Wasioto Winds At Pine Mountain State Resort Park

Guest (cart included), played on Tuesday, November 2022 at 12:00 PM

For golfers that don’t mind a little drive, there are two Kentucky State Park courses that are close enough to make a quick, two-day trip; Wasioto Winds Golf Course at Pine Mountain State Resort Park and General Burnside Island Golf Course in Burnside Kentucky. The courses are less than two hours apart and if you include a stay at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, your drive to each course is about an hour.

At Wasioto Winds, the front nine is a lot tighter and requires several target golf shots. It’s especially challenging if you’ve never played the course before. There is a lot of roll and undulation in many of the fairways and several greens too. Over the first several holes, you get the idea that most of the trouble is on the left side. The water short of the green on the left on the first hole is reachable off the tee and the creek all down the left side on the second hole will help you keep the ball right. The 5th hole is a short par 5 – 434 yards from Tee 2 – but requires accuracy off the tee with water and wetlands on either side and an accurate layup shot into a narrow fairway with water left and the mountain on the right. Two good shots will leave a short pitch shot into a green that slopes right to left towards the water.

The back nine is more open and considerably longer than the front – over 400 yards from Tee 2. A lot of the difference in distance is made up on the par 5s, which both play over 500 yards. Wasioto Winds Golf Club offers some beautiful views from the elevated 12th tee box and the front tees of the 13th hole. The front nine is also a little different in that there are three par 5s, 3 par 4s, and 3 par threes.

General Burnside Island State Park golf course is located on an island surrounded by Lake Cumberland in Somerset, KY. Brian Ault, who designed two other Kentucky State Park golf courses - Dale Hollow and Hidden Cove - also designed this spectacular waterfront layout. General Burnside Island Golf Course was recognized by Kentucky Living Magazine in 2016 with a First Place Award for golf courses.

Although the course is situated on an island, the water that surrounds it does not come into play, although it does make for some amazing views! Three of the par 3s are worth mentioning. From Tee 2, the 5th hole plays 185 yards into an offset green with sand in the front right. The 14th hole is one of the signature holes; it plays 172, straight downhill into a tear-shaped green with a bunker front right. The only true water hazard on the course is the pond on the par 3, 16th hole. It plays 172 yards from Tee 2, slightly downhill with water and a beautiful rock wall to the right of the green.

Because the course is landlocked, it’s comparatively short with only one par 4 over 400 yards from the back tees, so longball hitters may be inclined to try and drive a few of the greens. Head Golf Professional Steve Lutz has some profound putting advice; “Because the course is located on an island, all putts break toward the water!”

Both of these courses are currently undergoing bunker renovations and are in the process of switching over to “Better Billy Bunker,” the best-draining bunker system in the golf industry. It may take a while for the installation to be complete but it’s well worth the wait.

For golfers that plan on playing multiple rounds of golf over the year at the Kentucky State Parks, you may want to consider purchasing a Trail Card which gives you access to many courses across the state within the Nation’s Finest Park System. A lot of these courses have been recognized nationally by Golf Digest. The Trail Card can be purchased at any of the Kentucky State Park courses.

$26 (cart included), played on Monday, August 2012 at 2pm

Very playable course. Some interesting holes. Fairways have been llet go, primarily to crab grass. No possibility of finding your ball if you hit it into the very thick brush lining some oft the fairways. Water carries on a couple of holes can be intimidating to average golfers who still see the water.

$36 (cart included), played on Thursday, June 2008 at 10am

The course has 5 par threes and 5 par fives. The par 3's are all good holes. A couple of the par 5's are a little short even if you are playing the tips. All in all it is a fair golf course.