Virginia Golfer January / February 2015 | Page 31

Independence
Golf Club

TOP: RON WHITTEN/GOLF DIGEST/© CONDÉ NAST; STEVEN McBRIDE PHOTOGRAPHY

Midlothian, Va.

Located 15 miles west of Richmond on
the fringe of Virginia’s Piedmont region,
Independence is situated on 260 acres of
land and a unique complex.
Opened in 2001, the facility was specifically
designed to promote and preserve amateur
and junior golf in the commonwealth.
Anchored by a Tom Fazio-designed course,
it’s built on gently rolling land dotted with
pines and interlaced by creeks and wetlands.
In order to improve playability, sustainability
and pace of play, the club’s new owner,
sports agent Giff Breed of Richmond-based
Pros Inc., brought in Midlothian-based
architect Lester George in 2014 to lead
a major renovation project, starting with
design tweaks and turf refurbishment.
To make the original design more playerfriendly and strategically viable for a broad
spectrum of players, George took out nearly

The Cliffs at
Mountain Park
Travelers Rest, S.C.

Improved sightlines predominate at
Independence Golf Club in central Virginia.

half of the fairway and greenside bunkers.
The remainder were reduced in size and
depth to ease recovery. Underbrush beneath
the pines was removed, while the smooth,
subtly contoured greens were resurfaced in
Champion bermudagrass.
“We removed more than 500 trees and
bushes that were cluttering the golf course

and obstructing views,” George says. “We
really opened up the course to make it more
visually appealing.”
Independence also has a delightful ninehole short course, a large practice center,
and a handsome brick clubhouse that has
been overhauled over the past year-plus
(independencegolfclub.com).

Newest of the communities under the
king-sized umbrella of The Cliffs, which
encompasses seven developments in three
regions of North and South Carolina, is the
brawny heathland-style course at Mountain
Park. Laid out by Gary Player in the foothills
of the Blue Ridge Mountains, it is completely

different from its kissing cousins. Dispensing
with the manicured, parkland-style motif
associated with The Cliffs, Player and his
design team routed the fairways through
exposed sandy areas, thick native scrub and
stands of mature hardwoods. Fourteen holes
are perched above the banks of the scenic
North Saluda River.
Mirroring his passion for fitness, Player built
a firm, fast, walker-friendly layout at Mountain
Park, a community that is convenient to
both Greenville, S.C., and Asheville, N.C.
Stretching to 7,213 yards, the course meanders
across a valley floor and features a benign
30 feet of elevation change. Setting aside
the panoramic views of distant mountain
ridges, this exceptional layout, opened in 2013,
closely resembles famed Surrey courses like
Wentworth and Sunningdale on the outskirts
of London. Bump-and-run shots are required
to score around the speedy greens, while the
artful use of native grasses creates a visually
appealing, naturalistic palette for each hole.
The Cliffs at Mountain Park is a
private club, though members can sponsor
unescorted guests (cliffsliving.com).

High shot values and scenic views are
ever-present at The Cliffs at Mountain Park.

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Author Brian McCallen is a writer from
Stonington, Conn., and a regular contributor to
Virginia Golfer.

J ANUARY/F EBRUARY 2015 | V IRGINIA G OLFER

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