At the conclusion of the TV show , team leader Hannibal Smith , played by George Peppard , utters the line , “ I love it when a plan comes together .”
The “ I ” becomes “ We ” in this instance for Henrico County , The First Tee of Greater Richmond and Love Golf Design , who have partnered to reinvent Belmont from a deteriorating 18-hole course steeped in history into a multi-functional , inclusive golf facility accessible for all ages .
Work on the site that features a 12-hole championship course , six-hole short course , near-acre-sized putting course , driving range and short-game area commenced in May 2020 and all signs point to the expected completion and reopening this May .
“ Once we got over some hurdles , [ the work ] certainly has progressed quickly ,” said Neil Luther , director of Henrico County Recreation and Parks . “ We went through some difficult times convincing people this was going to be a good outcome . I think folks are in for a treat .”
THE PLAYERS : PAST AND PRESENT The Henrico County Board of Supervisors approved awarding a 20-year-lease and management agreement to The First Tee of Greater Richmond , a non-profit that also operates the Tattersall Youth Development Center in Chesterfield and the Elson Redmond Memorial Driving Range ( including a six-hole short course ) in downtown Richmond in December 2019 .
First Tee ’ s contribution to the project is $ 3.25 million . The county is adding $ 750,000 and will continue to own the facilities .
Love Golf Design , co-founded by World Golf Hall of Fame member Davis Love III and his brother , Mark , was brought in as the project ’ s architect .
Belmont ’ s pedigree is impressive . It started out as Hermitage Country Club , which purchased land on both sides of Hilliard Road , and hired renowned architect A . W . Tillinghast in 1916 . Hermitage was one of Tillinghast ’ s early designs .
In 1927 another acclaimed architect , Donald Ross , refurbished the original design . Hermitage was the venue for the Richmond Open in 1945 ( won by Ben Hogan ) and 1946 . The club played host to the 1949 PGA Championship won by Sam Snead , an inaugural class inductee into the Virginia Golf Hall of Fame . Hermitage has a place in history as the only course in Virginia to host a major championship .
Hermitage sold the course to Henrico County , which changed the name to Bel-
Belmont ’ s Bright Future
True to Tillinghast ’ s roots and with a nod toward golf innovation , the Henrico County facility is set for a grand reopening // by ARTHUR UTLEY
22 V IRGINIA G OLFER | M AY / J UNE 2021
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