HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Earlier this year The First Tee of Greater Richmond took over operations of Belmont Golf Course as part 20-year lease agreement with Henrico County.
Construction began in May to transform the course from 18 holes to 12, along with other new additions.
“When Belmont became available for bid it really checked all the boxes for us,” said Brent Schneider, CEO of The First Tee of Greater Richmond.
An improved clubhouse and pro shop are among the changes to Belmont. There will also be a driving range, putting course, practice area and 6 hole course.
Love Golf Design, led by Davis Love III, Mark Love and Scot Sherman, is working with The First Tee to renovate the course.
“The 12 holes will be sort of a restoration and an upgrade,” said Scot Sherman. “Hopefully you’ll see the old style and the old aesthetic, but not realize that everything under the ground is new and up to our technological standards today.”
Belmont was originally designed by A.W. Tillinghast before being renovated by Donald Ross.
Bringing 12 holes back to how they used to look is part of restoring the history of Belmont, the only golf course in Virginia to host a major PGA tournament.
“It’s a real treat and a responsibility to kind of do the right things and to think how he might of thought as best we can,” said Mark Love on Tillinghast and his design. “Try to put things back in a way that remind people of that golden age architecture.”
“The course is probably not what it originally was,” added Schneider. “So to be able to add those practice facilities that can inspire and impact the youth of our program and in the community. And to restore 12 holes back to the original design and to really sharpen them up and make them great, it’s almost the best of both worlds.”
