Virginia Golfer Jul / Aug 2020 | Page 24

Labor of Love Comes to Fruition A REVAMPED BIRDWOOD GIVES UVA GOLF AND BOAR’S HEAD RESORT GUESTS A BOLD, CHALLENGING CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE by JERRY RATCLIFFE WHEN BOWEN SARGENT TOOK OVER THE REINS of the University of Virginia’s men’s golf program 16 years ago, he and then UVa women’s coach Jan Mann identified four shortcomings they needed to address to advance the Cavaliers’ profile. A short-game practice area, a practice range, and a new building to house UVa golf were on the wish list. “All of those have been answered here in this project,” Sargent said recently. “Finally, the last piece, which I didn’t think would ever happen, was a new golf course. We’ve been given the tools to now recruit and attract some of the best players in the country.” In early July, school officials plan to unveil the “new” Birdwood Golf Course, now part of the UVa Foundation-owned BOARS HEAD RESORT 22 V IRGINIA G OLFER | J ULY/A UGUST 2020 vsga.org