Mattaponi Springs Golf Club, Ruther Glen, Virginia - Named One of America's Greatest Public Golf Courses by Golf Digest in 2009

The Mattaponi Springs Golf Club is situated upon an estate that covers more than 330 acres, allowing for an un-crowded layout. The underlying terrain provides for dramatic elevation changes and diverse landscapes, including streams that cross the course at strategic locations, wetlands and other preserved areas, and well as distant, colorful hillsides. There's also a five-acre lake situated on the eastern plateau that provides both picturesque views as well as a lateral water hazard for several holes on the back nine.

The course plays through gently rolling hillsides and forests of mature oak, beech, holly and pine trees. On some holes, the trees line the edges of the fairways, while also bordering several greens. In springtime, wild azaleas and native dogwoods provide a colorful contrast to the fairways and the links-style Fescue roughs. The course also features a number of manmade boardwalks, as well as natural earthen bridges as the layout plays through wetlands and crosses several streams and creeks.

The 18-hole, par-72 course, which was designed by Bob Lohmann and opened in 2004, plays to 6,937 yards from the longest tees, with a USGA rating of 73.9 and a slope rating of 141 on Zoysia tees and fairways and L93 Bentgrass greens.

It's been said that there are no tricks at Mattaponi Springs, and players can use driver on every par-4 and par-5 hole. The fairways are long and wide, and have also been sculpted to collect errant tees shots. Proper ball positioning is also important, however, and the course design is said to reward good shot execution.

Some of the most noteworthy holes at Mattaponi Springs include No. 2, which is one of the signature holes for the course. A par-5, this hole plays to 543 yards from the tips and may be one of the most interesting holes. The hole features an initial landing area that's defined by two sand bunkers short and to the right, and another bunker long and left. There's a jog in the fairway to the right just past the bunkers, and tee shots that carry those bunkers will have a choice on the second shot of whether to attempt to carry the upcoming wetlands, or lay up to the left.

Hole No. 11 is another signature hole, a par-4 that plays to 413 yards. This is another interesting and challenging hole which features a split fairway and dual landing zones off the tee. A tee shot to the left affords players the most room, but the subsequent approach to the green involves a difficult angle. A drive to the right landing area cuts 20 yards off the approach shot, but is a risky play as the landing area is about half the size of the one to the left.

A relatively new course, Mattaponi Springs Golf Club was named one of America's Greatest 100 Public Golf Courses by Golf Digest magazine in 2009.

Practice facilities include an all-grass driving range, as well as greenside and fairway practice bunkers, and putting and chipping greens. The course also features a Lodge and Conference Center, which is home to a pro shop, locker rooms and full-service restaurant.