Course review: Greendale: Flat, municipal course is dated, heavily played

Description » The 34-year-old municipal course is flat, tree-lined, dated and heavily played. Course is minimally challenging, with large, flat, slow greens. Water is a major feature on holes 6 through 11.

Reasons to play » Great location, five minutes from the Beltway. With little elevation change and greens and tees in close proximity, this is a good course for walkers.

County bounty? » Courses in the Fairfax County Park Authority system are hit (Laurel Hill) or miss (Greendale). The courses range from 36-hole Twin Lakes (Clifton) to quirky 9-holers Pinecrest (Alexandria) and Jefferson (Falls Church). Oak Mar (Oakton) is a 9-hole par-3. Burke Lake (Fairfax Station) is an 18-hole par-3.

Not to be confused with … » Three Northern Virginia Park Authority offerings — Pohick Bay, Brambleton and Algonkian — are more consistent with respect to their designs, conditions and service.

Improvements » Greendale underwent a $1 million project a decade ago that made the course more attractive, but didn’t significantly change the way it plays. Ponds were dredged and a new drainage system was installed. The only hole that was altered was No. 17.

Best hole » No. 10, Par 4, 423 Yards
The longest par four at Greendale plays much shorter than on the card. Cutting yardage from the 90-degree dogleg, however, is fraught with danger as the hole wraps around a large pond. Approach is downhill to an ample green.

Worst hole » No. 17, Par 4, 347 Yards
At least the blind tee shot to a severely sloped fairway — which funnels all tee shots to the right — isn’t as ridiculous as it used to be. A decade ago, the right side of the fairway was filled in, allowing some well-placed drives to remain in the fairway.

Toughest hole » No. 13, Par 4, 398 Yards
The toughest tee shot at Greendale. On the left are trees and thick vegetation. A cement drainage ditch runs diagonally across fairway and up the right side. Environmental area long and right complicates drives. No place to bail out here.

Designer » Leon Howard built close to 70 courses, more than half of them in Texas. Howard’s only other local effort is par-three course Burke Lake.

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