American Golf's Virginia Golfer's Club Offers More For Less
By Jeffrey A. Rendall ... Just look around and you'll notice buying stuff in bunches brings good value. Wholesale outlets and fast food joints pioneered the concept -- Costco cuts cents off the pound when buying whole chickens, or McDonald's discounts through super-sizing one of their 'value' meals. When you buy... Read More

Augustine Golf Club -- Role Model For Public Golf
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Joe McHatton... ... STAFFORD, VA -- Augustine Golf Club’s named after a Washington.... ... No, it's not named after George, and it's not coined after the Nation’s Capital that's about 45 minutes north up I-95. It's not even named after the State of Washington. It gets its name... Read More

Bay Creek Golf Club -- Classic Without Cobwebs
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... CAPE CHARLES, VA -- I think you'd agree, in most ways, maturity's essential for success. It takes several years of aging to soften a great Cabernet Sauvignon; decades of study to attain a doctorate; hundreds, if not thousands of years to render a... Read More

Bide-A-Wee Golf Course -- Complete Remake of Portsmouth Layout Makes It Easy To Want To 'Bide-A-Wee'
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... PORTSMOUTH, VA -- Two thoughts strike you as you take your first glances over the golf course known as 'Bide-A-Wee.' The first is -- 'I can't believe this lush green landscape is a municipal course,' and the second, 'What the heck does Bide-A-Wee... Read More

Brickshire -- The Golf Club At Brickshire -- A Solid Foundation For Success
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall... PROVIDENCE FORGE, VA -- There's no mistaking it -- when you're laying a foundation, you've got to go one brick at a time. It takes patience, perseverance and courage to keep working -- resting only on the notion that one day all... Read More

Bristow Manor -- Virginia Countryside Meets Scotland at Bristow Manor
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Aaron Frey... BRISTOW, VA -- I don't consider Bristow Manor any further out in the country than some of the other upscale public golf courses in the Washington DC metro area. But it sure feels that way.... The country theme has its appeal though--and one of... Read More

Broad Run Golf & Practice Facility -- In Pursuit of Practice Heaven
By Jeffrey A. Rendall... BRISTOW, VA -- It's often said that practice makes perfect. That's highly debatable, and when it comes to playing the game of golf, it's downright false.... For anyone who's enjoyed an appreciable amount of golf knows there's no such thing as perfection. Sure, there are perfect shots (some... Read More

Cannon Ridge Golf Club – Throwback to History, Definitely a Keeper
By Jeffrey A. Rendall; Photos By Jeff Janas... ... FREDERICKSBURG, VA – “I designed Cannon Ridge to be what I call a real ‘throwback’ golf course,” replied Deane Beman, former PGA Tour Commissioner and sometime golf course designer, when asked what his thoughts were for the new golf facility along the banks... Read More

Colonial Golf Club -- First Timer Comes Through Under Pressure
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Jeff Janas... WILLIAMSBURG, VA -- There's a certain amount of pressure you accept when giving someone a first shot at greatness.... After all, there are only so many immediate success stories. Not many baseball pitchers struck out the side in their first inning pitched. Only a... Read More

Cypress Creek Golfer's Club -- Someone's 'Amen Corner' Of The World
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Kevin Gaydosh... SMITHFIELD, VA -- It's safe to say, if you're a golfer, then someplace, somewhere you've got your own personal version of an 'Amen Corner.'... Though most people associate the heavenly term with that famous stretch of holes at Georgia's Augusta National - holes 11,... Read More

Fairfax National -- Grave Satisfaction Found At Fairfax National
By Jeffrey A. Rendall... CENTREVILLE, VA -- There are numerous golf courses in Virginia that play on a Civil War theme, and that's appropriate. For this state was home to more battles, more casualties and more property destruction than any other during the War Between the States -- it's only natural... Read More

Ford's Colony -- Pinehurst Meets Williamsburg At Ford's Colony's Blue Heron Course
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall... WILLIAMSBURG, VA -- Pinehurst. There's something about the place that draws golfers to it like Muslims to Mecca. That may be a bit of a stretched reference, because no piece of golfing ground could ever truly be considered holy -- yet if... Read More

Ford's Colony -- Weigh Anchor On The Blackheath Course At Ford's Colony
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall... WILLIAMSBURG, VA -- Water, water, everywhere. Most of the time, having water surrounding you isn't a bad thing. After all, folks pay large sums to live near the ocean, sail on a cruise ship or kayak down a raging whitewater river --... Read More

Ford's Colony -- Whispering Down A Well At Ford's Colony's Marsh Hawk Course
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall... WILLIAMSBURG, VA -- Secrets, everybody hates 'em. Let's face it, you can't stand it when someone's got the dirt on you, and it's equally hard trying to keep it to yourself when you've got a juicy clip on someone else. When the... Read More

Forest Greens -- Square Deals Found At Forest Greens Golf Club
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... TRIANGLE, VA -- Golf's expensive. Really going out on a limb for that one, huh? It's no secret these days that the monetary stakes in the golf industry are being raised in virtually every category -- for example, PGA Tour purses and appearance... Read More

Gauntlet -- Bring The Heavy Armor To Run The Gauntlet
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... FREDERICKSBURG, VA -- Whenever I hear the word 'Gauntlet,' my mind flashes to the 1970's Clint Eastwood movie -- you know, the one where he's a Phoenix cop, assigned to 'escort' a Las Vegas hooker to his city's justice system to act as... Read More

General's Ridge -- New Identity Breathes Life Into General's Ridge At Manassas Park
By Jeffrey A. Rendall... MANASSAS PARK, VA -- Identity is important -- and changing it can sometimes get you in trouble.... For a brand name, what you call yourself often means the difference between huge profits or Chapter Eleven. For example, Coca-Cola made a huge mistake in the eighties when it decided... Read More

Golden Horseshoe (Gold) -- A Constant In An Everchanging World
By Jeffrey A. Rendall (For photos, check the pictorials section)... It's inevitable that with the passage of time there will be changes. Sometimes, even timeless classics will transform themselves -- some for the better, others for the worst. Recently, The Golden Horseshoe Golf Club's Gold Course, a timeless classic in its... Read More

Golden Horseshoe (Green) -- If the Slipper Fits, It Just Might Be the Green Course
By Jeffrey A. Rendall (For Photos, Check the Pictorials section)... ... Jeff Winters, Head Golf Professional at the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club's Green Course, says "We have a tremendous course here," then pauses. "But we still can't get the respect that the Gold Course does." After playing both, one thing is for... Read More

Golden Horseshoe’s 40th Anniversary – Milestones on the Road to Excellence
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... ... WILLIAMSBURG, VA – Henry Fonda delivered one of the all-time classic movie lines in On Golden Pond, when his birthday celebrating character, Norman Thayer, was asked how it felt turning eighty years old: “Twice as bad as it did turning forty,” Thayer grumpily... Read More

Hell's Point -- Hell's Point Puts Eighties Golf Design In Perspective -- It's Traditional
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... Let's face it, the eighties gets a bad rap. And I'm not referring to politics or techno-pop, either. I'll be more than happy to debate the relative merits of Ronald Reagan, Culture Club or Duran Duran in some other forum -- here, I'm... Read More

Heron Ridge Proves A Cornfield Can Also Be A Golfer's Field Of Dreams
By Jeffrey A. Rendall... VIRGINIA BEACH, VA -- "If you build it, they will come," or so the ghostly voice whispered to Kevin Costner's corn farming character in the movie "Field of Dreams." Costner had it easy, though -- all he had to do to fulfill the specter's prophecy was plow... Read More

Homestead -- Starting Off At The Homestead's Old Course Couldn't Be Finer
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... ... HOT SPRINGS, VA – Everyone’s got to start somewhere. Certainly a well-worn cliché’, but one that’s inherently true and not even that ridiculous when you really think about it. And it’s definitely gospel when you’re talking about the Old Course at The Homestead,... Read More

Homestead -- The Cascades Course At The Homestead -- Living Up To Number One
By Jeffrey A. Rendall... HOT SPRINGS, VA -- It's hard being #1 -- just ask Tiger Woods, Wayne Gretzky, or any other legend, and I'm sure they'll tell you it ain't always wine and roses at the top. But there are certainly some perks that go along with the honored place... Read More

Homestead -- The Homestead Resort -- If You're In Hot Water, Don't Forget The Champagne
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... HOT SPRINGS, VA -- It all started with seven people in hot water. Such a simple and basic statement only suggests what it then became -- but what we now call The Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Virginia, began with a traveling physician's... Read More

Homestead -- The Lower Cascades at The Homestead -- Legacy In The Making
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... HOT SPRINGS, VA -- Babe Ruth; Lou Gehrig; Joe Dimaggio; Mickey Mantle; Reggie Jackson; Derek Jeter -- all Yankees, and a murderer's row that spans decades and numerous World Series championships. An undeniable winning legacy, even to non-baseball fans or Yankee haters (I'd... Read More

Homestead Golf Advantage School – GAS and Much More
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... ... HOT SPRINGS, VA – If there’s one thing you’ll take from golf school, it’s that next time you head to the golf course, you won’t forget your GAS.... ... We’re not talking about the stuff you put in your car’s fuel tank, and it has... Read More

Hunting Hawk Golf Club Offers Pleasing Environmental Exposure
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... ... GLEN ALLEN, VA -- Almost as if in the words of a John Denver song, when I see a hawk gliding effortlessly through the air, my mind yields several impulsive thoughts. The first is freedom (no, I'm not confusing a hawk with an... Read More

Independence GC -- Virginia Golf Finds Home Sweet Home at Independence Golf Club
By Jeffrey A. Rendall... ... MIDLOTHIAN, VA -- Baseball and football are classic American games, no doubt about it. Both sports have thrilled fans for over a century, making legends out of players and accumulating a sizeable stock of memorabilia for commemoration and remembrance. Fittingly, perhaps, some forward thinking folks got together... Read More

Kastle Greens -- Spicey Variety In The Country
By Jeffrey A. Rendall... MIDLAND, VA -- If variety's the spice of life, than Kastle Greens Golf Club rates at least Cayenne Pepper. Set in the rustic countryside of Midland, Virginia, Kastle Greens presents enough great golf hole variety to please even the most finicky of golfers. The club prides itself... Read More

Keswick Club -- Partake In The Pursuit of Happiness At Keswick Club
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... KESWICK, VA -- I've always surmised being around crowds is over-rated, but now I'm sure of it. Every time I journey to Costco or the supermarket, it's always the same -- playing 'cart chicken' to make it down any of the spatially challenged... Read More

Kingsmill Resort -- Way Ahead Of Its Times
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... ... WILLIAMSBURG, VA -- Kingsmill Resort would've looked awful strange to them -- meaning, the first group of English settlers sailing up the James River to establish a foothold in the New World. Jamestown Settlement, North America's first permanent European colony, is just a... Read More

Kingsmill Resort's Plantation Course -- The King Finds A Home In Virginia
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... ... WILLIAMSBURG, VA -- Only in America would a King end up building a Plantation in Virginia. No, I'm not talking about King George III and Mount Vernon. That particular King and that particular Plantation probably wouldn't have gelled very well. But when it... Read More

Kingsmill Resort's River Course -- Like No Other In Virginia
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... ... WILLIAMSBURG, VA -- The River Course at Kingsmill is one of a kind in Virginia. Sure, it’s got green grass like every other golf course -- with eighteen holes, tees, fairways, rough, bunkers, water and a nice clubhouse. But it’s not a stretch... Read More

Kingsmill Resort's Woods Course -- Good Things Come To Those Who Wait
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... ... WILLIAMSBURG, VA -- It's often said that good things come to those who wait. I used to think the saying was just a ploy utilized by mothers to help keep kids from opening their presents before Christmas morning -- or as a rationalized... Read More

Kiskiack GC -- Player-Friendly Kiskiack Golf Club Takes You Away From It All
By Jeffrey A. Rendall... WILLIAMSBURG, VA -- On the way to the golf course the other day, my wife and I discussed the changing nature of real estate development in our ever-evolving society. Population growth mandates gobbling up big chunks of open space in favor of new homes and businesses --... Read More

Lansdowne Resort -- Growing The Toughest Mile
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas and Lansdowne Resort... ... LANSDOWNE, VA -- Lansdowne Resort's expanding -- and for those familiar with the excellent quality of the existing product, that's certain to be a good thing.... ... For Lansdowne's (Managed by Benchmark Hospitality) long been known for offering one of the best... Read More

Lee's Hill Provides Multi-Dimensional Golf Experience
Text and Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall... ... FREDERICKSBURG, VA -- Few would dispute -- there's a timeless quality to historical sites. Even fewer would contest the notion -- when you're at one, the past inspires the present. Sure, hihttp://www.golfthemidatlantic.com/story is dimensional, very much part of our perceptive human world of time... Read More

Mattaponi Springs Golf Club – Patient Beginner Makes Good
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall... ... PENOLA STATION, VA – Golf Course Designer Bob Lohmann says his experience at the brand new Mattaponi Springs Golf Club (in Penola Station, VA) was different than anything he’s ever worked on.... ... It wasn’t because of Mattaponi’s dirt; not because of its vegetation;... Read More

Meadows Farms Golf Course -- An 'Unusually' Cool Outing
... Text and Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall... LOCUST GROVE, VA -- I've talked often during my Mid Atlantic golf course reviews about layouts that offer a 'different' experience than your run-of-the-mill golf outing. These atypical golf courses accomplish distinction through location, design features or services that are either difficult or impossible... Read More

Ocean View Golf Course -- Tracing The Steps Of Legends
By Jeffrey A. Rendall... NORFOLK, VA -- Some places are known because of what they are; some are known because of what they once were; others are known because of what they have become. And some rare places are known for all three at once. Such is the case for Ocean... Read More

Old Hickory Golf Club -- Heading Frustration Off At The Golf Course
By Jeffrey A. Rendall; Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall... ... WOODBRIDGE, VA – Anyone who’s ever picked up a golf club and earnestly tried to golf a dimpled white ball into that tiny little hole knows the game is frustrating. It’s the thrill of the chase that keeps golfers going back, time... Read More

Ospreys -- The Ospreys at Belmont Bay Proves Looks Are Often Deceiving
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... ... WOODBRIDGE, VA -- Believe only half of what you see, and none of what you read. This assertion may be the ultimate pessimistic anthem, but when it comes to the Ospreys Golf Club at Belmont Bay, they're words to live by. At first... Read More

Pleasant Valley and South Riding - Upgrading Performance
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall and Pleasant Valley... CHANTILLY, VA -- You hear it a lot these days, from athletes, corporate CEO's, celebrities -- everyone talks about upgrading their performance.... That's good. Nobody really likes the status quo, and it doesn't matter whether you're Bill Gates or the... Read More

Pleasant Valley Golf Club – Sweetly Ripened Fruit In Chantilly
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... ... CHANTILLY, VA – Greg Nesbitt, Pleasant Valley Golf Club’s General Manager, uses a clever analogy to describe his golf facility: “We’ve always considered this property as ‘low hanging fruit’ – it’s just there for the taking, and all it needs is a little... Read More

Providence GC -- 'Rain Man' Makes The Routing At Providence Golf Course
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Kevin Gaydosh and Jeffrey A. Rendall... ... RICHMOND, VA -- David Malone, Providence Golf Course's Director of Golf, says Golf Architect Lester George has special abilities - and Malone's even got a unique way of describing them: "He's a great designer in all aspects of course... Read More

Raspberry Falls Proves It's Cool To Be British
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Aaron Frey... LEESBURG, VA -- It's cool to be British. And that’s not just because Austin Powers is from Britain, or because many of the greatest artists of rock n' roll came from there. ... It's because in many ways, the Brits just seem to know... Read More

Royal New Kent (Tradition Club) -- Summons The Luck Of The Irish
By Jeffrey A. Rendall... PROVIDENCE FORGE, VA -- "Come to rural New Kent County, Virginia, for a taste of Ireland." Somehow, I doubt that's a thought rolling through the minds of many folks, but if it finds its way into your noggin', you'd actually be right on. It's because there's an... Read More

Somerset Golf Club -- Not Just Back, But Better
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall... LOCUST GROVE, VA -- "I guess you could say it's almost like returning from the dead," remarked Somerset Golf Club's General Manager/Head Golf Professional, Bart Wolfe, when describing the short but eventful hihttp://www.golfthemidatlantic.com/story of his golf club.... Somerset did just that -- return... Read More

South Riding Golf Club – Come Join the Community
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... ... SOUTH RIDING, VA -- “I want our golf course to engage the community,” answered South Riding Golf Club’s General Manager, Greg Nesbitt, when I asked him about his course’s goals for the future. South Riding GC lies at the southern end of the... Read More

Stonehouse Distinguishes Itself From All The Rest
By Jeffrey A. Rendall... It seems like everybody's aiming for distinction these days. For example, automakers spend billions on research every year to design new four wheeled vehicles that won't be confused for another's. Or basketball players sport ever wilder tattoos and hairstyles to set themselves apart from their competitors. Even... Read More

Stonewall Golf Club -- Standing Firm Against An Onslaught Of Expectations
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Rendall & Bob Kubler... GAINESVILLE, VA -- I'll admit, I've always found it curious when folks name someone or something after a famous individual. It's odd, in that it heaps instant expectations upon that person or 'thing' to achieve or replicate the notoriety of... Read More

TPC of Virginia Beach -- Take Note When Mr. Dye Comes To Town
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... Virginia Beach, VA -- Just hearing the names Pete Dye and TPC (Tournament Players Club) together gets your heart pumping. Instantly your mind flashes to the famous seventeenth hole at Dye's TPC Sawgrass -- the dreaded island green -- and your palms sweat... Read More

Twin Lakes' Lakes Course -- Resting On A Bed Of Golf Balls
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall... ... CLIFTON, VA (January, 2003) -- Sometimes you have to wonder -- what'll happen to that ball you just plunked in a lake? Sure, you figure it'll be resurrected at some point, pulled from its watery grave by some guy in a wetsuit,... Read More

Twin Lakes' Oaks Course -- Minimalism At Its Finest
By Jeffrey A. Rendall... CLIFTON, VA -- Golf traditionalists are minimalists (how's that for a tongue twister?). They subscribe to the "less is more" theory.... When you think about it, minimalism makes sense. If you want an intimate wedding, you should only invite a few people. If you want higher quality products,... Read More

Virginia National Golf Club -- A Layout With Personality
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall... ... BLUEMONT, VA -- It's often said that houses or pets take on the personalities or appearances of their owners. Sometimes, that's a frightening proposition, especially when the owners' disposition (or looks) isn't the greatest. But it's unmistakable that some things are heavily... Read More

Virginia Oaks -- Not Just the 'Other' Course on Lake Manassas
By Jeffrey A. Rendall... "I like to design hard golf courses," said PB Dye with a chuckle when I asked him what his philosophy was behind creating Virginia Oaks. The course is located about 35 minutes from downtown Washington, DC, and true to Dye's word, provides quite a challenge to the... Read More

West Neck -- Get the 'I took 'em' feeling at The Signature At West Neck
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall... VIRGINIA BEACH, VA -- Ever walk out of a store after buying something thinking "Hey, I really took those guys for a ride"? It's a darn good feeling -- almost like arriving home and discovering an unexpected gift on your doorstep, or... Read More

Westfields Golf Club -- A Hauntingly Fine Golf Experience
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Jeff Janas and Westfields... ... CLIFTON, VA -- In the Mid-Atlantic region, there's little doubt that spirits of the past are neighbors of ours -- in one form or another. Without getting into belief systems, there are battlefields, stately Colonial mansions, shipwrecks, museums, parks, relics and... Read More

Williamsburg National Proves Jack's Still Got It
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Jeffrey A. Rendall ... WILLIAMSBURG, VA -- Watching the Battle of Bighorn recently (2002), it seemed clear that Jack Nicklaus ain't what he used to be.... But despite some obvious age-inspired physical limitations, he played well through 15 holes and even contributed several valuable birdies to... Read More

Wintergreen -- The Devil Be Damned At Wintergreen Resort's Devil's Knob
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... WINTERGREEN, VA -- Wintergreen Resort's original golf course is an Ellis Maples design that opened in 1976, known then and today as Devil's Knob. It's a curious title, in that hell is supposedly hot and excruciatingly painful -- and neither of those adjectives... Read More

Wintergreen Golf Academy and Resort -- Delivering The Personal Touches
By Jeffrey A. Rendall... WINTERGREEN, VA -- The personal touch, it's underrated. Most businesses claim to offer it, but few truly deliver. That's why it's refreshing when it's promised and delivered, like at Wintergreen Resort's Golf Academy.... Wintergreen guarantees an instructor-to-student ratio of no more than 3-to-1, which means you won't be... Read More

Wintergreen Resort -- A Healthy Pinch of Mountain Seasoning
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... WINTERGREEN, VA -- Looking back, when you think of childhood trips to the mountains, you probably remember skiing, hiking -- or maybe camping. ... You recall the days of yore when Mom & Dad packed you, your siblings and all your camping knick-knacks in... Read More

Wintergreen Resort – Preparing for the Canadian Invasion
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... ... WINTERGREEN, VA – In June, a little bit ‘o Canada’s coming to central Virginia, and we’re not just talking about vacationing NHL players invading after the Stanley Cup’s been fought over and won.... ... For the second consecutive year, Wintergreen Resort will host the Canadian... Read More

Wintergreen Resort's Stoney Creek Golf Club -- Natural Splendor In The Valley
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... WINTERGREEN, VA -- "If you're standing on the tee, and can't see precisely what's called for on the shot, then you're not on a Rees Jones designed golf course" said Wintergreen Resort's Stoney Creek Golf Club's Director of Golf, Mike Mayer. "Visibility is... Read More