Oneida. The Tuckahoe nine honours the eastern Algonkian languages. The word tuckahoe was used to describe several edible plants whose root stalk were a staple food for the local natives.

Born in 1998 the Tuckahoe side is the youngest of the Stoney Creek siblings. This routing is the hilliest of the sisters. The Monocan and Shamokin nines comprise the original 18 which Jones crafted in 1988 and can be described as gently rolling with the odd elevated tee or green here and there.

Course Stats:
Tuckahoe to Monocan:

Par 72, 5351 to 7081 yards; Slope: 119/136; Rating: 67.7/73.8
Shamokin to Tuckahoe:

Par 72, 5480 to 7158 yards; Slope: 122/137; Rating: 67.9/74.2
Monocan to Shamokin:

Par 72, 5417 to 7015 yards; Slope: 118/132; Rating: 67.6/74.0