Belmont is back

From a storied past to a period of decline and doubt about its future, the century-old Belmont Golf Course snagged a solid foothold Monday on its path toward a comeback.

On hand to witness and celebrate the grand re-opening of "this re-imagined Belmont," as county manager John Vithoulkas called it, were a host of county officials, community leaders, and golfers of all ages – including a group of students of First Tee - Greater Richmond.

First Tee, the nonprofit youth development organization that took over operation of the course in 2019, worked with Love Golf Design to convert the former 18-hole course into a six-hole short course and a 12-hole course that incorporate much of the original 1917 design by the famed A.W. Tillinghast.

In its heyday, the course (then known as Hermitage Country Club) played host to some of golf's greatest champions, including Ben Hogan and Sam Snead. But as a public course – taken over by Henrico County in 1977 – it became a liability and money-loser over the years, and county leaders began to consider repurposing the land.

In 2019, Henrico County supervisors Frank Thornton (Fairfield District) and Dan Schmitt (Brookland District), whose districts include portions of Belmont, began a series of conversations with the neighboring community.

The response from those community meetings, Vithoulkas said at the ceremony, was "certain and clear: that Belmont was a beloved place, where golf and its history should always, always have a home."

Henrico officials' search for a private partner soon led to First Tee, said Vithoulkas, calling it "a partnership literally made in heaven."

Love Golf Design, co-founded by 21-time PGA tour winner Davis Love, III, took on the redesign task -- which involved adapting the layout to First Tee's emphasis on practice areas such as a driving range, chipping area and putting green.

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At the ceremony, Love recalled that he was initially skeptical about the makeover plans. "I would've been in the camp two years ago [saying], 'Put it back, the way it was originally, an 18-hole golf course. It's Tillinghast, it's a part of history. Don't mess with history,'" Love said.

But his reluctance to "mess with history" eventually gave way to enthusiasm for creating a course "that's unlike anything else in the country," Love said.

"I've told several of my friends around the country, 'You need to come to Richmond and see what they've created there. Because this is the future of golf.'"

Following Love's remarks, he joined First Tee participant Tia McDonald for the ceremonial ringing of the bell – the focal point of Belmont's new logo. First Tee students then capped the ceremony with tee shots from the first hole of the short course.

Despite the pressure of performing for a crowd, several youngsters hit impressive shots that drew spirited cheers from onlookers – including Meg Lavinder, who nearly made a hole in one, and D'yan Robinson, who chipped in a birdie from the bunker.

Not only was the performance a fitting finish to the ceremony, but the day's excitement represented just a taste of the energy and growth to come in the Belmont neighborhood, according to Vithoulkas.

Noting in his remarks that he was on his way to a meeting about GreenCity development, the county manager pointed out that the entire corridor is undergoing a rebirth. Just up the road from First Tee's new home, the massive mixed-use GreenCity development will soon begin rising on the site that was formerly Virginia Center Commons.

"And if you look towards Route 1," Vithoulkas added, "you'll have a bike trail that goes from Ashland to Petersburg.

"This course is going to be at the epicenter of so much here in just a short period of time."

Belmont officially opens to the public May 29. For details about the facility, rates and more, visit https://www.playbelmontrva.org.