Golf Course Overview: General Burnside Island State Park By Brian Weis

Golf Course Overview: General Burnside Island State Park

Insights From An Insider With Stephen Lutz, Head Golf Professional

By Brian Weis

Local and traveling golfers love to research courses before playing them, whether it is to gain some local knowledge or to set an expectation before their upcoming round. Below is an interview with Stephen Lutz who shares some valuable insight about the property, its most talked about holes and the signature dish/drink to consume at the 19th hole.

How Does Your Course Differ From The Others In The Area?
General Burnside GC is one of the crown jewels within the Kentucky State Parks system. It is also one of the premier golf courses in the Somerset KY area. A very fun layout which requires the player to hit almost every club in the bag. The par 71 layout gives two completely different feels to the two. The plush fairways and consistent greens make for a wonderful golf experience.

For someone who has not played the course in awhile, has there been any new changes/renovations to the course or property?
General Burnside GC is currently transitioning to new "billy bunkers".

What is your course's answer to Amen Corner? (Describe your best/hardest 3 back/back/back holes)
Holes 13, 14, and 15 provide a sneaky challenge. Hole #13 is a par 4 with a slight bend. The tee shot is a carry over a ravine, with a second shot to a two tier elevated green. Hole #14 is a short par 3 with a dramatic drop to the green. Players rarely club themselves correctly. Hole #15 is a relatively short par 4 that is lined with trees on both sides (insisting on a straight drive). The green is flanked by large bunkers which makes the player pay attention to what is needed. Solid shots on these holes will allow the player to come through unscathed. Shots that are a little off will have the players talking to themselves going into #16.

What is your course's claim to fame, or is there a little known fact that golfers should know about the property?
General Burnside GC is the home of the Girl's HS regional. It has been here for a number of years. HS girls and their families have enjoyed coming here over the years for practice rounds and tournaments on the highest quality course that they play.

What tournaments/events have you (recently) hosted or will be hosting? Or any recent awards?
The course has consistently won Kentucky Living Magazine's Best Golf Course. We were eventually put in their Hall of Fame so that other courses could be mentioned.

Besides golf, what other amenities do you offer if a golfer wants to spend most of the day at your facility?
General Burnside State Park also has a large campground area, and also has one of the largest boat ramps on Lake Cumberland.

For the traveling golfer, do you have lodging onsite or partner with any area hotels?
The city of Burnside is located just south of the city of Somerset. There many hotels located in both Burnside and on the south side of Somerset just minutes away from the golf course.

What is your signature dish, sandwich or drink at the turn or restaurant?
General Burnside GC is currently working on an outdoor grill/19th hole. Until completed, current fair consists of cold deli sandwiches, hot dogs, and snacks.

Contact Course
General Burnside Island State Park
8801 South Hwy 27 Burnside, KY, 42519
606-561-4104

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Revised: 07/07/2021 - Article Viewed 3,758 Times - View Course Profile

About: Brian Weis

Brian Weis is the mastermind behind GolfTrips.com, a vast network of golf travel and directory sites covering everything from the rolling fairways of Wisconsin to the sunbaked desert layouts of Arizona. If there’s a golf destination worth visiting, chances are, Brian has written about it, played it, or at the very least, found a way to justify a "business trip" there.

As a card-carrying member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA), and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG), Brian has the credentials to prove that talking about golf is his full-time job. In 2016, his peers even handed him The Shaheen Cup, a prestigious award in golf travel writing—essentially the Masters green jacket for guys who don’t hit the range but still know where the best 19th holes are.

Brian’s love for golf goes way back. As a kid, he competed in junior and high school golf, only to realize that his dreams of a college golf scholarship had about the same odds as a 30-handicap making a hole-in-one. Instead, he took the more practical route—working on the West Bend Country Club grounds crew to fund his University of Wisconsin education. Little did he know that mowing greens and fixing divots would one day lead to a career writing about the best courses on the planet.

In 2004, Brian turned his golf passion into a business, launching GolfWisconsin.com. Three years later, he expanded his vision, and GolfTrips.com was born—a one-stop shop for golf travel junkies looking for their next tee time. Today, his empire spans all 50 states, and 20+ international destinations.

On the course, Brian is a weekend warrior who oscillates between a 5 and 9 handicap, depending on how much he's been traveling (or how generous he’s feeling with his scorecard). His signature move" A high, soft fade that his playing partners affectionately (or not-so-affectionately) call "The Weis Slice." But when he catches one clean, his 300+ yard drives remind everyone that while he may write about golf for a living, he can still send a ball into the next zip code with the best of them.

Whether he’s hunting down the best public courses, digging up hidden gems, or simply outdriving his buddies, Brian Weis is living proof that golf is more than a game—it’s a way of life.