SOUTH RIDING GOLF CLUB

The rolling Piedmont terrain thirty miles west of D.C. creates natural elevation changes that designer Mike Strantz exploited brilliantly, particularly on the downhill par-4 14th where the approach plays a full club shorter than the yardage suggests. Strategic bunkering forces legitimate decision-making throughout, with the par-3 17th demanding a precise mid-iron over water to a green that slopes dramatically from back to front. Northern Virginia golfers get legitimate championship-caliber golf without the private club pretense, making weekend tee times worth the early alarm clock.