Golf Course Communitites & Real Estate
California
Andalusia Country Club -- Spanish treasure in the California desert
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Jeffrey A. Rendall ... LA QUINTA, CA – It’s a question I often ask golf architects, to describe their first impressions of the land that eventually becomes one of their course designs – and their answers are usually telling, if not descriptive.... “Flat,” replied Keith Evans,...
Black Gold Golf Club – Southern California’s Oil for Golf Program
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeffrey A. RendallYORBA LINDA, CA – It seems odd, with the current state of global politics and exceedingly high oil prices, that someone would think it more profitable to trade crude oil for green grass.But that’s exactly what they’ve done at Black Gold Golf...
Greg Norman Golf Course at PGA West -- Diversity in the Outback
By Jeffrey A. Rendall; photos by Scot and Charles Rendall... LA QUINTA, CA – If you ever thought building a golf course on the site of a former sod farm wouldn't constitute a major challenge, then you haven’t heard the story of how the PGA West Greg Norman Golf Course came...
La Quinta Resort Dunes Course -- A touch of links golf in the California desert
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Scot Rendall... LA QUINTA, CA – Driving onto the property at the La Quinta Resort and Club you wouldn’t necessarily envision that you’re far across the sea in Scotland or Ireland, but once you’re set up to play the Dunes Course you might just change...
Lost Canyons Golf Club -- Meeting nature head on, and winning
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Chuck Rendall... SIMI VALLEY, CA – Whenever I’m asked why southern California is such a popular place to live, I always answer, ‘it’s got a little bit of everything – beaches, warm weather, great entertainment, great food, and it’s also close to the mountains or...
PGA West Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course -- Memorable Piece of the Golden Bear
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Scot Rendall... LA QUINTA, CA – “As Jack often says, what ends up on the top of a piece of ground is a piece of him,” remarked Tom Pearson, Jack Nicklaus’ lead Design Associate at PGA West for the Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course.... Any piece of...
PGA West Stadium Course -- The Hardest Examination You'll Ever Love
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Scot Rendall... LA QUINTA, CA – It isn’t often you walk off a golf course having struggled mightily and subsequently learn your troubles were exactly what the owners had planned from the beginning, but it’s not every day you see a layout like the PGA...
The Weston Mission Hills Pete Dye Course -- Seeing a Gentle Side of the Master
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Scot Rendall... ... RANCHO MIRAGE, CA – Pete Dye is known for designing some brutishly difficult golf courses, but his creation at the Westin Mission Hills Resort isn’t one of them.... ... When you mention Dye’s name in conjunction with the Palm Springs area, you’ll probably think first...
Trump National Golf Club -- The Donald's inclusive exercise on the California coast
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Jeffrey A. Rendall... RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CA – “One thing I like to tell people about this layout is, it’s a very inclusive golf course,” remarked David Conforti, Director of Golf at Trump National Golf Club, Los Angeles, commenting on the nature of golf at...
Colorado
Highland Meadows Golf Course -- Golf in the Player's Hands
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Scot Rendall... WINDSOR, CO – “If the golf is in the player’s hands, and they are making their own decisions on how to approach each golf hole with a range of options available to them, the experience will be more enjoyable, more engaging, more rewarding...
Pelican Lakes Golf and Country Club -- Waterscapes courtesy of Mother Nature
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Scot Rendall... WINDSOR, CO – “Pelican Lakes boasts 7.5 miles of shoreline on its 18 holes which we believe to be the most of any golf course in North America,” remarked Stacy Kleve, Head Golf Professional at Pelican Lakes Golf and Country Club in Windsor,...
Delaware
Bayside Resort Golf Club – Golf from the inside looking out
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Jeffrey A. Rendall... SELBYVILLE, DE – It’s often the case in modern golf communities that the golf course serves merely as an amenity for the residents – a pleasant grassy environment providing a buffer between the houses and streets.... It’s less frequent that the golf course...
Bear Trap Dunes Golf Club – From phragmites to golf paradise
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Jeffrey A. Rendall... OCEAN VIEW, DE – It’s not easy to turn phragmites into gold, but it’s arguable that’s what they’ve done at Bear Trap Dunes Golf Club near the eastern shore in Delaware.... For those unfamiliar with phragmites (as I was), Wikipedia defines it for...
The Peninsula Golf & Country Club – Choosing Nicklaus in Delaware
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall... ... MILLSBORO, DE – If there’s an important question in life that you just can’t seem to solve on your own, it’s always a good idea to ask Mom for her opinion.... ... Such was the case with Larry Goldstein, developer of The Peninsula Golf...
Georgia
Great Waters at Reynolds Lake Oconee -- It just might get (a little) better than this
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Jeffrey A. Rendall... GREENSBORO, GA – If you’re set to play Great Waters and visiting Reynolds Lake Oconee for the first time you’ll quickly gather the course is located somewhat apart from the main resort accommodations and amenities.... In fact, on the drive over to Great...
Reynolds Lake Oconee Resort -- Golf, recreation and the royal treatment at The Kingdom
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Jeffrey A. Rendall... GREENSBORO, GA – Think about it – what makes a great golf destination?... Ask a hundred people the question and you might get a hundred different answers. Some avid golf nuts may only need a great golf course and they’re satisfied. Others require...
The Landing Course at Reynolds Lake Oconee -- Bob Cupp's legacy, memorable golf and the buck that got away
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Amanda Rendall... GREENSBORO, GA – “Gus didn’t make it to work the next day…. Or the day after. He was laid up for about a week with multiple scrapes and contusions and at least one puncture wound and three broken ribs,” remarked Bobby Cupp, son...
The National Course at Reynolds Lake Oconee -- Fazio brand of variety in Georgia
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Bethany Rendall... GREENSBORO, GA – “I was never on either of those courses, so I can honestly say they didn’t influence me at all,” replied legendary golf course designer Tom Fazio when asked whether he tried to make The National at Reynolds Lake Oconee fit...
The Oconee Course at Reynolds Lake Oconee - Golf's Hippocratic Oath taken to its logical extreme
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Matthew Rendall... GREENSBORO, GA – When a medical student is ready to embark on a career as a physician, he or she must first take the Hippocratic oath, which originated in ancient Greece and roughly translated today means “First, do no harm.”... As far as I...
Hawaii
Puakea Golf Course -- A Place to Call Home on Kauai
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Charles and Matthew Rendall... LIHUE, KAUAI, HI – “Playing the course so often enabled me to better understand how the wind came into play,” said Robin Nelson, course designer for Puakea Golf Course on the beautiful island of Kauai.... “As a result, I was able to...
Maryland
Atlantic Golf At South River Proves Not All Dirt Is Created Equal
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall... EDGEWATER, MD -- In today's world, many folks struggle with the concept of equality. Equality's deeply rooted in the written record of our republic, but it still seems there's always some representative of an interest group appearing on TV, telling us for...
Cross Creek Golf Club -- Rocky Mountain High in the Baltimore/Washington Corridor
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... BELTSVILLE, MD -- "We're always striving to create different looks with our work," remarked Tom Clark (of Ault, Clark & Associates), when asked about his firm's goals for the golf courses they design. "And Cross Creek presented a genuine opportunity to do that. ...
Easton Club – Leave The Cookie Cutter Expectations at Home
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall... ... EASTON, MD – When it comes to playing golf, we’re hardly creatures of habit.... ... There’s nothing quite as boring or un-interesting as playing the same course over and over again, with the same basic pin positions, the same playing strategy and the same...
Harbourtowne Resort – No Lighthouse, But Plenty of Dye Inspired Delights
By Jeffrey A. Rendall; Photos By David Vier... ... ST. MICHAELS, MD – Here’s a question for you golf trivia aficionados: name a state where there’s a Pete Dye designed golf course named Harbourtowne, which is well respected and was one of his very first projects?... ... A no-brainer, right?... ... Well, if you guessed...
Hollow Creek Golf Club -- Prosperity In A Competitive Situation
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Jeffrey A. Rendall... MIDDLETOWN, MD -- Most people, when faced with a competitive situation, respond in one of two ways -- they wilt, or they prosper (and if you remember this year's Masters, it's mostly wilt).... ... It may seem unfair, but there's little middle ground when...
Lake Presidential Golf Club – Bringing ‘the tree’ to the Mid-Atlantic region
By Jeffrey A. Rendall; Photos by Jeffrey A. Rendall and Jeff Smith... UPPER MARLBORO, MD – “Anywhere you see the tree, it’s the same,” remarked Lake Presidential Golf Club’s Head Golf Professional, Nathan Presnal.... The ‘tree’ Presnal was referring to is the symbol that appears on Lake Presidential’s logo, which bears a...
Links At Lighthouse Sound -- Making 'Em 'Like That,' Once Again
... By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall... ... BISHOPVILLE, MD -- 'They just don't make 'em like that anymore.' It's something you might hear from some kindly old octogenarian when reminiscing about cars back in the forties, or even from your mother when talking about the quality of potential mates...
Swan Point -- Goin' To Swan Point In My Mind
SBy Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Aaron Frey... ISSUE, MD -- Three and a half decades ago, James Taylor recorded a song called "Carolina In My Mind," where he croons romantically of going to Carolina in his thoughts -- which certainly sounds like his version of heaven on earth. Taylor's vivid...
Tournament Players Club at Avenel -- Culmination of Fine Planning
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall and Jeff Janas... ... POTOMAC, MD -- We all love it when a plan comes together. Maybe it's the work involved in preparation; maybe it's because the end result isn't always certain; or maybe it's because the arduous process makes ultimate success even...
Waverly Woods Golf Club – Signifying the Age of Independence
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Joe McHatton and Bob Kubler MARRIOTTSVILLE, MD – There comes a time in everyone’s life when you realize it’s time to go out on your own… branch out… leave the nest… blaze new trails. How ‘bout starting a new career? That’s a little tougher, at least...
North Carolina
Cypress Lakes Golf Course -- Fayetteville's warmest welcome from the 'Home of the Floyds'
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Kevin Gaydosh... HOPE MILLS, NC – Everybody’s got to be from somewhere, and it’s always a bonus when that ‘somewhere’ happens to be someplace pretty nice – and that’s certainly the case for golf legend Raymond Floyd, who hails from a region of North Carolina...
Dormie Club Near Pinehurst -- Less Is More
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Kevin Gaydosh... PINEHURST, NC – “I think that was it,” said a member of our group as we passed by a cedar fence with a driveway opening and a simple wooden sign (with a red flagstick symbol on it) adjacent to a rural road a...
Forest Creek Golf Club (North Course) -- Golf at its best, down on The Farm
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Kevin Gaydosh... PINEHURST, NC – It’s often said that going first is never easy, but then again, going second is no picnic either – especially when the first bite at the apple turns out to be a smashing success.... That was the task Tom Fazio and...
Forest Creek Golf Club (South Course) – Golf at its best, down on The Farm
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Kevin Gaydosh... PINEHURST, NC – “They originally wanted to call it The Farm,” said Chuck Cordell, Director of Marketing at Forest Creek Golf Club, speaking of the minds behind one of the country’s premier private clubs. Located on rolling terrain in the golf mecca that...
Kilmarlic Golf Club -- Newly Minted Legendary Course Quickly Making A Name For Itself
By Mike Tanner, Photos By Steve Dandy... ... HARBINGER, NC -- According to the printed card displayed on the front of my golf cart, I was about to "Play the Legend." Quite the boast for a course that opened less than a year ago, in the fall of 2002.... ... But as I found...
Little River Golf & Resort – Crossing the finish line a winner
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Kevin Gaydosh... CARTHAGE, NC – Dan Maples has been involved with golf course design his entire life (let’s just say it runs in the family), so when he says a project was probably the most unique to build that he’s ever been associated with, it...
Pinehurst No. 6 -- Golf's revival begins at Pinehurst
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Kevin Gaydosh... PINEHURST, NC – Many people would say the golf industry’s gone through a rough stretch the past couple years, but golf architect Tom Fazio says it was just as bad, if not worse, in the mid-to-late seventies.... Seeing as Fazio’s a historian in the...
St. James Plantation's Members Club – You May Even Get a Member Bounce
By William C. Denfeld, Photos By William C. Denfeld... ... SOUTHPORT, NC – Membership means belonging; being a part of something exclusive to the members. Many memberships require an individual to pay for the privilege of membership. While The Members Club at St. James Plantation has many dues-paying members, the general public...
St. James Plantation’s Founders Club – Throwing Down The Gauntlet
By William C. Denfeld, Photos By William C. Denfeld... ... SOUTHPORT, NC - In medieval times, knights wore heavy gloves, or gauntlets, to protect their hands and wrists from damage in battle. These were noble times when challenges were issued to test the strength of one’s adversaries. To issue a challenge to...
St. James Plantation’s Players Course – Can You Give Me an Amen!
By William C. Denfeld, Photos By William C. Denfeld ... ... Ed Note: Photos were taken during an overseed period, so the course may appear a bit less green than normal.... ... SOUTHPORT, NC – There are many recognizable nicknames in golf. Fans of the game have heard of “the Shark”, “the Walrus”, “the...
Talamore Golf Club -- Uncovering the Land of Great Value
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Kevin Gaydosh... PINEHURST, NC – “Talamore is a Gaelic word that means ‘land of great value,’” explained John McDougald, Director of Golf at the resort of the same name.... Great value indeed, because if you’ve got a Rees Jones-designed golf course with a lot of money...
Pennsylvania
Great Bear Golf Club -- Rock n' roll in the Poconos
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Kevin Gaydosh... EAST STROUDSBURG, PA – Everyone knows some things get off to a rocky start, but this was ridiculous.... In pinpointing the one aspect of building Great Bear Golf Club (in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania) that sticks out the most in his mind,...
In the 21st Century, All Roads Still Lead to The Links At Gettysburg
Text and Photos by Jeffrey A. Rendall... ... GETTYSBURG, PA -- Some things happen by chance -- you could call it luck, or you might just as easily call it fate. Having two 19th century armies meet in this small town in the middle of Pennsylvania farm country just across the Mason-Dixon...
Penn National Golf Club's Founders Course -- Come Back And Play It Again
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... ... FAYETTEVILLE, PA -- 'I want to go play it again,' answered Penn National Golf Club's General Manager, Bill Klimkiewicz, when asked what impression he'd like players to leave with upon finishing a round on his club's Founders Course.... ... The return customer -- perhaps a...
Penn National Golf Club's Iron Forge Course Proves Different Siblings Aren't Necessarily Squabbling Kinsmen
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... ... FAYETTEVILLE, PA -- It's strange how two siblings can come from the same family, yet appear and act so differently.... ... Likewise, it's somewhat odd how two golf courses can co-exist at the same locale, yet look and play very distinctly. That's the case for...
South Carolina
Haig Point Club -- Love at First Glance
By Jeffrey A. Rendall; Photos by David Vier... DAUFUSKIE ISLAND, SC – Haig Point Club is one of those “know it when you see it” types of places.... Sometimes you just know something’s going to be great from a first glance. You see Disneyland? You know it’s going to be fun. You...
Heron Point by Pete Dye -- It's not what you remember, it's better
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by David Vier... HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC – Have you ever been someplace and thought, ‘I’m sure I’ve been here before, but it looks nothing like what I remember’?... If so, you could experience a very similar feeling upon visiting Heron Point by Pete Dye, a relatively...
Memorable Moments At Sea Pines' Ocean Course
Text and Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall... ... HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC -- It's hard to imagine these days, but Hilton Head Island was once a sparsely populated and little known coastal island -- inhabited mainly by descendents of freed slaves and a variety of wild creatures.... ... In contrast, today it's a thoroughly...
The Golf Club at Briar’s Creek – Privately Perfect
By Chuck Hancock; Photos Courtesy of Briar’s Creek Club... ... JOHN’S ISLAND, SC -- Exclusive. Acclaimed. Elite. Preeminent.... ... Pick one of these prior four words to describe The Golf Club at Briar’s Creek, located on Johns Island, South Carolina, and, guess what? You’d be right. And, if you are lucky enough to play...
Virginia
Augustine Golf Club -- Role Model For Public Golf
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Jeff Smith.... ... 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...
Ballyhack Golf Club - It was meant to be
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Mike Tanner... ROANOKE, VA – “This one was just meant to be,” said Lester George in prefacing his remarks on the building of Ballyhack Golf Club, the latest of his mid-Atlantic golf architectural masterpieces in the southwestern part of Virginia.... That’s what all the golf architects...
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...
Bay Creek Golf Club’s Nicklaus Course – Doubling the Classics on Virginia’s Eastern Shore
By Jeffrey A. Rendall; Photos By Kevin Gaydosh... ... CAPE CHARLES, VA – It’s a writer’s worst nightmare, basically needing to tell the same story twice, yet trying to find ways to make it sound different. Many a lonely soul has retreated into the bottle or the realm of plagiarism when faced...
Beacon Hill Golf Club Wins For 'Best Visual Presentation'
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Aaron Frey... ... LEESBURG, VA -- Some people say art reflects life. That's probably why art takes many forms -- paintings, sculpture, photographs, etchings, motion pictures -- you name it, and there's a medium for it. If life is diverse, then so is the art reflecting...
Belmont Country Club, Where The Past Meets The Present
By Jeffrey A. Rendall... ASHBURN, VA -- There's a certain timeless quality to examining historical sites. Maybe it's because they're old; maybe it's because they're rare. Or maybe it's because of who was there and what they did. History's more than just land, buildings and space -- it's heritage.... At the same...
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...
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...
Bull Run Golf Club -- Satisfy Your Daily Learning Quotient at Bull Run Golf Club
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall... HAYMARKET, VA -- There's an old saying that goes 'you learn something new everyday.'... When you think about it, you'd hope to understand at least one new tidbit each day, considering there're an infinite number of things to know, but a very finite...
Colonial Heritage Club – Conquering the Hills of Williamsburg
By Jeffrey A. Rendall; Photos by Kevin Gaydosh... WILLIAMSBURG, VA – “This used to be called ‘Windy Hill Farm,’ which is very appropriate, since there always seems to be a breeze here,” remarked Jon Sandelin, the Head Golf Professional at Colonial Heritage Club, one of Williamsburg’s newest golf offerings.... Traces of the...
Creighton Farms -- Golf's positive impact in its purest form
By Jeffrey A. Rendall; Photos by Jeff Smith... ALDIE, VA – Golf legend Jack Nicklaus says his goal in developing golf courses is simple: to do something positive on a particular piece of property – to make it look good, make it a place where people want to come and spend time,...
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,...
Dominion Valley -- Dreams to Greens -- Golf Course Construction at Dominion Valley Country Club
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall... HAYMARKET, VA -- Standing on the first tee of most golf courses, you can't help but admire what you see. It might be a boldly shaped seaside landscape reminiscent of the old country; or a tightly contoured parkland fairway bordered by yawning...
Dominion Valley Golf Club -- Mature As It Needs To Be
By Jeffrey A. Rendall; Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall and Bob Kubler... ... HAYMARKET, VA -- Just look around, and the young are forced to grow up fast these days. They’re bombarded with adult level images in the popular media, tied down with lots more homework than we were stuck with at...
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 Christians to the Holy Land. That may be a bit of a stretched reference, because no piece of golfing ground could ever truly be considered holy --...
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 --...
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...
Fredericksburg Area Golf – Still Geographically Desirable
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall and Jeff Janas... ... FREDERICKSBURG, VA – By a trick of fate, Fredericksburg was stuck in the middle. The year was 1862, and this small city in north central Virginia just happened to lie halfway between the capitals of warring ‘foreign’ nations (in...
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...
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...
King Carter Golf Club -- Joining the Virginia golf family
By Jeffrey A. Rendall; Photos by Kevin Gaydosh... IRVINGTON, VA – “We need more King Carter’s to help grow the game,” remarked Joel Weiman, Senior designer for McDonald & Sons, Inc. (of Jessup, MD) – and lead designer of King Carter Golf Club, which resides in Virginia’s Northern Neck area.... Taken alone,...
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...
Lansdowne Resort's Norman Course -- Outside the Box Mindset Required
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Jeffrey A. Rendall... ... LEESBURG, VA – We’re all entrenched in the mindset we take to golf courses, especially the ones we’ve never played before. Pick a set of tees, keep it in play, look over the yardage guide for the hole layouts and try to...
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, history is dimensional, very much part of our perceptive human world of time...
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...
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...
Piedmont Club -- Doing A Double Take At Piedmont Club
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Janas... ... HAYMARKET, VA -- The double take -- Webster's Dictionary defines it: a delayed reaction to some remark, situation, etc., in which there is at first unthinking acceptance, then startled surprise or a second glance as the real meaning or actual situation becomes clear.... ... It's...
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...
Poplar Grove Golf Club – Knowing Sam Snead’s Mind, Then Building A Golf Course
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall... ... AMHERST, VA – We’d all like to think we’ll get to know someone well enough to know his or her mind. It can come through months of correspondence, years of companionship, or decades of observation. But even then, there are always questions.... ... What...
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...
Raspberry Falls Proves It's Cool To Be British
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Aaron Frey... Note *** Brad Cheney re-visited the course in June of 2006, and offers his ‘Second Opinion’ at the end of this article.... LEESBURG, VA -- It's cool to be British. And that’s not just because Austin Powers is from Britain, or because many of the...
River Creek Club -- Providing a Sense of Permanence
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Jeffrey A. Rendall... LEESBURG, VA -- The Potomac, a storied river. Perhaps the only river in the United States more famous is the Mississippi. Along the banks of the legendary Potomac, George Washington lived; the Union and Confederacy fought; and the Nation's Capital resides.... The Mason-Dixon...
Riverfront Golf Club – Feeding Yourself on Golf
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Jeffrey A. Rendall... ... SUFFOLK, VA – Ever walk out of an eatery wondering why you paid a hefty some for a half empty stomach full of blah tasting slop?... ... That ‘walk away empty’ feeling equally applies to golf, and it’s something you’ll avoid when playing...
Somerset Golf Club -- Not Just Back, But Better
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall... (Note: This story was written in 2003, when Somerset Golf Club was making the first of several tries to reopen. After being closed for several years, it appears as if Somerset has reopened as Rapidan Golf Club.)... LOCUST GROVE, VA -- "I guess...
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...
Spring Creek Golf Club – Monument to the value of teamwork
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Jeffrey A. Rendall... GORDONSVILLE, VA – Golf Architect Ed Carton said there were many things that stood out about his work at Spring Creek Golf Club, but what he’ll always remember was the team effort needed to bring it into being.... “I’ll always look back on...
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...
Stoneleigh Golf Club -- Where Stone Walls Are Battle Tested
By Jeffrey A. Rendall ... Manassas National Battlefield has an equestrian statue of Stonewall Jackson placed near the spot where he reportedly was standing when he received his famous nickname during the First Battle of Manassas/Bull Run. Near the statue itself is a granite monument marking the piece of ground where...
The Golf Club at Viniterra -- Come Share the Bountiful Harvest
By Jeffrey A. Rendall. Photos by Jeffrey A. Rendall... NEW KENT, VA -- Viniterra means “earth wines” or “land of grapes,” said Matt O’Grady, Head Golf Professional at The Golf Club at Viniterra, Virginia’s newest public golf offering on the historic peninsula (located between Richmond and Williamsburg) in the southeastern part...
The River Course of Virginia Tech – Splendid way to consume time
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Mike Tanner... RADFORD, VA – John Norton is the Head Golf Professional at the River Course of Virginia Tech, but he’s also a philosopher. “There’s a saying in the golf business,” Norton waxed poetically – “that we’re not consuming anything except time, and time is...
The Tradition Golf Club at Stonewall Golf Club -- Standing Firm Against An Onslaught Of Expectations
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeff Rendall & Jeff Smith... 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...
Two Rivers Country Club -- Great Golf, No Bones About It
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Jeffrey A. Rendall... WILLIAMSBURG, VA -- The words Williamsburg, Jamestown, James River and history are synonymous. If there was a club for meaningful words, they'd be members. If consequential words formed a family, they'd be siblings. They belong together like peas in a pod.... But with...
Virginia Oaks -- Not Just the 'Other' Course on Lake Manassas
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Brad Cheney... ... Note *** Brad Cheney re-visited the course in May of 2006, and offers his ‘Second Opinion’ at the end of this article.... ... GAINESVILLE, VA -- “I like to design hard golf courses,” said PB Dye with a chuckle when I asked him what his...
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...
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...
Williamsburg National’s Yorktown Course – Worthwhile effort equals satisfaction
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Jeffrey A. Rendall... WILLIAMSBURG – There’s an old saying that goes, ‘Nothing in life that’s worthwhile is ever easy,’ which has certainly been proven true in nearly every instance, even if we’d all prefer a path that’s simple and satisfying without much sweat and toil.... The...
Wintergreen -- The Devil Be Damned At Wintergreen Resort's Devil's Knob
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall and 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...
Wintergreen Resort -- Fostering the Golfing Family
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, photos by Jeffrey A. Rendall and family... WINTERGREEN, VA – Everyone knows golf is a terrific way to spend time with friends and colleagues, but rarely is it mentioned as the means to get in quality hours with your family.... The good folks at Wintergreen Resort are intent...
Wintergreen Resort – A Place to Go Back to
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos by Jeffrey A. Rendall... WINTERGREEN, VA – Some places you just hate to leave.... Going on vacation is something we all look forward to, an opportunity to get away from the daily routine and experience some different surroundings. It’s a way to shut things off for a...
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...
Wintergreen Resort's Stoney Creek Golf Club -- Natural Splendor In The Valley
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall... 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, Geoff Redgrave. "Visibility...
West Virginia
Glade Springs Resort’s Cobb Course – Lone Star State of Mind in West Virginia
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall... ... DANIELS, WV – At Glade Springs Resort, George Cobb must’ve thought he was in Texas.... ... Vernacular included, there ain’t much that’s small in the Lone Star State. Big ranches, big steaks, big politics, big sports, big talk – when you’re thinking Texas, better...
Greenbrier Sporting Club’s ‘The Snead’ – Legend For Many Hearts
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Kevin Gaydosh... ... WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, WV – In the history of golf, there’s never been a celebrity so revered as Sam Snead. Perhaps because of it, the lasting ‘ownership’ of his legend has never been more in dispute -- amongst the many people and places...
Stonehaven Golf Course at Glade Springs Resort -- More Than They Bargained For
By Jeffrey A. Rendall, Photos By Jeffrey A. Rendall... ... DANIELS, WV – Traveling around Glade Springs Resort’s new Stonehaven Course, you can’t help but marvel at its impressive scale, as well as its incredible natural beauty. True to its name, the course offers continuing glimpses of the rocky sub-surfaces that support...
