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Golfing in Roanoke: planning your trip to the tee

The stunning backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the beauty of the changing seasons, along with undulating greens and rolling fairways combine to create a unique golfing experience in the Roanoke Valley. Golfers at all levels of ability can pack their clubs, balls and elbow sleeve and head out to practice their sport here in ideal surroundings. There are numerous tailored packages available to get the most out of the semi-private and public courses. Whether planning a family vacation or a group outing, both aspiring and seasoned players can get the latest info through Golf Digest and customize their perfect package.

Planning the trip

Proper packing is an essential part of every golfing trip in order to avoid a raft of hassles and annoyances that will seriously put you off your game.

Use microfiber clothing, for instance, which is specially designed for golf travelers. It’s resistant to wrinkling, lightweight for transport and dries quickly if a shower catches you out.
You should also use quality outerwear as the weather can be inclement at times and getting caught in high crosswinds without the proper level of protection is asking for trouble.
Take the right number of balls appropriate to your level. If your handicap is high you’ll need more balls so take a long, honest look at your game to assess the number of balls to pack.
It’s always a good idea to pack a box of snacks like peanut butter crackers and Granola bars for the energy factor whilst out on the course.

Tips for beginners

Golf has a reputation for being elitist but this is changing fast and the sport is much more accessible than it used to be. The experience of heading off under the gaze of veterans can be daunting, so here are a few tips to help out.

Take a few lessons – teaching yourself will only encourage bad habits.
Work on your putting – putts account for half the strokes in a round but are not often practiced.
Work out on a driving range – these places are great for advice and instruction, and you can happily lose all the balls you want.
Don’t feel pressured – let other players overtake you if you need to concentrate on your game more. Remember that even the top pros started out as beginners.

Pete Dye Rivercourse

One of the best courses in southwest Virginia is the Virginia Tech Pete Dye Rivercourse, between Radford and Blacksburg. This is an 18-hole course that offers golfers a fun and challenging five sets of tees, covering all ability levels. As an added bonus, there are splendid and invigorating panoramic views from every hole along the 2.5 miles of New River.

The River, as it’s fondly known, also has putting and chipping greens, a driving range on its practice facility and a full teaching center as well as a pro shop for buying and hiring equipment. Golf Digest voted this course one of the “Best Places to Play” in the whole of the US.

Area Day Trips

Day Trips from Dublin: The Blue Ridge Parkway

If you are interested in a day away from Rockwood Manor and driving around the beautiful countryside of the Appalachian area of the US, then traveling the Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the greatest drives in America, with wonderful scenic views and chances for hiking, picnicking and visiting some of the natural treasures of the eastern United States.

History

Work on the parkway started in 1935 during the Roosevelt presidency. As part of the New Deal, it provided work for the men in the North Carolinian and Virginian hinterlands during the depression years. However, work wasn’t completed for 52 years until the Linn Cove Viaduct near Grandfather Mountain was opened in 1987. This piece of road finally connected two of the great national parks of America: the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia with the Great Smoky Mountain National Park almost 500 miles away in North Carolina. Along the route you can see some of the most spectacular natural views in the US. National parkland lines the road on each side so the views of the peaks and valleys of the Appalachian Mountains are unspoiled.

Getting There

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a 469-mile road that stretches through Virginia and North Carolina. Mile 0 is at the Rockfish Gap near Waynesboro in Virginia, which is about 2 hours north-eastof Dublin. But if you are setting out for a drive from Rockwood Manor then the easiest place to join the road is at Fancy Gap, about a 45 minute drive south of Dublin. Take I-81 South, then join I-77 South and take exit 8 heading towards Fancy Gap. From there, depending on how much time you have, you can either take the shorter drive north in Virginia, or head south and over the border into North Carolina.

If you are in rush to get anywhere, the Blue Ridge Parkway is definitely not the route you should take. The road is just a single lane in each direction and though there are passing places at the viewing points along the road, the speed limit on the road is low so you shouldn’t be charging along. The limit is 45 mile per hour along most of the road, with that falling to just 25 miles per hour in some of the more congested sections. The point of the Blue Ridge Parkway is to enjoy the journey and the spectacular views, not to get to a destination.

Image 2: Blue Ridge Mountains

Scenery

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a wonderful drive all year round. If you go in the spring or summer, you’ll see the abundant greens over the hills, whereas if you visit in the fall you can see the trees and plants slowly changing to their autumnal reds and oranges. Winter can be an opportunity to see some snow settle on the higher peaks, but the pass can get treacherous during the colder months and don’t be surprised to see some of the parkway closed due to snow and ice. The Park Service do signpost any detours thoroughly though, helping you back onto the main roads until it is safe to join the Parkway again. If you do find yourself on the parkway any time after October beware of icy conditions and prepare your car thoroughly before you set out, making sure the tires are in good condition, you have enough gas to complete your journey, you have supplies available in case you get stuck and you have coverage in the case of an accident. Make sure you check out the tips and travel tools from the park service to ensure you have a safe journey.

The flora and ecology changes as you reach higher elevations. At the lower levels you will see oak, hickory and tulip trees, while the upper reaches of the road are lined with fir and spruces more suited to the difficult climate. Trees near the peaks will often be distorted from years of wind and ice. Smaller flowers such as Rhododendrons and Dogwoods are visible during the spring and summer through all levels of the road, and can be seen retreating as the cold weather moves in.

Image 3: Black Balsam Knob in the Fall

Places to Visit

If you do want to stop anywhere along the way then there are hiking trails and picnic spots signposted throughout the roadway, but a map to guide you to the most memorable spots is a necessity. Some of the best sites along the road are Mount Mitchell (Mile 355), the tallest peak in the Eastern United States, the waterfalls such as Glassmine (361), Crabtree (339) and Looking Glass (417) which dot the lower levels of the road, and some of the idyllic rural manmade structures such as Mabry Mill (176) and Brinegar Cabin (238). The Parkway does not have a direct interchange with any interstates but all the major cities and areas along the route are also signposted. In Virginia, Waynesboro, Galax and Roanoke are the major towns that sit nearby the road. In North Carolina, the road passes by Asheville and the famous Biltmore Estate and vineyards if you wanted to pick up a bottled memento of your trip.

Beginners Guide to Skiing

Beginner’s guide to skiing – all you need to know

The vacation is approaching and it’s the first one that involves skiing. Learning to ski for the first time is an exciting experience though it can seem rather daunting. Many beginners may have watched the Winter Olympics and seen the sometimes unbelievable exploits of top athletes on the ski slopes and wondered how they got to be so good. The answer is with talent, practice and good planning, and there’s no reason a beginner can’t progress to experienced status, though possibly not making it as an Olympian!

Good planning will pay off

For someone who has never been skiing before there are certain preparations that will help make the whole process a lot smoother. Apart from the obvious need for ski gear, it’s easy to forget that skiing is a very physical process and as a first timer it makes lot of sense to get fit beforehand.

Skiing puts a lot of stress on a number of parts of the body, in particular the knees and ankles, hips and thighs. Shoulders, back and arms will also be strained, so building up a regular exercise regime some two or three months before the vacation will pay off and prevent the major hurting that would otherwise occur.

Good exercises to strengthen the quads and glutes, because a lot of skiing is done in a part squat position, are box jumps, lateral jumps and squat jumps to help build the requisite muscle strength. Some weight training and cardiovascular work will also assist the body to get into shape.

Ski gear – buy or hire?

There’s no doubt that skiing can be an expensive sport, but the beginner doesn’t need to buy everything up front. The sensible thing to do is to mix buying and hiring. There’s not much point in buying an expensive set of skis only to find that the sport doesn’t really appeal.

Clothing and certain smaller elements of equipment should be bought because they can always be used again. Undergarments of thermal materials, long sleeved t-shirt, a fleece, waterproof jacket and salopettes, a hat to cover the ears and thick gloves are the essentials. Some may prefer a ski suit and often there are good bargains to be had out-of-season when the previous season’s gear is being sold.

Another essential, and not too expensive, is ski goggles, such as goggles with polarized and mirror lenses – they keep the sun and snow out of the eyes. In addition, sunscreen should be packed – cold it may be on the slopes but the clear skies give a lot of UV radiation to the skin.

Ski boots, skis and helmets can be hired at a resort, and the ski shop staff in resorts such as Winterplace in West Virginia will help make sure everything fits properly. The state may not seem an obvious ski destination, but its mountains have a northern exposure with a perfect climate that lets winter arrive early and stay late, providing ideal conditions for both beginners and the more experienced skiers.