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
“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."
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