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NEW RIVER, WEST VIRGINIA – State Parks are not normally what you think of first when you are planning your golf vacation. After all, you're out to record birdies, not see them in their natural habitat. However, if you're traveling through West Virginia, you might want to rethink that position. That's because West Virginia's State Parks are a "Garden of Eden" for golfers.

The courses here are all sinfully good and offer dramatic designs that incorporate that natural beauty of West Virginia's lush mountains, valleys, bubbling brooks, foliage and overall eye candy that will leave you awestruck.

Many of the courses have been designed by the gods of golf-course architecture - Arnold Palmer, Geoffrey Cornish and Robert Trent Jones, to name just a few. Some even have apple trees on them. Have we tempted you yet?

If not, this should do it – all of State Park courses (other than Stonewall which is in a class by itself) are priced like community courses, with most offering weekday fees in the $30 range. A number are recognized by major U.S. golf magazines as the "best this or that" advertising play and stay packages (with 2 rounds of golf based on dbl occ) for under $100 a night.

There is no better collection of State Park golf courses anywhere in the United States. There are 48 State parks in total with eight of them offering golf packages.

Every parcel of land that makes up a State Park here is unique and so each course is unique.
Conditions in this most beautiful of American states are ideal for golfers from May through October and the cooler summer climate here keeps the fairways and greens in pristine condition throughout the season. There is no better time to play golf here than the fall, when a kaleidoscope of colors turns the surrounding countryside into a patchwork array of beauty that envies anything the rest of the globe has to offer in the autumn.

Another bonus about playing in West Virginia is that the State Park courses are not generally crowded so there's plenty of time to stop and smell the wildflowers, savour the views, watch wildlife dance across fairways and get to know the locals, some of the nicest people on Earth.

The State Park courses are spread out throughout the State so no matter where your travels take you some great golf and comfortable accommodations are close by.
Here is a rundown for you:

· Cacapon (pronounced ka-KAY-pon) Resort, State Park located in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle is home to the Robert Trent Jones Sr. Extremely challenging, the 6,827 yard course has been ranked as one of the 130 best designed courses in America.

· Canaan Valley Resort is a Geoffrey Cornish designed course that has earned a 4 star rating form Golf Digest Magazine.

· Hawk's Nest State Park offers a 9-hole executive course with beautiful vistas of the New and Gualey River valleys.

· Pipestem Resort State Park features two challenging, beautifully manicured courses. The 18-hole par 72 championship course was designed by Geoffrey Cornish and features views of the Bluestone Canyon. Also located at the park is a challenging 9-hole par 3 course.

Cacapon Resort

Canaan ValleyResort

Pipestem Resort State Park

Stonewall Resort

· North Bend State Park offers play on a challenging 9-hole double tee course.

· Stonewall Resort, in a class by itself - Ranked 22 among the nation's top 100 resort courses by Golfweek Magazine, Stonewall Resort's Palmer Signature Course strikes the perfect balance between difficulty and playability, science and nature. In the midst of rolling mountains, alongside beautiful Stonewall Jackson Lake, come enjoy our 18-hole golf course, designed exclusively by Arnold Palmer.

· Twin Falls Resort State Park features an 18-hole par 71 championship course. The original 9-holes were designed by Geoffrey Cornish in the late 1960's and nine-hole addition designed by George Cobb, Sr. completed a challenging 18-hole golf property.

· Tygart Lake State Park has partnered with two golf courses to accommodate golfing guests of the park. Tygart Lake Public Golf Course approximately 5 minutes from the Park and Bel Meadow Golf Club another Robert Trent Jones gem approximately 30 minutes away.

Generally accommodations at the state parks consist of rooms in lodges or cabins within the State Parks and unbelievably priced. For more information on the great and very reasonably priced golf that the State Parks of West Virginia has to offer visit www.wvstateparks.com