Virginia Country Club Work?

[BJones]

Does anyone have information on the work being done at Virginia CC in Long Beach?

[Tommy Naccarato]

Yes. What would you like to know?

Todd Eckenrode is the architect.  The work being done, so far looks to be a HUGE improvement.

[BJones]

Just a curious observer.  Is it a total renovation?  Will the routing change?  If not what will they do with #14?  Glad to hear their making improvements, Virginia is a special place.

[Bill_McBride]

I have very fond memories of Virginia.  In a team match, my UCSB Gauchos vs Long Beach State, I beat their 5 and 6 guys in a four ball match.  Our 6 guy was sick.  I don't remember much except the closing hole with the uphill approach shot.  That's about the extent of my highlight reel. 

[Tommy Naccarato]

Yes, Total Renovation.

The routing will not change.

Not sure what your question is about #14?  The hole will not change other then possibly the height of the green, which is a 6'-7' tall mound of fill created by John Horribottle III to create one of his patented USGA greens over the top of the original California push-up which was made out of beautiful and natural to the site river sand.  It was the site of the original 5th green in the William Watson routing of 1920-1921.  Even better in that routing was the original 6th which bordered the riverbed the entire left side before it was rerouted after the Great Floods of 1938, and which Tillinghast and Bell came back and rerouted the course more into the riverbed which became fertile golf land.

In my opinion, I think the Watson course was far better, but the necessity of selling holes 12, 13 & 14 (and 15th tee) that became the lots on Long Beach Blvd. and along the current South boundary helped saved the club during a rather hard time.

That William Watson course looks to have been a pretty cool place when compared. (I just repeated myself on purpose!)

[Tim_Weiman]

Tommy,

Virginia was an old oil industry hang out which I got to play several times. Don't remember anything being outstanding, but it was pretty nice and certainly had its own character.

Would love to know what, if anything, is being done to the drop shot Par 3. That hole was lots of fun to play.

[Blake Conant]

Just a curious observer.  Is it a total renovation?  Will the routing change?  If not what will they do with #14?  Glad to hear their making improvements, Virginia is a special place.

3 new greens (4, 6, 9) and new bunkers.  Some subtle fairway regrading.  Regrassing everything to bermuda with bentgrass greens.  Lots of turf removal and native replanting.  on 14, a right greenside bunker is being added to the right green.  Left green TBD.  The cement pond in the fairway is being taken out.

[Tommy Naccarato]

Just a curious observer.  Is it a total renovation?  Will the routing change?  If not what will they do with #14?  Glad to hear their making improvements, Virginia is a special place.

3 new greens (4, 6, 9) and new bunkers.  Some subtle fairway regrading.  Regrassing everything to bermuda with bentgrass greens.  Lots of turf removal and native replanting.  on 14, a right greenside bunker is being added to the right green.  Left green TBD.  The cement pond in the fairway is being taken out.

WTF do you know?!?!? 

Tim,  If you go to Max's in the aerial photo section there is an image of Virginia CC from the Watson course that is set using the 3D features of Google Earth. I think you'll come to appreciate what were some outstanding holes that were on the course, also was a Chasm/Biarritz-style hole which is now in a similar location as the current 15th green, only it played from the house that is on the hill, right, above the current tee which plays now through the chasm as a blind shot par 3.  The green is different today then the original.

[Tim_Weiman]

Tommy,


I need to get back to Long Beach. Hope to see you sometime this fall.