Vista Links Golf Course, Buena Vista, VA

This course closed in March, 2022. Too bad. It was a great layout with spacious views.

When new this course was a diamond hidden in the ruble, it has since deteriorated into only fair quality muni course. lack of support from most of the local population and city ownership keeps it operating on a shoestring budget and has little chance of getting better. after a rainy week the course will play nicely in the summer but if it's been dry be prepared for hardpan dirt fairways with spots of crabgrass to reward drives down the middle. the tee boxes are the worst ive ever seen- anywhere. this is mainly due to the lack of involvement by the people running the place. they just leave them in the same spot till the grass has no chance to recover, resulting into them looking like pock marked waste bunkers on a mound. mowing seems to only take place when someone remembers to do it as ive hit into shin high weeds in the middle of the fairway. bring lots of balls if you hit wayward shots as the waist high weeds separating holes will devour them making a recovery shot something of fantasy.
play when there is a special rate or something, full rate times make other courses in the area more attractive.

I just played this course yesterday. The condition of the course right now is really poor. I was told this is the result of lack of rain and being unable to draw enough water from their system to water the fairways. Fairways and tee boxes are perhaps the worst I've ever experienced. I hope this situation is temporary.

I have really enjoyed Vista Links when I've played it previously, but that was a couple of years ago. The layout is really interesting, with a wide variety of holes and really pretty views on the course (when fairways get enough water) and of the surrounding mountains. I found the comment by another reviewer that powerlines "dominated" the view on the front 9 to be odd. They're there - but they're not obtrusive at all.

I will say that they've made sure the greens and their approach areas have been watered. The greens are a little spongy and on the slow side, but are in excellent condition.

Another oddity was that the clubhouse & cart barn were closed up by 6:15. I'd left my cart & returned 10 minutes later because I'd forgotten my scorecard, and there wasn't a sole around to help me.