Location » Fredericksburg, Va.
Phone » (540) 891-0111
Fees » Monday-Thursday $45, Friday $49, Saturday-Sunday $59
Par/Yardage/Rating/Slope
72/6834/72.1/136
Course rating
Conditions » 4
Layout » 4
Facilities » 4
Value » 4
* Out of five
Description » Low-lying, 18-year-old, privately owned public course, with Civil War themes, traverses woodland and wetlands, serving as the centerpiece of a housing development which does not encroach on the layout.
Reason to play » It’s vastly improved from its poorly maintained, non-descript early years. Lee’s Hill has stepped up its game. Beefed up by a 2003 renovation, which included upgraded turf, and enhanced further with a 2007 ownership change, Lee’s Hill has morphed into one of the top moderately priced courses in the Washington area.
Historic perspective » After the Battle of Fredericksburg, Gen. Robert E. Lee’s confederate troops camped here in the Massaponax Creek Basin. Civil War trenches are visible around the course’s perimeter. Lee’s Hill pays homage to its roots with historic markers near tee boxes at No. 6, No. 8 and No. 13. The theme extends to the cleverly named tee markers — Cannon (6,834 yards), Rifle (6,268), Saber (5,925) and Pistol (5,064).
Power move » A power line cuts a wide swath through the property, but is visible on only a few holes and never comes into play, serving as a transitional zone. Holes No. 2 through No. 8 lie east of the power line. The rest of the course is to the west.
Designer » Lee’s Hill is the work of Bill Love of Ault, Clark & Associates, the most prolific golf course architecture firm in the Washington area. Ault, Clark & Associates’ best local courses include Blue Ridge Shadows, Reston National, Pleasant Valley, Northwest Park, Worthington Manor and both courses at the Beach Club in Ocean City.
Prettiest hole
No. 5, Par 3, 150 Yards
Portrayed on the scorecard, this hole is a serene stage unto itself, surrounded on all sides by trees, with a pond in the middle. This is the shortest hole on the course and the green is wide, but it isn’t a snap. The green slopes off sharply in front and back, spitting short shots back into the pond and long ones into the woods.
Best hole
No. 14, Par 3, 195 Yards
It’s all carry and a challenge. Hole plays over a gulch, then a pair of bunkers to a wide green that falls off on all four sides. Attractive green complex is framed by trees. Woods on the left are in play, making the hole more intimidating from the tee.
Toughest hole
No. 4, Par 4, 446 Yards
When you play Lee’s Hill, come early and get warmed up. The first four holes measure 403, 579, 510, and 446. No. 4, a dogleg right and the longest par four at Lee’s Hill, poses much difficulty. The drive is downhill to a fairway which slopes left, funneling solid shots toward a large bunker and woods. The approach is long and uphill to a deceptive, diagonal green.
Signature hole
No. 18, Par 5, 605 Yards
Attractive finishing hole doglegs toward clubhouse, with woods on the right and a lake on the left. No reason to try to cut distance. This three-shot hole is the longest on the course and demands accuracy from the tee and the fairway. Approach to an ample green, is comparatively easy.
Look-alike hole
No. 10, Par 5, 554 Yards
A mirror-image of No. 18, the hole runs down the other side of the lake, across from the finisher. This right-to-left hole is more visually intimidating and strategic than No. 18. Big hitters will be able to reach this hole in two, though the second shot is a gamble with an arm of the lake reaching toward the front green. Laying up is no easy task either.
