Reston National Golf Course

Reston National Golf Course is a public facility in Reston, Virginia, designed by Ed Ault and opened in 1990. Ault, a prolific architect active primarily in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast during the latter decades of the twentieth century, created numerous daily-fee courses characterized by strategic bunkering and playability for a range of skill levels. Reston National occupies rolling terrain within the planned community of Reston, roughly twenty miles west of Washington, D.C., and reflects the region's transition from farmland to suburban development. The course plays through wooded corridors and across moderate elevation changes typical of northern Virginia's Piedmont landscape. Water features appear on several holes, and mature tree lines define fairways and frame approach shots. The routing incorporates natural contours to create variety in stance and shot selection, with greens that feature modest undulation. Ault's design emphasizes accessibility while maintaining enough length and hazard placement to challenge better players. As a public course serving the densely populated Dulles Corridor, Reston National accommodates high rounds of play and functions as a neighborhood amenity within Reston's network of recreational facilities. The course provides a straightforward test of golf in a suburban setting, with conditioning and pace of play typical of well-trafficked municipal-style operations in the Washington metropolitan area.