Birdwood Golf Course (Charlottesville, VA) Photo Tour

[Matt Albanese]

Hole 13 - Par 3, 209 yards.
 
The view from the new thirteenth tee is very familiar. It utilizes the last 200 yards of the old par 5 seventeenth hole. The green site has been retained with slight modifications.
 
Here is the view of the new downhill par 3 thirteenth from the tee. The tenth hole is seen on the left.

 
The green slopes fairly steeply from back to front. There is a ridge that divides the front and back sections of the green.
 
Compare and contrast this to the old approach to the seventeenth (photo credit: https://worldgolfer.blog/2017/03/17/review-birdwood-golf-course/)

 
This hole works better as a mid-length par 3 than the old hole as the approach was somewhat awkward from longer range given the severity of the slopes and dogleg right nature of the hole.
 
Here are a few views looking back at the old seventeenth tee from the new thirteenth tee.


 
The new fourteenth hole shares the corridor of the old eighteenth. It will be discussed when the photo tour returns.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I played Birdwood today. Wow what an improvement. Davis did an admirable job with a very hilly piece of property. There were some odd routing between holes but aside from that it was a very enjoyable round. The par threes are excellent and there is a good combination of long and short par fours. The only hole that is severely uphill is 18 but almost all 18s are uphill.


It has an unusual par configuration. 4,5,4,4,4,4,3,4,3     5,3,5,3,4,5,4,3,4. They have an all world practice facility and six hole par three course. As nice as the photos are on this thread, they do not do justice to the course. What a nice facility to have for UVA. Congratulations to everyone involved in the redo.   

[Jonathan Cummings]

Played the old course many times.  Even played it with Lindsay - an old friend.  Heard the same as cited above - Love did a great job.  Can't wait to see Birdwood II

[Matt Albanese]

Sorry that this has taken so long to finish. I appreciate the feedback so far.
 
Hole 14 – Par 4, 461 yards.
 
The new fourteenth hole plays down the corridor of the old eighteenth hole. The teeing ground is the same. However, the green has been moved back and to the right lengthening the hole from 453 yards to 461 yards. The new putting course encroaches on the old green site. The difference in green sites is seen below in the pictures comparing the old hole to the new hole.
 
New fourteenth hole from the tee.

 
Old eighteenth hole from the tee (photo credit: https://worldgolfer.blog/2017/03/17/review-birdwood-golf-course/).

 
The old eighteenth hole was an awkward driving hole. The fairway moved sharply to the left at about 275 yards from the tee and narrowed significantly. Shots through the fairway on the right went down a steep hill into a native area and were often unfindable. Furthermore, the fairway was canted substantially from left to right. Balls that were hit down even the extreme left side of the hole often bounced hard right and missed the fairway into the native area. Due to this, many players, including the varsity players during my time at the university, chose to play the hole down the adjacent tenth fairway to the left instead of laying up to the wider part of the eighteenth fairway or foolishly challenging the narrow, severely sloped part of the fairway. The tenth fairway was wider, flatter, had a better angle to the green, and eliminated the penalty area on the right.
 
The new fourteenth hole offers a wider fairway down the right side. The native area down the hill and to the right has been cleaned up to offer somewhat better findability and playability.
 
This is a view from the fairway showing the wider fairway to the right and severe left to right slope. It also highlights the new green site to the right requiring a heroic carry over the native area with the green angled away from the player.

 
Unfortunately, many of the issues with the previous hole remain and, in fact, are exacerbated by the changes. The fairway still narrows significantly at 275 yards and slopes hard from left to right. The penalty area to the right remains an issue. The tenth fairway is even wider than before and offers an even better angle to the new green site eliminating the heroic carry over the native penalty area. There has been fescue added between the new tenth and fourteenth holes. Nevertheless, the correct play remains driver down the left into the tenth fairway, especially when considering modern driving strategy at the elite level. My anecdotal experience through multiple plays of the new hole is that it remains a substantial advantage to hit driver down the tenth fairway. Of course, this is a potential safety issue to unsuspecting players on ten.
 
The new green site is greatly improved. The green sits attractively perched on the edge of the native area. The overall slope is from back to front and left to right.
 
The fourteenth green from behind.

 
Next, a look at the new fifteenth hole which plays backwards down some old corridors. Stay tuned to this space. Hopefully, it won’t be two months until the next entry.

[Matt Albanese]

Hole 15 – Par 5, 572 yards.

The photo tour returns with the new fifteenth hole. The new fifteenth tee is located behind and to the right of the new fourteenth green (old 18th corridor). This area was previously not used. The hole plays backwards down the old seventh and eighth corridors to a green site located to the left of the old seventh tee. The tee shot is framed very naturally. It is an attractive addition to the course and flows very well in the routing.

The view from the new fifteenth tee.


The tee shot plays slightly downhill to an uphill landing zone which slopes gently from left to right. Three fairway bunkers guard the left side of the fairway. The hole is a gentle dogleg left. The green is not visible from the tee as it is hidden by the hill. The fairway bunkers appear to guard a preferred angle down the left. However, due to the position and shape of the green, the preferred angle is actually from the right side of the fairway. The player must make a strategy choice between distance and preferred angle because the hole plays shorter down the left side.

The fifteenth fairway from the start of the fairway showing the contours of the landing zone and the fairway bunkers.


At this point, I will examine the old holes that occupied this corridor. The old seventh hole was a 411 yard par 4 slight dogleg left. A fairway bunker guarded the right side of the fairway. A large tree short and left of the green guarded the green from the left side of the fairway. The new hole is certainly an improved use of this land.

The old seventh hole from the tee (photo credit: https://worldgolfer.blog/2017/03/17/review-birdwood-golf-course/).


Here is a look at the old seventh green site looking backward from the new fifteenth fairway.


The old eighth hole was a forgettable 205 yard par 3 that served as a connecting hole between the old seventh green site and the old ninth tee.


Old eighth hole (photo credit: https://worldgolfer.blog/2017/03/17/review-birdwood-golf-course/).


Here is the old eighth hole now from the old tee site which is now part of the fifteenth fairway.



Back to the new fifteenth hole. The green site is hidden from the landing area. This makes for an uncomfortable approach for longer hitters attempting to hit the green in two shots. It also hides the trouble that awaits around the green site. As the players ascend the hill from the landing zone, the green site is revealed.

Fifteenth green approach from the top of the hill.


The layup zone is guarded by staggered fairway bunkers down the right and left. The left bunkers are quite short of the green, although this may not be readily apparent on the first play. The fairway continues to slope from left to right in the layup zone. Layup shots down the left side continue to leave a blind approach to the green. The right side of the layup zone is flatter and leaves a preferred angle into the green. However, too far right is protected by a native penalty area with a certain lost ball. The dangers that lurk around the green are still not visible to the player.

The green itself is perched perilously close to a native penalty area on the right. The green is angled from right to left away from the player. The preferred angle from the right is now evident. It is protected by a short right greenside bunker. Safer shots to the left of the green are greeted by steep, rolling hills and an awkward pitch back toward the penalty area.

Two views of the fifteenth green site.



Shots may easily run through the green, especially with the hole location in the back, as pictured. The native penalty area is mere feet from the green and drops steeply into water. The green slopes gently from left to right. The front left portion of the green slopes away from the player. A ridge divides the green into front and back sections.

Fifteenth green looking back down the hole. This highlights the awkward angle and close proximity of the native penalty area.


This is the view of the fifteenth green from the new sixteenth tee to the right of the green. The challenge of the very narrow, well protected green is impressive from this angle.


The fifteenth hole is difficult, primarily due to its awkward, narrow, perched green site. The dangers are better appreciated on repeat plays. It certainly requires an exacting approach shot, especially when attempting to reach the green in two shots.


Two views from the new sixteenth tee looking back down the fifteenth hole. The old seventh corridor is evident to those familiar with the old course. The large tree on the left side of the picture formerly protected the seventh green.



Lastly, here is a picture of the old seventh tee which is short and to the right of the new fifteenth green.



Stay tuned. Next, an examination of the interesting new sixteenth hole which plays backwards up the old sixth corridor. It is a familiar corridor with a similar, but opposite challenge compared to the old sixth.

[ward peyronnin]

I played the area last fall. I too would split my play something like 8-2 Farmington/Birdwood. Keswick Hall was superlative.

Spring Creek was designed by someone trying to out Fazio Fazio; way over the top. Wouldn't go back.

[Matt Albanese]

Hole 16 – Par 4, 349 yards.


The new sixteenth hole plays in the reverse direction up the old sixth hole corridor. The old sixth hole was a short, downhill 323 yard par 4. The driveable green was protected by water on the right and out of bounds long and left. The green was buttressed by a Pete Dye inspired railroad tie retaining wall. The layup off the tee was complicated by three fairway bunkers down the left and water right.


The old sixth hole from the tee (photo credit: https://worldgolfer.blog/2017/03/17/review-birdwood-golf-course/).



Here is what that same corridor looks like now from near the new seventeenth tee.




The new sixteenth hole plays from behind the old sixth green site near the old seventh tee uphill to a green site on the old sixth tee. Naturally, the hole has similar, although reversed, features to the old hole.


The tee shot from the back tee. The new seventeenth green is seen on the left.



This photo shows the proximity of the seventeenth green (left) to the sixteenth tee.



Another view from the sixteenth tee.



The tee shot asks more of a distance control question than directional control due to the severe diagonal angle. To illustrate this point, the fairway is nearly 70 yards wide at 250 yards from the back tee. However, the carry over the water on the left can be as long as 230 yards. Additionally, both the right fairway bunker complex and the center fairway bunker are about 260 yards from the tee. Interestingly, the corridor widens considerably after a 270 yard carry over the penalty area on a direct line to the green. For example, at 290 yards, the hole is about 90 yards wide (!). Consequently, although it does not appear this way from the tee, the safest play might be the most aggressive play. However, there is a tree guarding the right side of the green at about 310 yards from the tee. This can obstruct the short pitch from the right side of the green after an aggressive tee shot. Like the old hole, the new hole is also driveable for some players. The front of the green is 306 yards from the tee.


From the forward tee, the diagonal forced carry is eliminated. The hole is a much friendlier appearing, straighter, uphill par 4. The old sixth green site and railroad ties can be seen in the foreground.




This is what the approach to the green looks like from just short of the center fairway bunker. It is an uphill pitch to a visually pleasing green site framed by the native areas. The fairway has some nice movement as well.



The gently sloping contours of the green fit nicely into the land. Overall, an attractive green complex.



Next, a look at the long one-shot seventeenth hole with a glimpse of the Birdwood Mansion.