Robert Trent Jones Golf Club
Gainesville, VA • Private
Courtesy of Roger Snyder
Courtesy of Dick Durrance
Scott Schneider
Courtesy of Nicky McIlvaine
Courtesy of Bill McKnight
Courtesy of Ed MacMahon
Overview
Designed by Robert Trent Jones and his long-time associate Roger Rulewich just before they tackled the ambitious and enormous Robert Trent Jones Trail string of courses in Alabama, Robert Trent Jones Golf Club was intended to be the veteran architect’s definitive statement on championship golf. Routed on rolling terrain densely covered with pine and hardwoods, the design reflects the philosophy Trent pioneered—heroic architecture—with well over a hundred glistening white sand bunkers and the last 11 holes playing along the shoreline of Lake Manassas, including the par-3 ninth with a peninsula green, the par-3 11th over a lake cove and the par-4 18th over an inlet and up a lakeside bluff. The RTJ G.C. has hosted the Presidents Cup matches on four occasions and was a PGA Tour stop in 2015.
About
Awards
Second 100 Greatest: Ranked since 2013.
2023-'24 ranking: 120th.
Previous ranking: 130th.
Highest ranking: 92nd, 1997-'98.
100 Greatest: Ranked 1997-'98.
Best in State: Ranked in top 3 since 1993.
Current: 3rd.
Panelists
Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists
100 GREATEST/BEST IN STATE SCORES
Shot Options
Character
Challenge
Layout Variety
Fun
Aesthetics
Conditioning
Reviews
Review
“Truly beautiful and in great condition, but there is a redundancy in the golf holes, especially on the front nine."
Read More2024
Review
“Selected as the course for the first President's Cup. And it stood up to the challenge."
Read More2023
Review
“A fantastic course with beautiful views overlooking Lake Manassas, but more importantly some great strategic holes. The fairway bunkering is elite and challenges golfers to take on the bunkers to set up scoring opportunities. The Par-Threes present a wonderful variety of shots, requiring different shot shapes and trajectories to get near pins."
Read More2022
Review
“A spectacular setting along the shores of Lake Manassas. The lake, visible from pretty much all 18 holes, comes into play from hole 9 though the finish with a picturesque and memorable 11th hole, a tribute to Augusta 12."
Read More2022
Review
“The challenge, aesthetic beauty and conditioning excellence of this course place it in the upper echelon on the East Coast. RT Jones Sr. demands draws off tee boxes at #7, 10, 12, 14, 15, 17 and 18 and fades from 1, 3, 5 and 6. And on #13 he punishes a drawn tee ball with a crafted fairway that slopes downhill and to the left towards the water almost forcing the player to lay back a bit on an extremely long and difficult par 4. Shaved down areas transitioning from fairways into bunkers is a tribute to Scottish designs. But the 40 foot false front at #11 sends golf balls arriving even a pace short of the par 3 elevated green trickling backwards to a watery death below. The purity, complexity and speeds of greens makes for the flagship of this uniquely wonderful golf course. Stone walls and walkways at #9, 11 and 14 compliment a visually astounding lakeside wedding venue at #10. Lake Manassas is incorporated into this architectural design with creativity and ingenuity on holes #9-13 and 15-18."
Read More2020
