Golf Course Architecture - Issue 65, July 2021

69 accepting that each course has its own unique number of holes, based entirely on local conditions. This enables struggling golf facilities to appeal to all stakeholders by simply abandoning a handful of holes, depending on their design, at little or no cost. This way, the golfers keep their course, they can play in less time at slightly lowered prices, while more land becomes available for general outdoor life and other forms of development. Everyone wins.” Belmont Golf Course in Richmond, Virginia, is an interesting test case. Originally the home of Hermitage Country Club, Belmont was created by legendary architect AW Tillinghast in 1917 (as a traditional eighteen-hole layout) and was later renovated by Donald Ross. The course hosted the 1949 PGA Championship, which was won by Sam Snead – the only time a men’s Major championship has ever been held in Virginia. In the 1970s, Hermitage moved to a new layout, and the course was taken over by Henrico County. In the years since, Belmont lost a fair amount of its previous lustre, and the county signalled that something needed to be done if the course was to survive. Local golfers banded together to preserve their golf course, and in light of this, the county resolved to seek proposals for its improvement. When Henrico County began looking for a new operator for the course, though, Belmont’s transformation began. When the county put out an RFP, it was won by the local chapter of the First Tee youth development organisation, which partnered with Davis Love III’s golf design firm to regenerate the course. Love Golf Design architect Scot “ It’s about time we return to golf ’s age-old but lost tradition, accepting that each course has its own unique number of holes, based entirely on local conditions” Scot Sherman has led a reinvention at Belmont Golf Course, including the creation of a twelve- hole course, a short layout and a putting course Photo: First Tee - Greater Richmond/Belmont Golf Course Photo: The Drone Co. – RVA