Creighton Farms, the upscale residential golf community located just north of Gilbert's Corner, has officially switched hands, trading out the iconic blue and white "RC" of Ritz-Carlton, the property's former operator, for the somewhat more understated, seriffed "S" of Southworth Development LLC.

While Southworth Development, and its wholly owned subsidiaries Southworth Golf and Southworth Europe, may not resonate as clearly with the layperson as the Ritz-Carlton brand, this is quite possibly a case where less (well-known, that is) is quite probably more.

Southworth is a privately held company specializing in the creation of residential resort and hospitality-branded real estate communities.

In other words, unlike the Ritz-Carlton, for which Creighton Farms represented a foray into a new and unique market, Southworth Development and its team have been involved in precisely the upscale community development and management business that Creighton Farms represents for years.

After serving as President and CEO of Willowbend Development, a company he co-founded, for 14 years, David Southworth formed Southworth Development in 2005. In addition to Creighton Farms, the current stable of properties owned and/or managed by Southworth includes Machrihanish Dunes on the west coast of Scotland, Meredith Bay on New Hampshire's famed Lake Winnipesaukee, and Renaissance Golf Club in Haverhill, Massachusetts.

"We are very confident in our ability to maximize the potential of this property and this opportunity," said Tim Cole, Executive Vice President – Asset Management, of Southworth Development. "Creighton Farms is an absolute jewel, located in an area both historic and stunning, situated just 30 miles west of Washington, D.C. We're thrilled to add the property to our portfolio and beyond excited about creating something here that fulfills the dreams of everyone involved."

"We firmly believe in what we're doing here," added Jason Paul, the new Director of Operations for Southworth Golf and formerly the General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club at Creighton Farms, as the property was known previously. "The original idea of what Creighton Farms could be, what it would be, is still very much alive. We still see this as the being the premier property of its kind in the mid-Atlantic region. None, and it's very important we're absolutely clear on this, none of the qualities of the property that have made it so unique and so attractive to so many people for so long will be compromised.

Southworth is still entirely dedicated to providing our residents and our members with a top-of-the-line experience at Creighton Farms, from our homes to our golf course to our residential services.

"In the next six-to-twelve months we should see the completion of both our new maintenance building and the new entrance on Watson Road, and we are very hopeful to have shovels in the ground for our new Club House overlooking the 18th green.

"Our beautiful, Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course was recognized as one of the 'Best New Courses in 2008' by Golf Digest, Golf Magazine and Travel + Leisure Golf – one of only two private courses in the world to be recognized by all three publications last year."

Creighton Farms is taking an environmental position as well; The Club at Creighton Farms was recently granted Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary status. The award winning education and certification program helps golf courses protect the environment and preserve the natural heritage of the game of golf.

And as far as taking an active role in the surrounding community, Creighton Farms is hard at work there as well. Last year, Creighton Farms hosted the Loudoun Youth Invitational for the Loudoun Youth Initiative and helped raise $200,000 that was split between the Loudoun Youth Initiative and Dulles Youth Sports. This year's invitational will be back May 18th. And Creighton Farms will continue to honor its role as the official Corporate Sponsor of Oatlands Plantation, a role it has played since 2007.

Time will be the surest judge of success but, for now at least, Creighton Farms seems to have found the owner, developer and manager with its best interest at heart, and the track-record to pull it off.