The Cascades
The Cascades is the course every architecture lover should see in the Virginia mountains. William Flynn carved it out of the Alleghenies in 1923, a par 70 of about 6,873 yards that tumbles through valleys and along mountain streams with barely a flat lie to be found. Generations of critics have called it the finest mountain course in America, and it has tested champions from Sam Snead to the women of the Curtis Cup.
Photo: The Omni Homestead Resort via Google.
The verdict
The Omni Homestead is one of the oldest resorts in America, and its Cascades Course is the jewel. William Flynn, the architect of Shinnecock Hills and Cherry Hills, laid it out in 1923 across a steep mountain property where the routing problem alone would have defeated lesser designers. He solved it with a par 70 of about 6,873 yards that uses the elevation, the streams and the valley walls to create as varied a set of holes as you will find anywhere.
It has the championship pedigree to match the scenery. The Cascades has hosted multiple national championships, including United States Amateur, Women's Amateur, Senior Amateur and Curtis Cup events, and it was the home course of the great Sam Snead, who grew up nearby in Hot Springs. The result is a course that feels both wild and refined, a mountain test that asks for precision on hanging lies and rewards the player who can shape the ball both ways.
The Cascades at a glance
- Opened
- 1923
- Designer
- William Flynn
- Type
- Mountain parkland
- Par
- 70
- Yardage
- 6,873 yds
- Green fee
- From $199
The 1923 opening, the William Flynn design, the par 70 and the yardage of about 6,873 yards were verified June 2026 from The Omni Homestead Resort and course records, along with its championship history including United States Amateur and Curtis Cup events. Green fees are indicative, with 2026 resort guest rates from around 199 dollars for eighteen holes and higher seasonal and non guest rates; figures change by season and year. Always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The Cascades is all about the lie of the land. Few holes are flat, and the premium is on controlling the ball from sloping stances and judging how the mountain slopes will feed a shot toward or away from the green. Flynn used the natural streams as hazards on several holes, and the greens, perched on shelves and in hollows, demand careful thought about the safe miss long before you settle over the ball.
The closing stretch is justly famous. The Cascades finishes with a celebrated run of varied holes, a sequence that swings from short par 3 to long par 5 and back, asking for every club and every shape in the bag. The mountain backdrops, the rushing water and the dramatic changes in elevation make it as scenic a finish as exists in the eastern United States, and one that has decided many a championship over the past century.
What endures is the sense of a classic untouched by fashion, a William Flynn original that still plays the way the golden age architects intended. Conditioning is excellent, the resort service is old world, and a round on the Cascades pairs perfectly with the easier Old Course at the resort and the spa and springs that gave Hot Springs its name. For the traveling golfer who values architecture and history, it is one of the great resort experiences in America.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A resort course open to the public; tee times are reserved through The Omni Homestead, with priority and lower rates for guests staying at the resort |
| Green fee | Indicative 2026 resort guest rates from around 199 dollars for eighteen holes, with higher seasonal and non guest rates; nine hole and twilight options are offered |
| Booking | Book a stay and play with the resort, especially for the prime spring to autumn season; the Cascades sits a short drive from the main hotel |
| On the day | Carts and caddies available on a hilly walk; full practice facilities, plus the easier Old Course alongside for the rest of the group |
| Getting there | In Hot Springs in the Allegheny Mountains of western Virginia, about an hour and a half from Roanoke and roughly three and a half hours from Washington |
| Best months | May to October for the warmest mountain weather and the best color in early autumn; winters are cold at altitude |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026 from The Omni Homestead Resort; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with the resort or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
The Omni Homestead itself is the obvious base, a grand historic resort that has welcomed guests since the eighteenth century and sits a short drive from the Cascades. Staying on property secures the best tee times and guest green fees, and gives you the spa, the warm springs and the resort's dining without leaving the grounds.
The Homestead is a destination in the mountains rather than a city stop, so most golfers settle in for two or three nights and play both the Cascades and the resort's Old Course. The wider Allegheny region offers driving and scenery for non golfers, while Roanoke and the Greenbrier in neighboring West Virginia are within reach for a longer Virginias golf trip.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts at The Omni Homestead and across the Virginia mountains.
Play the Cascades and The Homestead
We build Virginia mountain trips around the Cascades, securing your stay at The Omni Homestead, the tee times on both resort courses and the spa and springs for the group. Tell us roughly when and who is traveling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
The Cascades questions
Who designed the Cascades Course?
The Cascades Course at The Omni Homestead was designed by William Flynn, the architect of Shinnecock Hills and Cherry Hills, and opened in 1923. It is widely regarded as one of his finest works and one of the best mountain courses in the United States.
What is the par and length of the Cascades?
The Cascades plays as a par 70 of about 6,873 yards. Its challenge comes less from raw length than from constant elevation change, sloping lies, mountain streams and shelved greens routed through the Allegheny valleys.
What championships has the Cascades hosted?
The Cascades has hosted multiple national championships over the past century, including United States Amateur, Women's Amateur and Senior Amateur events and the Curtis Cup. It was also the home course of the legendary Sam Snead, who grew up in Hot Springs.
How much does it cost to play the Cascades?
Indicative 2026 resort guest green fees start from around 199 dollars for eighteen holes, with higher seasonal and non guest rates and nine hole options. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm current rates directly before booking.
Can the public play the Cascades?
Yes. The Cascades is a resort course open to the public through The Omni Homestead. Guests staying at the resort receive priority tee times and lower rates, and the easier Old Course is available alongside for the rest of the group.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Opening year, designer, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.