too , was bleeding money as buildings deteriorated and course conditions faded , even as the club continued to play host to the Eastern Amateur each July . But Schaubach was much more taken with entering the breach this time after receiving feelers from club members .
“ They were waiting for someone to do this ,” Schaubach says , “ and no one else seemed to want to do it .”
Friends such as J . P . Leigh , a former Eastern Amateur champion , and his fellow TowneBank board member Brad Cherry repeatedly nudged Schaubach to duplicate the reversal of fortune he ’ d authored in Williamsburg . He agreed to a management deal in mid-2019 and purchased the club at the start of 2020 .
“ In some ways we had more to work with at Elizabeth Manor ,” Schaubach
“ I like building things more than managing them , Elizabeth Manor was actually a fun project to do . We want our places to be fun . That ’ s really what we care about .”
— Dwight Schaubach
says . “ It ’ s in a community , and that helps so much . A lot of the members , especially the social members , live right around here . They ’ re loyal and so appreciative . This place has so much history and brings so much to the city of Portsmouth .”
Right away , the scope of redesign work on the actual golf course appeared appreciably smaller than at Williamsburg . Heath had that confirmed by his friend Ben Crenshaw , the two-time Masters champion who ’ s known Heath since they met 50 years ago as contestants in the Eastern Amateur . Crenshaw won the event in 1971 and ’ 72 . Now an acclaimed course designer , Crenshaw spent a few days in town to consult on Dick Wilson ’ s 1951 layout and Lester George ’ s 1998 redesign .
“ Ben walked around and kept saying , ‘ That ’ s a beautiful hole , that ’ s a beautiful hole , don ’ t change anything ,” Heath says .
Ultimately , the seven-month redesign , also steered by LaFoy , added 400 yards , up to 6,648 from the tips , and some strategically placed fairway bunkers aimed at pestering the big-hitting youngsters who comprise most of the Eastern Amateur field . The course ’ s impeccable rolling greens were retained , and similar to Williamsburg , a fresh and expansive range and short-game area were added to promote practicing . Renovation of the clubhouse and other buildings on the grounds took place the first half of 2021 .
“ I like building things more than managing them ,” Schaubach says . “ Elizabeth Manor was actually a fun project to do . We want our places to be fun . That ’ s really what we care about .”
But that fun stops here . Schaubach says he is far more interested in collecting and restoring more autos — his eclectic 47-car fleet includes a 1929 and a 1930 Duesenberg — than any more golf courses .
“ I like golf people ,” he says . “ But I don ’ t need to do this again .”
Statement of Ownership , Management and Circulation ( Required by 39 USC 3685 ) Title of Publication : Virginia Golfer . Publication No .: 1094-3021 . Frequency of Issue : Bi-monthly . Number of issues published annually : Six . Annual subscription price : $ 6.00 per member , $ 2.95 single issue . Complete Mailing Address of Known Office Publication : Virginia State Golf Association , 2400 Dovercourt Drive , Midlothian , VA 23113 . Complete Mailing Address of the Headquarters of the General Business Offices of the Publisher : Virginia State Golf Association , 2400 Dovercourt Drive , Midlothian , VA 23113 ; ( Editor ) Chris Lang , Virginia State Golf Association , 2400 Dovercourt Dr , Midlothian , VA 23113 ; ( Managing Editor ) None . Owner : Virginia State Golf Association , 2400 Dovercourt Drive , Midlothian , VA 23113 . Known Bondholders , Mortgagees , and Other Securities : None .
JON HOOD
Extent and Nature of Circulation ( Average Number of Copies of Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months listed first , followed by Actual Number of Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date .) Total No . of Copies 42,682 and 43,166 ; Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541 : 42,474 and 42,996 ; Mailed In-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541 : 0 and 0 ; Paid Distribution Outside the Mails Including Sales Through Dealers and Carries , Street Vendors , Counter Sales , and Other Paid Distribution Outside USPS : 0 and 0 ; Paid Distribution by Other Classes of Mail Through the USPS : 0 and 0 ; Total Paid Distribution : 42,474 and 42996 ; Free or Nominal Rate Outside-County Copies included on PS form 3541 : 0 and 0 ; Free or Nominal Rate In-County Copies include on PS form 3541 : 0 and 0 ; Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at Other Classes Through the USPS : 208 and 170 ; Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail : 0 and 0 ; Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution : 208 and 170 . Total Distribution : 42,682 and 43,166 . Copies Not Distributed : 50 and 50 ; Total : 42,732 and 43,216 . Percent Paid : 99.51 % and 99.60 %. I certify that the statements made by me are correct and complete : ( signed ) Chris Lang
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