Tygart Lake Public Golf Course, Grafton, WV

Tygart Lake is an interesting course just about 140 miles from Charleston, WV. There are plenty of hazards on the course that keep play interesting and challenging. This is a very scenic course, with a nice view of the mountains. You might even see a deer run across the fairway if you’re lucky.

You’ll find all of the standard amenities you’d expect at this course - bar serving food, pro shop, driving range and putting green. It’s not the most up-to-date clubhouse, but it’s well maintained for what it is.

The tees are in really rough shape. They are hard as a rock and there are broken tees everywhere. There is also a lot of garbage around this course. I feel like the maintenance staff just isn’t doing their job here, or the owner’s just don’t make it a priority.

The course features bluegrass fairways. I’d recommend this course for intermediate to advanced golfers. In my mind, it’s simply too difficult for beginners because of the number of hazards. If you’re looking for a slightly easier round, play the front 9 instead of the back 9 (there are less hazards.)

Here’s some more info on what you’ll want to watch out for as you play the course:


#7 is a Par 3 (144 yards from the blue tee) that has you hitting directly over a large lake in the centre of the golf course. Some holes have downhill lies from the tee. Choose a less powerful club so that you don’t overshoot it.

On #14 (510 yards from the blue tee) and #16 (335 yards) you’ll encounter blind shots with sharp doglegs (left on #14, right on #16.) Watch out for a high number of greenside and fairway sand traps - these are especially noticeable on holes 1, 6, 9, 11 and 15. Bring your sand wedge - you’re going to need it on this course.

Hole #12 (Par 386) is the signature hole. It has teeboxes on two different locations on the fairway. Choose the left tee if you hit straight, the right if you tend to fade. You’ll also find a lake on the left of the green and a sand trap on the right. The creek runs through the fairway on #10 (184 yards), and along the right side of Holes #11 and #12.

This course is a bit expensive for the lack of maintenance - $36 with cart on the weekend. It’s a good course to play once in a while, but it’s a far drive and frustrating at times.

Played a round there this afternoon. Greens were in excellent shape even after two days of rain. The tee boxes were very hard and it was diffcult to find any grass to place a tee or the ball directly on. Most of the tee boxes are littered with dozens of broken tees and the beverage cart girl was classy enough to be smoking a cigarette as she made her rounds. Have played this course once or twice a year for 3 years now and it has continued to erode. The scenery and views are still nice, but the course leaves a lot to be desired from a maintenance point of view. Not really worth 45 minutes off the interstate with courses like Bridgeport Country Club or Mountainview in the area.

A West Virginia boy at heart w/ Grafton roots ... After playing Tygart Lake this past weekend w/ my father, I would have to say I was quite disapointed.
The course itself isnt too bad from what I remember as a kid, but overall you can tell that management either doesn't care or has gotten lazy.
I will start by saying that the greens at Tygart Lake are by far some of the best I've ever played on.
However, it's like they have let everything else go ... the tee boxes look like a war zone, garbage laying on or around the tee boxes, ponds, and fairways. The golf ball washers should have been replaced ten years ago ... they looked like they were from 1910. Oh .. and I cant forget the cart paths that made me feel like I was on an extreme mountain bike extravaganza! They need to either pave or lay out more gravel rock ... be aware!
I may not be giving Tygart Lake a great review, but I hope that this review will give Tygart Lake something to improve on.
The potential is there!