The biggest event in women’s golf–the Solheim Cup–is almost upon us. In just a few days, the best female golfers from the US and Europe, the likes of World No.1 Nelly Korda and Charley Hull, will descend upon Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainsville, Virginia. Let’s find out about this historic golf club and what makes it so special.

The Robert Trent Jones Golf Club is named after the famous golf course architect and designer who is known as the father of modern golf course architecture. Robert Trent Jones Sr. bought the land, began constructing the course in 1988, and opened it in 1991.

The par-72 course plays between 5,570 and 7,425 yards. The land caught the eye of the famed golf architect as he was flying over the area, which had been purchased by the city of Manassas to build a dam on Lake Manassas to supply drinking water to the city. The man who first installed a putting green on White House premises for President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1954 was immediately captivated by the location and considered it his masterpiece. He envisioned it becoming a championship course in the heart of America.

The architect and professor who built and remodeled over 450 courses once said, “The terrain is aesthetically perfect. I don’t think we could have done anything better anywhere.” Built at an elevation of 300 feet right on the lakefront, the course offers a magnificent view of Lake Manassas. The back nine runs adjacent to the lake, and on the par-three 11th hole, the player must hit across the lake.

After the course opened, it gained enormous attention. Perhaps it was the Georgian clubhouse or the famed hospitality of the hosts, or perhaps it holds a special place in the hearts of American golfers and fans due to its association with the Presidents Cup.

The birthplace of the Presidents Cup

This beautiful and serene course hosted the first four Presidents Cups before the event alternated between the United States and the International team’s countries. In 1994, it was Team USA who etched their name into history as the winners of the inaugural Cup, which was presided over by President Gerald Ford.

The second Presidents Cup was also won by Team USA, but the third edition was won for the first and only time by the International Team. In the next edition, in 2000, three-time captain of the Internationals, Peter Thomson, led them for the last time. President Bill Clinton presided over the tournament, which Team USA won 21.5 to 10.5. The last time the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club hosted the Presidents Cup was in 2005. Since then, it has traveled across America, from North Carolina to California, and from South Africa to South Korea and Canada.

This week, the unique venue hosts the premier ladies’ golf tournament, the Solheim Cup. The competitors are surely eager to make their mark on this course and become part of American golfing history.