Matthai unveils second in Md. at Patriot's Glen

Golf Course News, Jan 2002 by Torsiello, John

ELKTON, Md. - Jeff Matthai and Morris and Ritchie Associates, Inc. have addressed the need here for a midlevel public golf course with the opening of The Club at Patriot's Glen.

"What we wanted to do with Patriot's Glen was fill a niche," said Matthai, who is a project manager for Morris and Ritchie Associates, Inc. of Abingdon, Md. The company's golf division has served as project engineers for several acclaimed courses, including Bulle Rock Golf Course in Havre de Grace, Md., and Beach Tree Golf Course in Aberdeen, Md.

"There have been a lot of upscale, daily-fee courses built in the area [between Baltimore and Philadelphia] with green fees in the $95 to $140 range. There are a number of existing municipal courses in the $20 to $30 range. Patriot's Glen is in the $45 to $55 range. We feel that the course is a bargain for a truly fine public layout," said Matthai.

This is Matthai's second solo design. His first course, Mountain Ranch Golf Course in Joppa, opened last year.

Trent Wright, general manager/director of golf at Patriot's Glen, said the reception for the new course has been beyond expectations.

"We had around 3,500 plays in the first month," he said. "Of course, the weather has been cooperative this fall, but we have had almost three times the rounds we thought we would from the start."

Matthai said Patriot's Glen, so named because of the area's rich Revolutionary War history, was carved out of mature woodlands, giving it the feel of an established course.

The par-72 layout was built by Chicago-based Wadsworth Golf Construction Co., and plays around 6,700 yards from the tips.

"The course rolls through stands of hardwood trees, which makes for a traditional feel. There will ultimately be 400 single family housing units on the site, but the property line setbacks are such that the course stands by itself," said Matthai.

While the term "playable" has become cliche, it does apply to Patriot's Glen. Matthai said he likes giving players of various skill levels multiple choices off the tee box.

"For me, the thing that makes a good hole is having 10 people play it 10 different ways," he said.

For example, the third hole at Patriot's Glen is loaded with choices. The dogleg left par 4 plays only 315 yards and big hitters can consider reaching the green by chewing off the left side, which is lined with bunkers. A conservative play calls for an iron off the tee that will leave the player a wedge into an angled green guarded by a bunker on the right side.

The par 5s are on the modest side and reachable in two for long hitters. The 18th is a classic, shortish hole (515 yards) that has water running up almost the entire right side. A good tee shot will allow the player to go for the green in two, but it's almost a full carry across water.

Matthai said the actual course construction posed few challenges with very little excavation and shaping needed. It was built in two years.

"The biggest challenge was the soil. It's a clay base and we had to put in some soil amendments," he said.

The course has a single row irrigation system running down the middle of its fairways, which are a new three-way blend of Kentucky bluegrass. The greens are bentgrass.

"The new bluegrass doesn't seem to have the problems associated with ryegrass. You don't need to water it as much and you get a good lie off it," said Matthai.