swales1

After reading this, I know it sounds salty, but I'm just advocating for what you once had at the Shenvalee. Please bring it back!

"Very disappointed with The Shenvalee"

For years, the Shenvalee has been a course that was moderately priced and was a regular destination for this reason. The course, which is usually in good shape, is not a challenging course and is great for beginners or for anyone to just enjoy an easier, relaxing track.

For some reason this year...new clubhouse?, inflation?, greed?, they decided to increase rates significantly. Weekend rates are now $60 and weekday rates are $50!!! Just last year, I was able to get afternoon tee times there for $25 - $30. And now they're $40 (oh, $35 after 5PM when you might not finish in the shorter months of the year). Everyone understands that price increases are inevitable, but wow!!!

The thing that has always set this course apart for me and many others was that it catered to golfers that didn't want to pay $75 at courses like a Bryce Resort or Massanutten Greens.

I used to say, this course was fantastic because "they knew how to turn a profit because they know how to get lots of people to come out and play." AND they did it by having rates that were affordable and matched the level of the course difficulty and layout.

Well, I can't say that anymore, and I am playing other alternatives now. Thanks for ruining something that you've been known for for many years. The next thing you know, the membership prices will be gone and it will be another exclusive country club in the Shenandoah Valley (which might be what some of the "members" are trying to do).

Oh, by the way, while all golf prices have increased and it is quickly becoming a "rich person's sport," here are some other options at nearby courses that are the same price or cheaper but with longer, more modern challenging course layouts (18 holes with cart).

Lakeview Golf Course - M-TH - $46 F-S $53

Caverns Country Club - M-F - $30; S/S $40 (the Range Shenvalee used to and should be)

Heritage Oaks M-TH - $53; F-S - $58

Of course, if people continue to pay the rates, why would they ever lower the price. Well, for now, I will save a few bucks per round and go elsewhere. And it really does sadden me to say this as I used to enjoy going there 20 - 25 times per year as part of my 100-150 rounds of golf I normally play each year.

Here's to hoping (and I sincerely mean this) you'll change back to that nice, rural golf course you've always been, but probably not. It looks like $$$ you want to be like a "Northern Virginia" course...nothing special and expensive.

I just got an email to leave a review, so here it is..

First of all, the last/only time I played this course was 3 years ago in late March. That being said, here's my Google Review from back then. Oh, they must not look at their Google Reviews or don't care to respond to their patrons because I've never heard from them.

Very nice course, although I was very disappointed with one thing. I came at 3:30 in the afternoon and paid for 18 holes. I was up against a time constraint and had to leave by 6:30. Unfortunately, play was slow and there was no ranger to enforce pace of play. I figured since I only played 9 holes they would oblige and give me a rain check to come back (I assume they want returning golfers) the next evening and finish. Although the gentleman was nice in the clubhouse, he told me that because I had paid a twilight rate of $25 I could not get a rain check. I didnt argue, but Golf Now anvertises a 9 hole and an 18 hole rate at that time. I paid the 18 hole rate. I was really looking forward to playing the other 9 holes as it is a nice course. Unfortunately, because I dislike this policy as it is not very customer friendly, I doubt I will return. Letting me play 9 holes the next evening would have gone a long way in keeping a golfer.

The Shenvalee is a great course for golfers of all skills to play. The staff is always friendly and the course is ALWAYS in fantastic condition. Simply put, The Shenvalee knows how to run a golf course/resort!

Very disappointed with the customer service and with the apparent course policy. Played golf at 5PM. Got told at the 12th hole at 7PM that they were shutting down because of lightening (still haven't seen lightening...I think they wanted to go home early). Asked for a rain check and was told they didn't give rain checks at that time of day. So, let me get this. YOU forced me to stop playing and quote a policy like that??? Trust me, I understand the need for safety, and I am one of the first golfers to get off a course when there is lightening in the area but you were the initiator.

Two things: 1) The guy in the pro shop almost seemed excited to tell me he didn't want to give me a rain check, so he doesn't really know how to handle "unfortunate" situations which exhibits his lack of customer service skills and care for customers. 2) Think about it financially. You could have given me a 9 hole rain check, I would have come back on a different night and paid for 18 and you would have been money ahead! Great business policy; but, if that is how you choose to operate, it is your business to do so. It is also my business to choose which golf courses I frequent in the evenings after work some 3 to 5 times per week.

This probably won't change anything, but at least others will know not to play after 5PM if it might rain.

1) Course staff is more concerned with going home than their customers. We were not told until after making the turn at about 6:00 that we would have to have our carts in by sunset at 7:40. When we were in our carts getting ready to drive to the 17th tee the guy collecting carts drove out to tell us it was 7:28 and we would not be able to finish. Of course, we probably could have finished in those 12 minutes, or maybe a few more, I mean, who hasn't played golf for about 20-30 minutes after sunset. Obviously the course staff cares more about collecting your money and getting home to watch reruns of "The Simpsons" than they do their customer. Or who knows, maybe Big Foot comes out after dark and kidnaps golfers and he was just protecting us.

2) The course is Rinky-dink. Seriously, Hole #1 is a 390 yard par 5 (from the back tees)? Just make it a par 4 and let your short front 9 be a par 34.

3) Scenic vistas are breathtaking...because you are laughing so hard. If you like hillbilly golf, this is the place for you. This would include the beautiful mobile home not 25 feet from the #3 tee. Nice touch, I would rank it right up there with the scenic views at Pebble Beach. Also, can somebody please tell me where you are supposed to hit the ball on the back 9 (or the at least the back 7)? I don't mind blind tee shots, but when you hit the ball it would be nice if you knew where the fairway turned. I felt like I was playing Where's Waldo on half of the holes. Oh, and nice touch on the 11th and 15th where it doesn't make sense to follow the fairway to get to the green. That parallels nicely with the shortcuts you made in course design. Nice try with the land you have, but not a course for the serious golfer, or even an average golfer.

4) Did you run out of money when making the greens? The question is, how many greens can you have that are smaller than 20 x 30 FEET (not yards). I like the description of another golfer on Golf Now's website that went something like this. #8 is like trying to hit it on a round rock covered by a piece of carpet. And of course the 9th hole, a 250 yard par 4 to a green the size of my living room is great! After all, you ran out of room and had to cram a 9th hole in somewhere. Maybe you should have made that mobile home mobile and freed up some more room

5) Course Conditions were very poor. The greens had been aerated, ok, but did you have to do it with a team of draft horsed and an 1850's John Deere plow? We literally putted and the ball followed the furrow it had come to rest in. Worked great if you were in the right furrow, but of course, that was very seldom. I thought maybe you had planted seed corn in those rows, but most of the greens were too small for the combine.

6) It's overpriced! We got a rate of $19.50 at 4:00 on golf now (normal rate is like $35+), but there are plenty other courses you can play for about that rate at that time (including the one where you have to hit your red ball in the clown's mouth on the 18th and you don't get your ball back. Of course, I don't know, maybe the 18th at this course had a clown on it too!!!

7) Time to close! All right, I've had enough fun (and some good laughs at the course too). To sum it up, when you have a course like this, you should really take care of the people who come to play because some might actually come back (and bring other people with them). I should have gone with my gut and gone somewhere else when I drove in and only saw a hand full of cars on the parking lot on a beautiful cool Saturday August afternoon. Oh well, not many cars had come down that dirt and rock road to golf that day (and it is a dirt and rock road to get there); and, I can tell you one car that will never have to be washed again because it will not be going down that road ever again... mine! (Or my golfing friends)

Thank you Fairfield for a golf experience I hope to never have again!