In 1918 Pennsylvania native Samuel Riddle bought a yearling for $5,000 and brought him to his GlenRiddle Farm near Berlin, Maryland.
Born in Lexington Kentucky the horse was named "Man O' War" as a tribute to his original owner who joined the US Army at age 65 to serve in World War I.
Man O' War would entered his first race in 1919 and over the next two years set five world records and became the most storied thoroughbred of the 20th century.
The 17,000 acre GlenRiddle Farm would go on to raise some of the most famous racehorses in American racehorse history. Now, over half of a century later the main stable house and surrounding countryside has been transformed into a beautiful two golf course resort we all can enjoy.
The links style Man O' War course opened in 2006 and is a fitting tribute to the Scotch-Irish ancestry of the Riddle family. You cannot help but admire the detail and dedication of this authentic links setup.
Sometimes courses here in the Mid-Atlantic get a bit confused by the term "Links Design". I've played many courses with the links designation who's designer seems to believe the absence of trees is the only qualifying factor. But, on the course, the fairways, rough and greens are soft and lush just like any typical parkland course.
The Man O' War course however has all the bases covered. Tall heather grass is ever present engulfing a multitude of dunes and moguls that seem to have been molded by erosion and wind over hundreds of years. The tall grass seems ever present providing aesthetic charter around various tee boxes and acts as strategically placed hazard guarding against over aggressive play.
Bunkers of all sizes and varieties abound on the Man O' War course. There are the fitting sod bunkers, both visible and hidden from view.
What may seem to be a straight forward approach can sometimes turn into a daunting bunker shot, so don't get too aggressive and start firing directly at the pin.
The most unique bunker on the entire course has to be the "Race Track Bunker". This cross hazard is prominent on three different holes on the front nine and was once the actual racetrack where the famous thoroughbreds trained.
The greens, fairways and rough are everything you'd expect in a links design; firm, fast and daunting, a fitting tribute to the course's namesake. Fairway bunkers that may normally seem out of reach from the tee can easily come in to play with the amount of roll these firm fairways produce. You have to adapt to a rare design few of us experience on a regular basis.
It seems each part of the course and clubhouse are a testament to the historic thoroughbreds that once called GlenRiddle Farm home. On and off the course you can envision these majestic powerful animals everywhere.
No reminder resonates more than the rusty starting gate at the beginning of "Race Track Bunker" near the 401-yard Par-4 Number Six green. If you listen closely and look beyond the three dimensions of this world, you just might see the ghost of Man O' War lining up for one more dominating run.
Amigos Favorite Hole: With a multitude of holes that could be a signature on any course, we decided the 195-yard Par-3 No. 13 was our favorite.
This picturesque par three is a great test and exemplifies the meaning of "beauty and the beast." A large pond is the centerpiece of the hole with different set of tees that slowly progress around the pond to the green.
Your angle to the green and thus the difficulty of the shot depends on which tees you play. From the forward tees you have more green to work with and from the back two sets of tees, you have a narrow difficult approach.
When you step to the tee the target is a bit intimidating. There is not any real bail out. The best play is to take one extra club and go for the middle of the green. A par on this hole is a great score. Taking dead aim for the pin could easily lead to bogey or worse if you're not careful.