Fairfax County rebuilds bunkers at Greendale and Burke Lake while keeping both courses open

Two bunker projects, with neither course fully closed

As of October 25, 2026, the Fairfax County Park Authority in northern Virginia is carrying out a bunker-improvement programme at Greendale Golf Course in Alexandria and Burke Lake Golf Center in Fairfax Station. The work is being phased so that golf can continue. The county's official project page explicitly says both facilities remain open and playable: this is not a complete course rebuild or a new-course opening.

Greendale: selected bunkers and temporary hole closures

Greendale is having selected sand bunkers reconstructed using the Better Billy Bunker system. The county lists the project window as September 9 through October 2026, subject to weather. During construction hole No. 6 and one additional rotating hole are closed where crews are working. The venue nevertheless continues to accommodate golfers.

A 20% reduction on 18-hole green fees applies while the bunker project is under way. The county explains that this combines an existing 10% discount connected with a separate creek-restoration project with another 10% for the bunker works. Golfers should not assume that these concessions are permanent or apply beyond the project's published terms.

There is an important distinction at Greendale: the facility's own notice says hole No. 6 remains closed through 2027 for the separate stream and pond restoration. Completion of bunker works will therefore not automatically mean every hole is back in service.

Burke Lake: a phased autumn programme

At Burke Lake Golf Center, the county identifies the schedule as fall 2026. Construction zones rotate through one hole at a time from Monday to Saturday, while the wider facility remains open. Golfers receive 10% off regular green fees until this bunker project is completed. Burke Lake is a public 18-hole par-three course, used by beginners and experienced players practising their short game.

Why rebuild bunkers rather than simply replace sand?

Better Billy Bunker is a bunker-construction and drainage approach intended to limit washouts after heavy rain, keep native soil from contaminating sand, improve consistency underfoot and prolong the usefulness of the playing surface. These are the benefits cited by the Park Authority, rather than independently measured outcomes of the Virginia projects.

During work, visitors may encounter fenced-off bunkers, excavation equipment, sand deliveries, construction noise and occasional access diversions. The county estimates that an individual bunker can take several days to around one week, depending on site and weather conditions. Phased work is intended to make the disruption manageable, but the exact holes affected may change.

Locations and practical advice

Greendale Golf Course: 6700 Telegraph Road, Alexandria, VA 22310, USA. Burke Lake Golf Center: 6915 Ox Road, Fairfax Station, VA 22039, USA. Before booking, golfers should check the current routing, any temporary closures and the applicable discount directly with the course. No claim is being made that all work was finished by October 25.

Source: Fairfax County Park Authority. The accompanying photograph illustrates a sand bunker; it does not depict either Virginia course.