By David Partridge

LOGAN WHITTON

Opened in 1947 , Kinderton was designed by two titans of golf course architecture . Donald Ross laid out the original 18 holes , however only the front nine was initially constructed . In the 1950s , Dick Wilson — a member of the prestigious Philadelphia School of Golf Course Architecture who worked on and designed some of the most iconic courses in America — was brought in to complete the back nine . Kinderton is truly a rare opportunity to play a course that enables you to experience the genius of two preeminent architects in the history of golf .

The 17th at Kinderton is a beautiful yet dangerous par 3 that plays downhill through a chute of trees and over a large , bulkheaded pond to a relatively small green . A solid , quality iron shot is required on this demanding design to clear the water and find the putting surface to win a welcome par . The 17th hole at Kinderton is a challenging one-shotter where big numbers are very common .

Kinderton was also the scene of one of the most historic VSGA Junior Championships in 1966 . Over a four-year period , two sensational golfers , Lloyd Liebler and Lanny Wadkins , captured four consecutive state junior titles , with Lanny winning in 1964-65 and Lloyd triumphing in 1966-67 . In his first junior victory , Lloyd fired 206 at Kinderton — including a sizzling 64 in the final round — to best Lanny , who finished second by six shots .

Lloyd was truly a gifted player who , at just 14 years old in 1965 , is believed to be the youngest ever finalist in the USGA Junior Amateur , according to the best records available from USGA Senior Historian Victoria Nenno . Tragically , Lloyd passed away from cancer at the age of 20 and we will never know what golf heights this superb talent might have achieved . What ’ s certain is that Lloyd provided the inspiration for his younger brother , Steve . He played successfully on the PGA Tour for a handful of years , won the Eastern Amateur three times and eventually competed in every USGA National Championship , seven in all , for which he was eligible . A rare and extraordinary achievement .

With all due respect to other great players who competed at other times , Lloyd and Lanny were two of the phenomenal players who made up the first “ Golden Age of Junior Golf in Virginia ” that took place in the 1960s . Other extraordinary golfers in that era included Bobby Wadkins , J . P . Leigh , Rick Bendall , Jimmy Ellis and Billy

Blue : 186 yards

Black / White : 153 yards

YARDAGES

Silver / Red : 139 yards

Gold : 83 yards

Calfee . The second pinnacle of junior golf in the Commonwealth arrived just a few short years later , in the early 1970s , when such superb golfers as Curtis Strange , Allan Strange , Skeeter Heath , Bubba Judy , Mike Pratt , John Bruce , and Tom McKnight dominated the fierce competition among the deep , remarkably talented junior ranks of that time .

A six-time VSGA Player of the Year , David Partridge was elected to the Virginia Golf Hall of Fame in 2020 . He lives in the Richmond area and works as a mortgage banker serving clients throughout Virginia .