General’s Ridge is often considered one of the lively and surprising courses in the D.C. metro area. “It’s so challenging, that it’s fun,” said Buddy Behringer, General Manager of the course.It’s also a favorite haunt of local wildlife; hawks, deer, fox and other animals and birds consider General’s Ridge their home.
Our course, a Jerry Slack design that opened in the mid-1990s, is now operated by the Prince William County Park Authority. Our name comes from the fact that Civil War history and the conflict at Bull Run happened in the area. Reportedly, troops camped near where our 4th hole is located.
Tee selection is very important at General’s Ridge as the course can be testy if you make your drives from the tips.
According to Behringer: “We tell players on the scorecard that if they have a handicap of 18 or more, they should play from the whites (third from the back tees). You need a single digit handicap to play from the tips.”
A good example of the challenges for those playing from the tips is the 3rd, a par-4 (390 yards from the back tees) that can require a drive of 260 yards with a carry over wild plants and a stream to get into the fairway. Once you’re on the fairway, you face a sharp dogleg left.
The 4th hole (537 yards from the back tees) has recently undergone some major improvements.
'When they opened the course nine years ago, it was a par-5,” Behringer said. “But a lot of people complained about the difficult, and they made it a par-3. Now it’s back to being a par-5 which put us back as a par-72 course, instead of a par-70.”
