Old Course

"The Old Course at the Homestead is one of the finest mountain courses in Virginia and one of the best public courses as well. The staff show the finest hospitality that I’ve ever encountered and make you feel welcome during the round. The course itself is a shorter and older layout but is no pushover by any means. The course has small and severely undulating greens that are lightning fast and fairways that are severely sloping resulting in very few even lies. The conditions of the course are immaculate and make for an enjoyable day of golf for all skill levels."

"With plenty to do here, golf still seems to be the main attraction, and rightfully so. The Homestead is home to two high-caliber golf courses: The Old Course and The Cascades. Collectively, both courses have been around for over 200 years, yet have stood the test of time. Names such as Donald Ross, Robert Trent Jones, William Flynn, and Rees Jones have built and rebuilt them. They have been updated and restored over the years including lengthening and adapting to keep up with changes in golf equipment technology. One of the most famous golfers to ever play on the PGA Tour, Sam Snead, lived in or near Hot Springs for his entire life, and for several decades was the Homestead's golf pro. The Sam Snead Tavern – adjacent to The Homestead – contains memorabilia from his career. Rumor has it that Sneed landed the head pro job after he gave one of the member’s wives a lesson and she told the owners it was the best golf lesson she had ever had. He was offered the job the next day! The Old Course was the resort’s first course and was established in 1892 when the first 6 holes were opened for play. That first hole is still in use today, making it the oldest first tee in continuous use in the nation. The Old Course also has the distinction of being the place where the first sitting President of the United States, William McKinley, played golf. The Old Course became a 9-hole layout in 1896 and expanded to 18 holes and 6,000 yards in 1901. Donald Ross was brought in to redesign the course in 1916 and added his signature contoured fairways and smaller, saucer-shaped greens. It’s unique in that it has 6 par 3s, 6 par 4s, and 6 par 5s. The Old Course is a true Donald Ross course that will test your shot-making ability. Thanks to a stellar maintenance crew, the course is always in top condition; fairways are thick and green, and the putting surfaces roll quick and true. Tree-lined fairways test your accuracy off the tee and the contouring of the fairway leads to many uneven lies. There’s a lot of elevation change on several holes so a rangefinder with slope is a handy tool to have. The first three holes play uphill. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing golf getaway with your spouse, or you’re the person in charge of planning golf trips, there are several reasons to consider The Omni Homestead Resort. First, obviously, is the tremendous golf courses and the opportunity to play on courses that have hosted a number of professional and national tournaments and championships. It’s not often you’ll find two courses of this caliber that both end with a par 3! Best of all, you don’t have to be an elite golfer to enjoy the courses. And, when things aren’t going well on the course, just look around and take in everything you see. I played in the spring and with tall trees everywhere, I can only imagine how beautiful it is in the fall. Secondly, there is a lot more to a “golf vacation” these days than golf. The Homestead has so much more to offer such as a refreshing bath in the mineral springs and the opportunity to shoot clays at the home of the 1992 U.S. Open Sporting Clays Championship. Or take an electric mountain bike ride around the property. And we haven’t even mentioned the dining opportunities at the resort which are numerous. Most importantly are the people at the Omni Homestead Resort. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and will treat you better than the golf courses will!"

"Amazing course and worth the greens fees. The views were amazing the lies not so much hahaha. This course was very challenging. I played 27 holes here over our vacation. The staff was awesome. They took care of my clubs from the time I arrived until I checked out. You need to give this course a play!"

"Pleasure teeing off at Americas oldest tee in continous use. Amazing views from every hole, with the mountains in the backdrop and view of the Old Himstead. The 6 par 3s, par 4s and par 5s are a nice touch. Stop by the pro shop and say hello to the GM Mark, and the rest of the team."