Hermitage Country Club

The Sabot course at Hermitage Country Club sits in Manakin-Sabot, Virginia, a rural community northwest of Richmond along the James River corridor. Designed by Arthur Hills with Ed Ault, the course occupies rolling terrain characteristic of the Virginia Piedmont, where elevation changes and mature hardwood forests shape the playing experience. Hills, known for his work across the Mid-Atlantic and beyond, typically emphasizes strategic variety and playability across different skill levels, and his collaboration with Ault on this layout reflects those principles. The routing takes advantage of the property's natural topography, with holes moving through wooded corridors and across open meadows. The James River watershed influences the landscape, and the course features several holes where water comes into play, along with greenside bunkering that defines approach angles. The design asks players to navigate elevation changes off the tee and into greens, rewarding accurate iron play and course management over pure distance. Hermitage Country Club operates as a private facility serving the Richmond area, with the Sabot course complementing the club's other amenities. The club maintains a traditional country club atmosphere, and the course sees regular member play throughout the season. The Sabot layout provides a home course for competitive club events and serves as a venue for regional amateur tournaments, fitting into the network of established private clubs in the greater Richmond golf community.