In this installment of Playing Through, we head to 1757 Golf Club in Loudoun County.
The practice facility is arguably 1757’s strongest asset.聽The turf range at 1757 features 56 hitting stations and included a dozen covered stalls for all weather. They include a track to tee up your ball with an actual tee to the desired height as well. There is also a grass range for members.
(蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis)
蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis
There are several chipping greens including sand bunkers for members.
(蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis)
蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis
It聽features a聽large putting green as well. There is also a fitting studio, seven instructors and even golf fitness programs available.
(蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis)
蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis
Hole #1: Par 4, 451 from black tees, 401 from blue tees, 346 from white tees, 251 from red tees
There鈥檚 water to the right on the opening hole, but it鈥檚 more for show than effect, so long as you don鈥檛 miss way, way right. A good drive sets you up for a low-iron approach to a wide, but fairly shallow and tough green.
(蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis)
蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis
Hole #2: Par 4, 371/354/326/277
A scoreable, short par 4, it can look deceptive from the tee box, with water short to the left. There鈥檚 room to drive out over the traps on the right, setting up a wedge to the green. The hole plays easier after you鈥檝e been through it once and have a better sense of the layout.
(蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis)
蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis
Hole #3: Par 3, 200/164/152/117
A slightly uphill par 3, a greenside bunker pushes right up into the front middle of the green, impacting nearly any tee shot. Find the green and you鈥檒l be in good shape for a low score. Miss it, especially into that bunker or the one left, and you鈥檒l be in for a tough scramble.
(蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis)
蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis
Hole #4: Par 4, 346/298/291/261
A very short par 4, water runs on the right all the way to the green, while a series of sand traps run up the left side rough. If you鈥檝e got a fade, you can play fairway wood safely inside of 100 yards, giving you a good chance to attack the green.
(蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis)
蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis
Hole #5: Par 4, 442/408/363/325
The flip side of the prior hole, this long par 4 again has water all the way up the right side, but doglegs around the lake. You can鈥檛 really cut the corner unless you crush your drive 鈥� better to play it safer off the tee and stay out of trouble.
(蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis)
蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis
Hole #6: Par 4, 419/398/388/354
More water? You don鈥檛 say. This dogleg right really can鈥檛 be cut without an enormous drive. Instead, play it straightaway and try to give yourself the best angle into the green.
(蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis)
蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis
Hole #7: Par 3, 241/210/200/166
There鈥檚 water on this par 3, but it doesn鈥檛 really come into play around the green. The hole plays longer than it looks, though, and the green is deeper than you realize, so pull an extra club, especially if the pin isn鈥檛 in the front.
(蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis)
蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis
Hole #8: Par 4, 385/319/260/225
Pull something less than driver for this par 4. A well-placed tee shot leaves you with a low iron or wedge approach over the creek to a very wide, but shallow green. Hit it to the same side as the pin and you鈥檝e got a good chance at birdie.
(蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis)
蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis
Hole #9: Par 5, 541/511/415/355
The only par 5 on the front, even shorter hitters have a chance to reach this green two shots. There鈥檚 a large runoff area around the putting surface, allowing you to be aggressive without worrying about a bad lie for a third-shot chip if you miss the green.
(蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis)
蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis
Hole #10: Par 5, 561/538/511/439
Yes, after no par 5s for eight holes, you get them back-to-back to close the front nine and open the back. But this one鈥檚 much longer, and the second shot leads into a very narrow part of the fairway. Carefully consider your approach to minimize your strokes on this one.
(蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis)
蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis
Hole #11: Par 4, 387/372/361/278
Bunkers line both sides of this average length par 4, but if you can stay in the middle, you set yourself up for a fairly easy approach to a big green. Better to give yourself leeway to hit long, as the approach can look deceptively short.
(蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis)
蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis
Hole #12: Par 4, 308/288/255/187
This is a very short par 4, but resist the temptation to go for the green, as trouble lies all around. A smart low iron or wood leaves you an easy edge to a tricky green, one which can play a number of ways depending on the pin placement.
(蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis)
蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis
Hole #13: Par 4, 456/448/386/325
A pretty straightforward drive leads to a challenging second shot, with water to the right all the way through the green. It鈥檚 tempting to be aggressive, but especially if the pin is in the back, you really have to be careful with your approach.
(蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis)
蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis
Hole #14: Par 3, 180/149/138/94
A pair of front bunkers guard this short par 3, but pull the right club and you can take them out of play. Another wide green demands that you hit to the same side as the pin if you want a makeable birdie putt.
(蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis)
蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis
Hole #15: Par 5, 584/560/548/489
The third, final and longest par 5 on the course, this is a true three-shot hole from any tee box. The fairway is fairly wide most of the way, but the approach to the green goes uphill and to the left to a fairly tricky green. Execute and play for par, and you鈥檒l have a good chance at it.
(蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis)
蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis
Hole #16: Par 3, 181/160/149/111
If the pin is to the left, the trees can come into play on this shorter par 3. If not, there are still bunkers short right and left waiting to give you headaches. Better to miss over the top than short.
(蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis)
蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis
Hole #17: Par 4, 405/379/330/269
This is an optically tricky hole, where you have more room to the right than you know, but you鈥檙e better off on the left side of the fairway, as the approach to the green gets very narrow with a bad angle. Traps are very much in play on both sides of the front of the green. A back pin is actually a blessing.
(蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis)
蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis
Signature HoleHole #18: Par 3, 165/148/111/90
If there wasn鈥檛 enough water through the first 17 holes, the finishing hole is all lake and a green. It鈥檚 not a long shot, but don鈥檛 be short, don鈥檛 be short, don鈥檛 be short. There鈥檚 plenty of green to work with for this picture perfect closer.
(蜜桃视频app/Mike Jakaitis)
Playing Through is a monthly series where 蜜桃视频app Digital Sports Editor Noah Frank and 蜜桃视频app Morning Drive Editor Mike Jakaitis play and review local golf courses. .
DULLES, Va. 鈥� I鈥檝e played 1757 several times, but the time Jake and I played it together was as part of the , a scramble tournament that helps benefit Fisher House Foundation. Mercifully, that saves us from having to share our usual scorecard.
The course was originally built to be private and retains much of that feel. In addition to the caf茅, there鈥檚 a large banquet facility. Beyond the standard range, there鈥檚 a grass range for members and an extensive practice area, featuring several chipping greens and bunkers.
鈥淲e probably have the most extensive practice facility in the area,鈥� said General Manager Gary Huebner, and it鈥檚 easy to see why. There鈥檚 a good reason why chooses to practice there.
It was also originally just 10 holes, so the final eight were added after Billy Casper Golf bought the course back in 2009. Named for the year Loudoun County was founded, it鈥檚 on a huge plot of land befitting of the area.
You can walk if you really want to, but carts are included in every greens fee and some of the holes have a long distance between them. The course isn鈥檛 hilly, but you鈥檒l do a lot of walking if you decide not to drive.
From the white tees, it plays just 5,530 yards, but can be as long as 6,623 from the tips, where it transforms into a completely different course. Fairways are generally wide and open, but there鈥檚 a whole lot of water (hazards on 17 of the 18 holes), so you don鈥檛 have to be perfect, but you do have to make smart shots.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not real long, but obviously it鈥檚 really challenging,鈥� said Huebner. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of water out there.鈥�
Take his word for it.
For the tournament, we started on 15 and finished on 14, but for simplicity鈥檚 sake, we鈥檙e still laying the course out in order.
Jake鈥檚 Take
I really liked this course. The practice facility is top notch. The driving range is huge. It has a great putting area. You can really work on your game at this place.
As for the course, it’s challenging but fair for all skill levels. A lot of people say聽it but in this case, it’s a must 鈥� especially for the casual golfer like myself: If you聽keep the ball in the fairway, you can have a good round.聽You don’t want to mess around in the rough.
If you have an aversion to water, bring extra golf balls because there are a lot of water hazards. I lost a few balls聽during the round, but that had more to do with the person swinging the club, not the course.聽You may find this strange, but聽my favorite holes were the ones with the water hazards.聽I guess I’m learning to embrace my enemy.
Course uses dynamic pricing, which shifts rates lower, depending on traffic
Specials
Three levels of membership: Seven-day full, seven-day limited (weekends after 12), five-day (weekdays only)
Loyalty card: $57, guarantees lowest greens fee, plus a free round for every five played
Pace of play
Rated at 4:35, course tries to stay consistently under 4:40
Dress code
General golf attire, collared shirts and no denim
More relaxed on range (T-shirt ok)
Directions
Address: 45120 Waxpool Road, Dulles, Virginia
Take either Harry Byrd Highway or the Dulles Toll Road to the northwest to VA Highway 28. Waxpool Road is roughly halfway between the highways. Exit to the west and the course will be on your right after the first intersection.
