Belmont GC

[Andy Johnson]

So a reader of my site informed me of this but Henrico County is moving on a plan to remove all 72 remaining Tillinghast bunkers at Belmont GC (Formerly Hermitage CC) a public Tillinghast in Virginia. Belmont was the host of the '45 PGA Championship and has stayed relatively untouched.


The plan is pretty brutal and will wipe away a great deal of the Tillinghast as opposed to restoring the course. Would be a shame for the county to allocate funding to anything but a restoration plan. This course would easily be the best public course in Virginia and one of the 5-10 best municipals in the country given a proper restoration.


Here's my full article as well as Geoff Shackelford's.


http://www.friedegg.co/golf-courses/proposed-belmont-changes


http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2017/10/15/tillies-belmont-design-could-be-a-gem-quick-fix-renovation-n.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

[Mike Sweeney]

Nice story.


If I remember correctly, Ran is originally from Richmond. Maybe reach out to him and/or John Morissette directly. Also the Philly guys about their efforts at Cobbs Creek.


I have been playing Bethpage a bunch this year and the huge advantage that it has over other facilities is the 5 courses. If one course closes down it does not disrupt the flow too much, and as a result, they also do not have to please all golfers with a renovation. I used to exclusively play The Black or The Red for years. Now The Black is "too much" on a daily basis and they have driven me to The Yellow and The Green


I recently saw the "new cart paths" being celebrated at Walnut Lane in Philly on their Facebook page:


https://www.facebook.com/WalnutLaneGolf/


"We are loving our new cart paths! We are very proud of the work of our grounds crew! Come and check them out."
If this is celebrated at a 4500 yard Alex Findley course after 77 years of not having them, my guess is you have an uphill climb in Richmond.  That said, it sounds like a perfect target for Team Ran to look at....

[Mike Tanner]

The latest news is the county has decided to reconsider their RFP for rehabbing the bunkers (possibly with Better Billy construction). Maybe their going to to explore the idea of a more comprehensive approach to improving playing conditions. I've played it a couple of times -- I live 90 miles away in Va. Beach) and enjoyed the walk while thinking the course needed a lot of love. Just finding the edges of the original green pads and renovating the putting surfaces while reestablishing their connections to refreshed greenside bunkers would be a big improvement. Reestablishing fairway mowing lines would help too. Belmont is never going to compete with flashy modern courses, but it's a Tillinghast course course, dammit! He's not making any new ones.It's eminently walkable. It can be enjoyed by golfers of all abilities. Hopefully, the county will realize the true worth of what they have and enlist resources both within the county and in the greater golf community to do right by the course. 

[David Peters]

FYI for fellow Richmond area golfers.  I noticed this on Belmont's website today. 

Announcements
Informational Open House: Bunker Project
November 1, 11am
Belmont Recreation Center


Belmont Golf Course was very fortunate to receive capital funding from the Board of Supervisors in the current fiscal year. Funding was approved in July to renovate the sand bunkers on the course. This will be the first large capital maintenance project at Belmont since 2004, when several greens severely damaged by successive hurricanes were rebuilt.


As anyone who has played Belmont knows, the bunkers are in dire need of rehabilitation. They have not been reworked since the course belonged to Hermitage Country Club, and the drainage and subsoil conditions render them all but unplayable much of the time.


We would like for all interested golfers to have the opportunity to review the current draft renovation plans and ask questions of the architect and Belmont staff in charge of the project. Belmont has a very special and unique history, and we want to make sure any course renovation project balances considerations of budget, playability, and history.


Please call (804) 652-1468 or email tay80@henrico.us if you have questions or need more information.

[Jonathan Mallard]

Here's some more coverage. It's good to see that the folks at the County became more aware of the significance of the course due to other outlets picking up the story. The article also gives some budget numbers and rounds played info.


https://richmondbizsense.com/2017/10/25/bones-still-place-locals-push-belmont-golf-course-rehab/

[Jonathan Mallard]

Here's the not so good news in the update... The county is looking to find an operator for the course, and is also considering re-purposing the acreage for other recreational usage. They've been operating at a loss for some years now.


https://richmondbizsense.com/2018/03/16/henrico-explore-options-belmont-golf-course/

[Brian Ross]

Henrico County: Let's do a bunker project that erases most of the Tillinghast and Ross legacy at Belmont.
Public: Don't do that! Restore it instead!
Henrico County: Ok, fine. How about a nice park, then?


Sigh. Hopefully they can find a competent operator to right the ship out there.

[Jonathan Mallard]

Update:


The county has issued a RFI document to explore what options exist.


Noteworthy is the inclusion of detailed (I haven't verified to what level) financial information including rounds played (24,000 - 2017) and operating losses ($176k - 2017) for the last 5 years.


https://richmondbizsense.com/2018/05/08/henrico-looks-farm-belmont-golf-course-operations/

[Jonathan Mallard]

Updated again:


There were 5 responses to the RFI. No further details were released.


https://richmondbizsense.com/2018/06/25/henrico-nets-5-submissions-outsourcing-belmont-golf-course-management/

[Jonathan Mallard]

Update February 2019:


There will be three public meetings to solicit input on the future direction of the course.


The meetings are scheduled for April 16th, April 30th, and May 6th.


http://www.nbc12.com/2019/02/26/county-leaders-seek-input-future-belmont-golf-course-site/


There is also a link to submit comments online:


https://henrico.us/projects/belmont-park-master-plan/


So, here is everyone's chance to let their thoughts about a Tillinghast course, and Golden Age preservation known.

[Jonathan Mallard]

Update:


The county is accepting responses to a RFP to operate the course for a 20 year period.


https://richmondbizsense.com/2019/08/28/henrico-issues-rfp-to-lease-belmont-golf-course-to-outside-operator/


Some details:




Key elements of the RFP include the county forgoing any lease payments or revenue share from the new operator, while also setting aside $500,000 in county funds to pay for renovations of Belmont’s bunkers, a project the county already had approved but shelved while it weighed options for the course’s future.
[/size]The county would operate the course through the end of 2019, before handing the keys over to the new operator, who would close it for renovations, including the bunker work.[/color]
[/size]Luther said the county prefers the bunker work be completed before the new operator reopens the course for play in April or May.[/color]
[/size]“Seventy-one bunkers need to be renovated,” Luther said. “We expect the operator to do that work and get it out of the way before the course reopens.”[/color]
[/size]The county also would provide up to $250,000 in additional capital funding in years two, three and four of the lease, with the operator having to seek permission before spending the money.[/color]
[/size]The operator would be required to contribute annually a minimum of 5 percent of Belmont’s gross operating revenue equal to or above $1 million into a capital reserve escrow account. That account would be set aside for capital improvements and major repairs that will help preserve the course’s future, the county said.[/color]
[/size]The new operator will have the ability to set new fees for daily play and to sell alcohol onsite, which has been prohibited under county ownership and is seen as having held back the course financially in recent years.[/color]
[/size]The operator would be required to provide the fleet of golf carts and pull carts, and a PGA Class A golf professional to work onsite.[/color]

[Jonathan Mallard]

Update:


There were 5 responses to the RFP.


Ergo, it seems that this Tillinghast / Ross course will be around for at least another 20 years.


https://richmondbizsense.com/2019/10/18/five-firms-vie-for-belmont-golf-course-lease/

[John Emerson]

This list will be cut to 2 and those selected will be interviewed.  This should take place very soon.

[MCirba]

Good to hear!

[Jeff Schley]

Great news and hope they can accomplish their bunker restoration on time and budget for next golf season.  I don't know Virginia weather that well but the spring weather will be a huge factor.  It appears that Tillie's legacy and DNA will remain.

[Tommy Williamsen]

What is the history of the course? Hermitage CC still exists with two courses. Did it at one time have three? I am not familiar with either the club's history or the courses. From the HCC website it intimates that the Tillinghast course is still theirs.


https://www.hermitagecountryclub.com/about/our-story

[Bill Gayne]

HCC still exists west of Richmond in Manakin Sabot with 36 holes. It's located very close to Kinloch.  The current HCC courses were constructed in the seventies (Ault, Hills, Foster). There's no connection between the current HCC courses and AWT. The connection to AWT is only in the club's history when it was located north of Richmond.

[MCirba]

I don't have my notes in front of me but I believe Donald Ross did some work there as well.

[Bill Gayne]

Ross designed Jefferson Lakeside CC which still exists and is across the street from Belmont. JLCC is a sporty course that Kris Spence did some very nice work at a handful of years ago.

[MCirba]

Ross designed Jefferson Lakeside CC which still exists and is across the street from Belmont. JLCC is a sporty course that Kris Spence did some very nice work at a handful of years ago.

Bill,


My notes show that Donald Ross did some work at Belmont in 1940. I don't recall the source but perhaps Sven's Ross thread has more information? Thanks.

[Brian Ross]

Ross designed Jefferson Lakeside CC which still exists and is across the street from Belmont. JLCC is a sporty course that Kris Spence did some very nice work at a handful of years ago.

Bill,


My notes show that Donald Ross did some work at Belmont in 1940. I don't recall the source but perhaps Sven's Ross thread has more information? Thanks.

Mike,


Ross redid the greens at Belmont in 1921, including converting them from sand to grass. Not sure if he was back there in 1940 or not (first I've heard of it).


Tillinghast stopped by in 1935 on his tour of America and recommended some bunker removal as well.

[MCirba]

Thanks, Brian!