Golf Course Review by: Billy Satterfield
The Takeaway: One of the most memorable and dramatic courses on the Eastern Seaboard, Ballyhack will be enjoyed by golfers that appreciate courses like Tobacco Road, Tot Hill Farm, and Wolf Creek. Incredibly engaging and challenging; well worth the visit. Grade A
Quick Facts
Designer: Lester George 2009
Cost: Private
Phone Number: 540.427.1395
Course Website: Official Website - Visit Ballyhack Golf Club's official website by clicking on the link provided.
Directions: Get here! - 3609 Pitzer Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24014 – UNITED STATES
Photos: See additional photos of Ballyhack Golf Club
What to Expect: There will undoubtedly be people that don't "get it" at Ballyhack, a bold design on 190 acres of rolling farmland in the Blue Ridge Mountains. They'll be intimidated by the large and gnarly bunkers, undulated greens, and expansive property that has more lumps than a bowl of cottage cheese. Those same people won't understand the brilliance of Mike Strantz' work at Tobacco Road or Tot Hill Farm either. But what Lester George did at Ballyhack is a treasure for Virginia golf. The amount of elevation changes, strategy, and options afforded to golfers throughout the routing is exceptional. Your senses and attention are never waning; instead, they are on hyper alert with every shot on the course. Patrons who are accustomed to a "country club" experience with flat lies, flat greens, and gentle rough will find Ballyhack to be an abomination. But for a guy like me that has played over 1,000 golf courses, Ballyhack is a breath of fresh air that breaks free from conventional designs that can be played at hundreds of other places. The fairways are plenty wide, 150 yards at some points. But avoiding the bunkers and finding the ideal playing lines is another story, and is paramount for finding success at Ballyhack. But it is the expansive and wild green sites that will test the medal of every player that steps onto the property. Some will find them entertaining, others will deem them unfair, but undoubtedly they are memorable. It is the uniqueness of Ballyhack that makes it a treat. Logistically, most players will take a cart to navigate the fairways and 150 feet of elevation changes, but walking is an option for those that want a more connected experience. Off the course, the facilities and staff are top notch which has become the standard of Dormie Network properties. In the end, Ballyhack is a ton of fun, especially if you have some game, but if you are going to "hack" it around all day, then Ballyhack will bring you to your knees.
By the Numbers
| Tees | Par | Yardage | Rating | Slope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Lick | 72 | 7294 | 76.3 | 155 |
| Ballyhack | 72 | 6764 | 73.6 | 152 |
| Appalachan | 72 | 6405 | 72.1 | 149 |
| Blue Ridge | 72 | 6170 | 71.0 | 146 |
| Star (Ladies) | 72 | 5637 | 74.8 | 143 |
| Valley (Ladies) | 72 | 5139 | 72.3 | 137 |
Individual Hole Analysis
Signature Hole: 6th Hole – 354 Yard Par 4 – With the clubhouse and iconic silos sitting in the distance and an angling fairway in the foreground, the 6th epitomizes Ballyhack’s spirit. This short par four tempts aggression with 75 feet of descent from tee to green and just over 300 yards of ground to cover on a direct line to the putting surface from the tips. Taking a run at the putting surface is an option for big hitters, but the margin for error is razor-thin with gnarly foliage ready to eat balls that come up short and a bunker protecting the entire green on a line with the tee box. Laying up towards the fairway bunker on the right will afford a good look at the green and a wedge in the hand for an alternative approach of attacking this hole, but did you really come to Ballyhack to lay up?
Best Par 3: 13th Hole – 228 Yards – A long and intimidating one-shotter, the 13th plays across a valley to a perched double green that demands a pure strike that carries the full distance to the putting surface. The tree covered rolling hills create the backdrop and rugged-edged bunkers bill the foreground around the green. The raised right side of the putting surface belongs to the 15th hole, whereas the left side is where the 13th flag is found and where a bunker sits behind since the green has areas that slope to the rear. It is an extremely demanding and rewarding hole to play where you should always be thrilled with a par.
Best Par 4: 1st Hole – 399 Yards – Ballyhack wastes no time introducing its personality. The opener plays downhill to a generous fairway framed by forest on the left and bunkers on the right, but it's the boldness of the property that hits you the most. The approach shot plays to an elevated green that is more susceptible to the wind then it may feel from the fairway. The green sits at a 45 degree angle with a bunker protecting the inside of the putting surface and asking players to be exacting with their shot towards the flags. The opening hole introduces the course so well by introducing what to expect, but not with the boldest of features that are yet to come.
Best Par 5: 15th Hole – 575 Yards – The 15th appears to be a risk/reward par five from the tee where your eyes are drawn to the bunker complex on the inside of the dogleg, but from the back tee you better carry the ball like Bryson DeChambeau for any chance of carrying it. The sensible shot stays left of the sand where tons of fairway awaits to greet your tee ball. From there, the hole turns and travels southwest with a creek crossing the hole 75 yards shy of the front edge of the green. And here lies the dilemma; do you carry the creek with a chance of reaching the green or leaving a short chip towards the flag, or do you dial back your valor and leave a wedge or 9-iron into the raised green that demands precision. From the fairway there appears to be as much sand around the green as there is grass, so wisdom would say to play to your strength and walk away with the smallest number possible.
Birdie Time: 8th Hole – 383 Yard Par 4 – After a string of demanding holes, the 8th offers a brief breath. This gettable par four has a split fairway divided by a creek that demands players make a decision. The bold will find their eyes drifting to the fairway on the right which is on the high ground right of the prominent tree ahead of you. While requiring a longer carry to reach the short grass, those that are successful are rewarded with a superior angle to the green and nothing more than a wedge in your hand. The safer line is to the fairway on the left where the approach will play over the creek to a green fronted by a bunker. Either direction you go, you'll have a scoring club on your second shot to go pinseeking with. For those striking it well, this is the perfect chance to pick up momentum before the back nine’s gauntlet begins.
Bogey Beware: 12th Hole – 462 Yard Par 4 – The 12th is a brute. Into the prevailing wind, this two-shotter demands both distance and accuracy off the tee with bunkers and fescue lining both sides of the saddle fairway. A carry over 250 yards will fly the bunkers on the left and catch the downslope which will significantly reduce the length of the hole, but if you miss, bogey is going to end up being a good score. If you don't make the downslope, you have a long approach where hitting the green in regulation is unlikely. If you do make the valley, the approach shot plays 30 feet uphill to a green flanked by sand on the left, native foliage on the right, and more sand behind the putting surface. In the wrong spot, the approach can be blind which adds its own element to contend with. The 12th is the kind of hole that separates a solid round from a slipping one.
