area attract a lot of attention.
Clubhouse Expansion and Renovation Complete Offering breathtaking views and a wonderful family atmosphere, the completion of the newly updated Clubhouse at Two Rivers Country Club was well worth the wait. 7000 additional square feet, along with an interior makeover, opened in the spring of 2008. The ultimate goal was to add more room to accommodate the growing number of families moving into Governor’s Land as well as the club’s growing banquet business. TRCC is now a destination for fine dining, casual family dining, and special occasions.
Creative members of the community were involved in the transformation. Every aspect of the clubhouse got a facelift. The River Room, Cypress Lounge, and rest areas were completely renovated from top to bottom. The new casual Osprey Bar & Grille and Terrace bar are big hits too. Complete with outdoor dining, either covered under the veranda or on the patio overlooking the river, the new dining experience offers live music on weekends and a whole new ambience to members.
Charlie Raphael, president of the TRCC Board of Governors, said, “The final product is amazing and that the $5.5 million investment made by club members was money well spent. The expansion and renovation of the clubhouse clearly solidifies Governor’s Land’s position in the marketplace as the premier private country club community in the region.”
The expanded space will not only accommodate this growth but will allow the Club to continue to build its banquet business without having to close the entire Club to its members,” Raphael continued. “This adds to the Club’s utility, benefits its members and increases potential revenue. With Two Rivers as the center of social life for residents of Governor’s Land, the new Clubhouse will clearly add value to the homes here.
Fitness Center Expansion Complete Governor’s Land at Two Rivers recently doubled the size of its Park West Fitness Center by adding 770 square feet. David King, Governor’s Land General Manager, said, “As Governor’s Land approaches build-out, our fitness center users needed more space, especially during early morning peak hours.”
The updated fitness center now features four treadmills, four elliptical trainers, two stationary bikes (one upright, one recumbent), a Smith Machine, and weight stations. New cardio-vision units and Direct TV service allows users of the treadmills, ellipticals, and bikes to watch one of three new TVs as they work out.
The fitness center, as well as swim and tennis facilities in Governor’s Land, are available to all property owners as well as equity and invitational members of Two Rivers Country Club. For membership information, contact Mark Soderberg, 258-4610.
Mike Prokopik, Two Rivers Country Club tennis professional, adds, “With walking trails, one of the best golf courses in the state, two swimming pools, and a complete tennis program, featuring six clay courts and four hard courts, we have more than just great recreational facilities. We have qualified professionals to make the fitness experience here the best that it can be.”
TRCC's 17th Hole as a "Great Hole" There is no debate over the natural beauty of this portion of the Two Rivers golf course or the challenges designed by Tom Fazio. Virginia Golfer obviously agrees.
Here is how Bruce Matson describes it in his July/August article, "Great Holes," in Virginia Golfer :
As part of its development of The Governor's Land in the late 1980s, Dominion Resources, through its subsidiary Dominion Land Management Company, engaged Tom Fazio to design an 18-hole layout at the confluence of the James and Chickahominy rivers just west of Williamsburg on Route 5. As the centerpiece of Two Rivers Country Club, the golf course winds its way through the 800-home subdivision, features modest elevation changes, and finishes dramatically with three holes on the James River .
This last stretch includes the par-3 17th, which hugs the east bank of the James River . The well-contoured putting surface, which slopes up from front to back—and helps feed shots hit away from the river back toward the center of the green—is nonetheless receptive to well-struck shots. A deep, expansive bunker, however, protects the entire left side of the green making recovery for par a significant accomplishment. Additionally, when the flagstick is positioned in the back left, a particularly severe challenge is presented at this already-daunting hole. In a match play competition, these bunker features alone reveal No. 17 as a critical test because par is often sufficient to win the hole or even close out the match.
From the championship markers, the 17th plays to 209 yards. However, with the wind coming off the river to the left and a green depth that can bring at least four clubs into play, gauging distance control is important and the demand of playing the right type of shot emphasizes why the penultimate hole at Two Rivers is so strong in its shot value characteristics. The putting surface is left open on the right side, affording players a bail-out area should they wish to play away from the hazard. Certainly this great hole is among the premier par-3 17th holes anywhere, such as the famous island green at TPC Sawgrass and the one-shot hole bordering the James River at Kingsmill's River Course.
Following its opening in 1992, Two Rivers welcomed the VSGA ( Virginia State Golf Association) Four-Ball Championship one year later and has helped to promote golf in Virginia by supporting the activities of the association. On August 3-4, the VSGA will run and the club will host 36-hole sectional qualifying for the U.S. Amateur Championship. Competitors who successfully qualify will compete in the country's highest amateur championship being staged at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa , Oklahoma , from August 24-30.
Author Bruce H. Matson is a writer and golf historian from Richmond and serves on the VSGA board of directors. He is a member of Golfweek's national rating panel for its " America's Best 100 Courses."
4th of July Parade in Governor’s Land The annual 4th of July parade down Two Rivers Road is a touch of small town America that always brings smiles to the hundreds watching and participating. It’s “very Norman Rockwell-ish,” said this year’s chair, Kaye Vickerman. Our community owes a big thank you to all of the resident volunteers who plan it each year.
Two members of Colonial Williamsburg’s alumni Fife & Drum Corps, along with a U.S. Marines color guard, led off the 2009 parade. Typhoons swim team members, resident volunteers with Dream Catchers, and residents with the local MG Club participated in 2009. However, the biggest smiles seemed to come for and from the Famous Governor’s Land Lawn Mower Brigade.
Business Week & Golf Digest Link Tom Fazio Courses with Real Estate Appreciation Statistics indicate that living in a golf community with a golf course designed by a premier designer such as Tom Fazio can increase the potential for real estate appreciation.
When designing the Two Rivers golf course, Tom Fazio took full advantage of the topography and natural beauty of the area. With serene woodlands throughout the course and the James River along the 16th, 17th and 18th holes, it offers the true essence of a private club feel.
Assistant Golf Pro Featured in PGA Magazine The Assistant Golf Professional at Two Rivers Country Club, Bill Rutledge, was featured in a PGA Magazine profile.
Ever since retiring from the Air Force as a Brigadier General, Bill Rutledge has enjoyed a career in a sport at which he has always excelled. Throughout his Air Force career, golf has been a passion of his. Now it has turned into a fulfilling second career as a Class-A Golf Professional. Whether as an instructor pilot or a golf instructor, he takes pleasure in seeing others enjoy themselves and improve their skills.
Bill joined Two Rivers Country Club in 2002 and received his certification as a Class-A Golf Professional in 2006.
Williamsburg as a Place to Retire or Raise a Family Whether exploring the idea of retiring to Williamsburg or raising a family here, people from around the country look kindly on Williamsburg , The area offers charm, sophistication, culture, green space, top-notch health care, and history . In 2007, Virginia Business Magazine described Williamsburg as a “retirement mecca.” Money Magazine identified Williamsburg as one of the top five of all US cities for retirement in 2006. The Governor’s Land at Two Rivers community has evolved over the last few years as a blend of retirees and families with children.