Courses you can play » Westfields Golf Club

Description » Magnificently manicured, upscale course on wooded, varied piece of property, set apart from bustling surroundings. Great mix of holes and green complexes with elaborate bunkers. Front nine is long and straight-forward, with three par-4s clocking in at 448-plus yards. Shorter back nine has more variety, elevation change, and requires more strategy.

Reason to play » Country-club-for-a-day is the ambition of many courses, but few live up to. While other Northern Virginia upscale public courses of its generation (Virginia Oaks, Bristow Manor, Augustine and Bull Run) have begun to fade, Westfields has remained true to its original mission, improving with age. Course is playable for golfers of all skill levels.

Signature hole » No. 3, Par 3, 223 yards
First hole one notices when driving into Westfields. Boulders, wild grass, water, and elevated tees and green combine for visual overload. Intimidating, especially when pin is on the pinched left side of green. Trouble everywhere. Tough from the tips, but significantly easier from the whites (155 yards). Best advice — ignore the pin and play for middle of green.

Best hole » No. 16, Par 4, 384 yards
Another intimidator as a deep creek meanders down the left side of the fairway, giving the appearance of nowhere to hit. But there is room to the right for a well-placed fairway wood, setting up an enticing approach to a shallow, wide green cut into the side of a steep hill and protected in front by a pond.

Prettiest hole » No. 15, Par 5, 554 yards

One of the thrilling final six holes at Westfields, No. 15 is a majestic, uphill, three-shot par-five. Trees, offset from the fairway, frame the hole beautifully.

Historic perspective » Land at Westfields served as a field hospital during the Second Battle of Manassas and a burial site, set off by a stone wall, is preserved off the fairway at No. 13. Trenches built during the war have been incorporated into the design of holes No. 10 and No. 18. Land to the right of the driving range was the site of a Confederate fort and locals have reported ghost sightings.

Designer » D.C. based sports agent Lynn Roach identified the land as ideal for a golf course and his client, pro golfer Fred Couples, agreed, combining with Gene Bates on one of his first stabs at course design. At the same time, Bates and Couples also built Heron’s Ridge, one of the top courses in Virginia Beach. Both were opened in 1998. The tips at both courses are called the “Boom Boom tees,” a nod to Couples’ nickname.

The patrons » With an extensive membership program, a busy corporate outing schedule, and out-of-town play from golfers staying at the Westfields Marriott near Dulles, the course draws an eclectic mix of clientele, attracted by top-notch facilities.