MAGNOLIA GREEN GOLF CLUB (2)
ball toward the tilted green. Meanwhile,
the sturdy par 4-18th (previously the
second hole) is a long, straightforward
hole with water in play that calls for two
stout shots to reach the elevated, welldefended green.
Some golfers select a tee box based on
its color. Thus, the design team wisely
mixed up the paint box. The back tees at
7,150 yards, which present a firm test to
the scratch player, are green. The next
set, at 6,724 yards, are black. The blue
markers, the tees favored by average
campaigners, are 6,216 yards. The white
tees are 5,640 yards, while the red tees,
considered ideal for ladies and novices,
measure 4,783 yards.
UNIQUE NICHE
Cochran pointed out that the facility
was originally conceived as an upscale
private club, which meant a tee-to-green
bentgrass grassing plan along the lines of
Kinloch Golf Club, Spring Creek Golf
Club, Hermitage Country Club and
other top private clubs in Virginia.
“After the reset, we simplified the
agronomic palette to make it easier to
take care of the course,” Cochran says.
Magnolia Green features bentgrass
greens, bermudagrass fairways and tees
and fescue accents in the rough and along
the back edges of the bunkers, giving the
course a rustic, naturalistic look.
According to Bobby Kidder, Magnolia
Green’s general manager, “the golf course
doesn’t remind you of anything else in
the Richmond market. With the pines,
elevation changes and distinctive bunkers,
the layout has more of a Carolinas look
and feel.
“This is a strategic, second-shot golf
course designed for shotmakers,” Kidder
notes. “It rewards good iron play. The
fairways are wide and the rough is cut
short, about an inch to an inch and a
half, but you need a vivid short game
imagination to score. The greens are
tough to putt.”
Couple the sloping, slippery greens
with numerous “deception” bunkers
à la Donald Ross that appear closer to
the green than they actually are, and
Magnolia Green will debut as a tactician’s
delight. It’s a layout that will need to be
played more than once in order to unlock
its secrets.
“In the high-end, semiprivate category,
we’re aiming to become one of the top
courses in the commonwealth,” Kidder
says. “We’d love to attract a State Open
or a State Amateur after the clubhouse
opens, likely by late 2016 or early 2017.”
He says the extensive practice facility,
which includes three practice putting
greens, will likely develop into one of the
region’s best. In time, the club plans to
package itself with area hotels.
On the real estate side, Magnolia
Green offers a variety of townhomes,
single-family homes and custom-built
residences ranging from just under
$200,000 (townhomes) up to $1 million.
While a soft opening of the course is
slated for mid-May, Magnolia Green’s
grand opening is scheduled for June 12.
Green fees are priced at $60 on weekdays
and $70 on weekends, with reduced rates
after 12 p.m. and in the evening.
Magnolia Green is cause célèbre.
Other than the opening of Potomac
Shores Golf Club in northern Virginia
in 2014, Magnolia Green, located just
minutes east of Interstate 95 in Moseley,
is the first new 18-hole course to open in
Virginia in six years.
Author Brian McCallen is a writer from
Stonington, Conn., and a regular
contributor to Virginia Golfer.
Golfers are forced to make smart, strategic
choices in order to successfully navigate the
layout, a trait particularly evident at the par-3
11th hole.
w w w. v s g a . o r g
18_VSGA_MayJune15.indd 17
IF YOU GO
At the par-4 16th hole, players are required to play
exacting shots to set up a scoring opportunity.
MAGNOLIA GREEN GOLF CLUB
17301 Memorial Tournament Drive
Moseley, Va. 23120
Phone: (804) 639-5701
Website: www.magnoliagreengolfclub.com
General Manager: Bobby Kidder
Head Golf Professional: Mike Russell
Superintendent: Jay Wade
No of Holes: 18 Par: 36-36—72
Yardages: 7,150 yards (green); 6,724 yards
(black); 6,216 yards (blue); 5,640 yards (white);
4,783 yards (red)
The Playing Surface: Bermudagrass (tees,
fairways and rough); bentgrass (greens)
Architect(s): Nicklaus Design in association
with Tom Clark
Type: Semiprivate
The Shot You’ll Need: Magnolia Green is built
on rolling terrain. However, most holes allow for
strategic plays to generally flat areas of the golf
course. When players encounter uneven lies, they
still have a chance to hit a quality shot with the
correct fundamentals.
“If you’re on an upslope, take at least one extra
club because the upward angle of the hill effectively
adds loft. Play the ball slightly more forward than
normal, and try to set your shoulders parallel with
the slope,” says Mike Ru