Golfing in Virginia? Be Sure to Stay Sober.

For golf lovers, the state of Virginia has a vast landscape of premium courses that can make any vacation or weekend getaway worth the drive. Add in the natural beauty of the state and golfing in Virginia can seem like a paradise worth celebrating. In fact, Virginia is best known, perhaps, for its “mountainous” golf courses, with visual appeal and a level of difficulty preferred by golf connoisseurs. However, when celebrating the wondrous fun of golfing in Virginia, remember that alcohol and vehicles, even golf carts, do not mix.

Virginia’s DUI laws state that any motorized vehicle cannot be operated when intoxicated, including golf carts. In the state of Virginia, anyone who is convicted of driving under the influence (DUI), even on a golf cart, will be required to install an ignition interlock device (IID). Additionally, an “electronic log” of the events relating to the IID (test results, rolling re-tests, tampering issues, etc.) must be submitted to the state monthly. This means that a fun day of golfing in Virginia with friends and family can easily turn into a constant reminder that no matter the vehicle, nobody should ever drink  alcohol and drive, or drive after consuming alcohol.

Virginia is a state of fun and recreation, but takes the crime of driving under the influence very seriously. For any golfer, no matter whether playing on the world-renowned Cascades Course at The Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Virginia, visiting the Regency at Dominion Valley in Northern Virginia, or rambling through Virginia’s many municipal golf courses, staying sober on the back nine is just as important as staying “in the groove” of a swing and sinking that final putt. Sober driving keeps everyone safe, even on golf courses, as well as on the roads we all drive.