13030 Palmer's Way Glen Allen, VA 23059 804-798-4996Visit WebsiteDownload Scorecard More Information The Federal Club near Richmond begins 2011 with new local owners, outstanding course conditions and a charter membership in the Virginia Golf Trail.

Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling made the official announcement establishing the Virginia Golf Trail on October 12, 2010. The goal is to promote Virginia as a premier golf destination by connecting top-rated clubs in every region of the state, as well as highlighting other tourist venues like historical sites, hotels, restaurants and wineries that golfers can enjoy when they’re not on the links.

“We’re absolutely delighted to among the first clubs to sign up with the Virginia Golf Trail,” said managing partner Anne Gail Jennings. “When we got the invitation to join, it was an easy decision.”

Jennings formed a new company last year with her father Pettus Gilman and her brothers Will and Chris. They bought The Federal Club and the planned Mountain Run residential community in a bankruptcy sale and got right to work on their primary asset.

“We think that The Federal Club golf course is one of the best in the Richmond area,” Jennings said. “Our immediate goal was to make a number of course enhancements, buy some needed maintenance equipment—we’ve even got a whole new fleet of golf carts. The grand reopening in November was a big success and we’re ready for 2011.”

Trevor Hedgepeth was hired as The Federal Club’s first superintendent in 2005 and participated in the construction of the golf course. In late 2009 he added the role of club general manager to his responsibilities and is enthusiastic about welcoming Virginia Golf Trail players this season.

“The golf course has literally never been in better shape,” Hedgepeth said. “We hope that visiting players will come out and enjoy what we think are the best greens and fairways in this part of Virginia.”

The Federal Club course is an Arnold Palmer Signature Design that Palmer created with architect Ed Seay. In addition to the skillful routing that meanders through former pasturelands in the Hanover County countryside, The Federal Club greens are covered with lush A1/A4 bent grass. The fairways and tee boxes sport Declaration bent grass and the rough is Bluegrass fescue. Even in cool-weather months, The Federal Club golf course is a brilliant emerald green.

“Bent grass is a year-round turf,” Hedgepeth said. “It doesn’t go dormant in the winter like Bermuda. Even a big snowfall like the one we had Christmas weekend doesn’t harm bent grass, provided that you’ve put down the appropriate mold treatment, which we did in the fall. The course has an excellent drainage infrastructure, so when the snow melts, the living grass absorbs all of the moisture it wants and the rest is funneled off of the playing surfaces. Because of the types of grasses we have here and the drainage system, we’re back open for play within a day or two after the snow melts and delays due to rain during the rest of the year are minimal.”

The par-72 Federal Club layout offers five sets of tees, including the Black tees that make it a challenging 7,073 yards in total length for scratch golfers. Playing from the White, Gold and Red tees shortens the course for club members and visiting players, but not the enjoyment. The designers also included a U.S. Kids Junior set of tees that reduces the course length to 3,044 yards so that younger golfers can join adults for a round and still have a championship golf experience.

The practice facilities at The Federal Club include four large bent grass tee complexes and five target greens. There’s also a bent grass putting green, a practice bunker and a chipping area. The professional golf staff offers private lessons for beginners of all ages and instructional programs for golfers who want to improve their play on the course.

“The new owners deserve a lot of credit for the course improvements we made last year and for fully funding my maintenance budget for 2011,” Hedgepeth said. “But I also want to give equal praise to our membership. We have 145 active members now and many of them have been with the club from the beginning. They stuck with us during a tough transition period, they support our business plan going forward and they’re very positive about our future.”

In addition to joining the Virginia Golf Trail and welcoming visiting players, the semi-private Federal Club has a close working relationship with Spring Creek Golf Club, also a charter member of the Trail.

“Spring Creek’s GM Brian Bincel and I have been great friends since we worked together at Kinloch Golf Club,” Hedgepeth said. “Spring Creek is a terrific course with bent grass greens and fairways that are similar to ours. We have an arrangement that allows members of each club to enjoy full playing privileges on both courses.”

“We’re very excited about being a part of the Virginia Golf Trail,” Jennings concluded. “We hope that our participation will encourage a lot of players here in Virginia and from other states to come and play what we think is a truly outstanding golf course.”

The Federal Club is located in Glen Allen, about a fifteen-minute drive north of downtown Richmond and six miles west of I-295 off of Mountain Road (Route 33) at 13030 Palmers Way. The phone number for the pro shop is 804-798-4996. For more information, visit the website at www.thefederalclub.com. Consumer Reviews Price Par72 Yardage6549 Rating72.1 Slope141 Year Built2007 DesignerArnold Palmer Dress CodeAppropriate Golf Attire GreensBent Metal Spikes Early Tee Time Sand Bunkers Water Hazards Greens Aerated Overseeding Walking FacilitiesClubhouse, Pro Shop, Practice Facilities, Putting Green, Chipping Area, Driving Range, Lessons, Snackbar, Pavillion, Swimming Pool. Food