After capping off its ski season on April 11, West Virginia’s Snowshoe Mountain Resort is now gearing up for summer activities.

Last week, the resort opened its Hawthorne Valley golf course, an 18-hole signature course designed by golf Hall-of-Famer Gary Player. PGA Professional Chip Hierlihy joins Snowshoe this year as the new Director of Golf for the resort.

“The beautiful thing about Hawthorne Valley is that it was designed to be challenging, yet allows golfers of all skill levels to enjoy their round,” said Hierlihy.

Golfers at Snowshoe this summer will also get a little help from a few orbiting satellites, using the Pro Shot GPS system, which is incorporated into each golf cart at Hawthorne Valley. The Global Positioning System, or GPS, is a network of satellites that can be used by hand-based receivers to provide precise locations. (DCSki profiled GPS technology in this 1997 feature article.) Initially developed by the military, GPS is growing increasingly popular in civilian applications. Some automobiles now include GPS units that provide “real-time” moving map displays. The Pro Shot system at Snowshoe will provide golfers with detailed information about the course, including the layout of each hole and the distance to the center of the green.

For more information on the Hawthorne Valley golf course, contact the resort at (304) 572-1000.

Meanwhile, mountain biking will begin its season at Snowshoe on May 1. Snowshoe, located in Pocahontas County, is known for its diverse and challenging mountain biking terrain. Many mountain bikers call Pocahontas County the east coast’s answer to Utah. Over 125 miles of mountain biking trails are maintained in and around Snowshoe.