In our Appalachian region, mining for coal was an economic mainstay for more than a century.
The process left scarred mountain tops throughout the region, as forests were cleared and layers of rock and dirt removed to reach the valuable black resource.
Fortunately, much has been done to reclaim that land, including two Eastern Kentucky golf
courses that now boast gorgeous views, beautiful vegetation, and an abundance of wildlife.
Turning former mining and quarry sites into golf developments works for a few reasons. First, the land is pretty affordable. Secondly, these locations are often very rugged, with features that more traditional courses don’t have. And finally, saving the land brings goodwill and economic benefits to the communities surrounding the courses.
In the Letcher County community of Jenkins, TECO Coal mined the land there for many years.
When finished, TECO delivered on its promise to put in a new golf course to replace the nine-
hole course that was in the area when they began but was rarely used.
Today, Raven Rock is one of Kentucky’s most breathtaking 18-hole golf courses, a marriage of the handiwork of man and nature. Opened in 1995 as a 9-hole layout and expanded eight years later, Raven Rock is part of a strip mine reclamation project that covers about 2,000 acres. The prairie grass-lined broad fairways feature striking elevations that reach nearly 3,000 feet. The Pine Mountain Partnership is currently constructing the Raven Rock Resort in the area, which will include a lodge, restaurant, mountain bike and hiking trails.
Raven Rock, which is visible from the course, was a place everyone in the region knew. As the
story goes, Bad John Wright, nationally famous lawman who was also known as “Devil John,”
lived under Raven Rock for a time. “There really are beautiful views on the course. We are right
on the Virginia line, and you can see all the layers of rock and sediment where they cut through the mountain,” said Clay Christian, marketing director for the golf course.
Building on reclaimed strip mind land has its positives – the mountain top mining flattened the land to create a great course – but also made it challenging to haul in all the needed topsoil. The course’s five ponds come from natural springs, and a few of the holes require players to hit the ball over a deep valley. “If you miss, you aren’t getting it back,” Christian said. “You’ve just sacrificed your ball to the golf gods.”
Christian called Raven Rock “a good story” about what coal companies have done in the region.
“The land wasn’t really used before, and now we have thousands of rounds of golf played here every year. It’s a huge economic driver for our area.”
The region’s other “strip mine golf course” is StoneCrest in Floyd County, which is owned by
the City of Prestonsburg and sits on 200 acres of mountain top land. It first opened in 2001 and enjoyed a slew of improvements in 2023 after golfer Pat Tallent got involved in the renovations of the course located not far from the small town of Mayton where he grew up.
“This is one of the most scenic golf courses in the Appalachian Mountains,” said general
manager Brad Robertson. “Every hole on the property has a special view that is just amazing, but the best view is from the tee boxes on hole 13. Locals tell us you can see lights from five
different states up there.”
Just like Raven Rock, bringing in topsoil was the biggest challenge when StoneCrest was built
and again when it was renovated two years ago. “A lot of the original topsoil had mixed with the
reclaim material, which is 90 percent crushed rock, or had eroded away, leaving very little
topsoil to grow grass on,” Robertson said.
StoneCrest’s recent renovations also include a Toptracer driving range – similar to TopGolf.
Visitors travel from all over the U.S. to play on these unique southeastern Kentucky courses.
They have each been featured in national golf publications and have developed a large following through social media in recent years.
And both are a testament as to how once-scarred property can be reclaimed into a sustainable development for future generations.
For more information:
Raven Rock Golf Course
586 Golf Course Lane, Jenkins, Kentucky.
606.219.4499
www.ravenrockgolfcourse.com
StoneCrest Golf Course
918 Clubhouse Dr., Prestonsburg, Kentucky.
606.886.1006
www.stonecrestgolfcourse.com