Cannon Ridge, CLOSED 2017

Detailed description of Cannon Ridge, CLOSED 2017

Cannon Ridge Golf Club is an 18 hole semi-private golf course located in Fredericksburg, Virginia.

The course first opened for play in 2003. The course was designed by Deane Beman and Bobby Weed.

Cannon Ridge is a Par 71 layout measuring 6,907 yards from the back tees. The greens, tee boxes, and fairways are L-93 Bent grass, while the rough is a combination of Tall Fescue and Kentucky Bluegrass. the course is laid out over 200 acres of historic Virginia battleground.

Cannon Ridge is nationally recognized by Golf Digest Magazine as one of the best golf courses in the country and the best in Virginia.

Highlight holes include:

Hole #3, a 547-yard par five. You're firing over a large ravine from the tee, but the landing area is very large. From there, you've got a bit of a decision, as you're looking at another sizeable carryover natural areas to reach the green. There is plenty of room to lay up to the left, should you choose the safer play.

Hole #4, #5, and #6 are the "meat" of the front nine, a 230-yard par three, 463-yard par four and a 499-yard par four. Five is the number one handicap hole, 463 yards working uphill to beautifully framed green on the hill. Course designer Dean Beman said they'd originally intended to lower the green on #5 a bit to make the hole play a little easier, but history intervened (an archeological situation), and they couldn't remove the dirt.

Hole #12 is one of the most picturesque par fives you'll see anywhere. It's Virginia Golf at its finest. Beman's again given you a wide area to drive the ball, but if you're too long down the left side, the ball will roll down an embankment into the rough. That'll leave a tough layup, too. If you're in the fairway on the right, you might be able to try for the green in two, though the green is raised up.

Hole #13 is another interesting par four (416 yards), primarily on the second shot - it almost looks like there are two greens to shoot at. When they first laid out that hole, they had a restriction on how far back into the trees they could go. So, there's a bunker over to the left side that almost looks like it's near a green - but they left it, because when you drive it into the fairway bunker and you're hitting into the green, that bunker may come into play.

Par for the course is 71. From the back tees, the course plays to 6,907 yards. From the forward tees, the course plays to 4,616 yards. The longest hole on the course is # 16, a par-5 that plays to 569 yards. The shortest hole on the course is # 7, a par-3 that plays to 161 yards from the back tees.

Watch out for # 5, a 463 yard par-4 challenge and the #1 handicap hole on the course. The easiest hole is # 14, a 374 yard par-4.

Closed December 31, 2017

The course has been closed and reopened a number of times. The course was closed from 2012 to 2016. During this time the course was maintained playable condition at considerable expense. The course reopened in 2016 with a lease fee to the new operator at a reported $30,000 per month. The ownership terminated the lease early, reportedly paying the operator "financial damage fees" to cover the operator's loss caused by the early termination of the lease. Apparently, the course owners have other plans for the property.