I watched that course grow in for about 6 years. Its a beautiful piece of property truly in the middle of nowhere. The front nine greens are excellent while the back nine is a little nutty (construction company shaper versus independent). I consulted for them when they first opened and the "Elite Daily Fee" writeup on the website is my handiwork. The owner is a very driven man and the course is truly a labor of love for him. 4-5-6-7 is a stunning stretch of holes as is 12-13-14-15-16. I would say the only weak hole on the entire property is the par 3 number 3. My favorite thing are the trees. It was obviously clear cut years ago and pines were replanted. The course is lined with the small pines while the outer perimeter is hardwoods. It is absolutely stunning when the fall colors are out.
Great course and a MUST PLAY for anyone traveling I-95 north or coming south. You get off just past Kings Dominion or just before the Wilson Bridge on the beltway. There is a secret bridge that crosses the Potomac from VA to MD on Rte 301. Rte 301 runs from Waldorf MD to I-95 just north of Richmond. Skip the nightmare I-95 up North and stop at Matt Springs. 100% worth the trip.
Roger-While you and I both think the course is very good, we disagree on which holes we like and don't like. I do like 12, 14 and 15, but I thought 13 and 16 around the irrigation pond were just average. Those two holes, along with 17, are all pan flat compared to the rest of the course. I also thought 3 was a very good little drop shot par 3, and the green has some good movement as well.
I had also wondered about the pines inside the course. I thought when I first saw them that they were planted after the property being timbered at one time of another.
Roger-What are your favorite holes on the course, one from each par? Mine are #14 for the par 3, #1 for the par 5 (though I really liked the double fairways on 11) and 5 for the par 5. And where do you rate the course using Doak's scale? I say 6.
I too really enjoyed the course. A friend played it who regularly plays the municipal courses in our area and he complained that the green contours were too severe - I guess "Joe average golfer" will never appreciate quality unless it looks pretty.
Funny thing is, Mattaponi is very 'pretty.' It was far more hilly than I expected and had some great vistas looking over the rolling hills and just nature. Very good looking course I thought.
I probably appreciate the lake holes because I know what it took to build it. They were blasting a highway somewhere up in Maryland and the owner cut a deal for them to bring the rock to MPs. One guy, armed with a track hoe, placed each rock on the sides of that pond one at a time over one winter. Let me go hole by hole... but remember I haven't been there since 2004. I have heard they redid #3 since my time. I am not familiar with the "Doak scale" but would love to have it emailed to me...
#1. Great elevation drop from tee to fairway. Solid par 4.
#2. A very busy uphill par 5 with some strange fairway contours.
#3. We have been through this one.
#4. Wonderful, difficult par 4 that starts you back up the hill. Probably my favorite on the course.
#5. Great short little par 4 that can be dangerous off the tee if you are not careful.
#6 and #7. Scenic and pretty par 5 and par 3 that take you back down into the valley.
#8. Short dogleg left par 4 uphill.
#9. Tee and fairway are elevated then its straight downhill to the green. #18 is very similiar.
#10. I don't care for this one either. Flat straight par 4
#11. Cool split fairway that was built like Augustine #1 in Stafford however green is elevated over an environmental area.
#12. Where the green contours start to get a little crazy. Another swooping par 5 with a big environmental area. Crazy tiered green with severe slopes.
#13. Rising par four with the water on the right.
#14. Par 3 over the consistent back nine environmental swale.
#15. Short par 4 with another severely contoured green.
#16. Par 5 that ends on the water.
#17. Sig hole (I don't agree) par 3 with waterfull and rocks and the lake.
#18. Hit way down a sloping fairway then up to a green cut into the hillside over a creek. Very pretty.
Fariways and tees were zoysia when it first opened. Drought and lack of water led to problems growing in the fescue rough. I am interested to see what grass they have now. Some of the contours on the back nine greens were "unmowable" if I remember. I still love the place. There aren't many that are pure golf... no houses... no roads... no nothing!
Favorite par 5 - number 5.
Favorite par 3 - number 6.
Favoriite par 4 - number 4.
I believe Spring Hill and Pendleton must have been built after my time. I ran Augustine in Stafford from 97-01 then Swan Point in Maryland from 01-04. In those 7 years I think I played every single course in the state of VA!!