Reviewed by: Dave Gardner, Shoots in the 70s, from Crofton, MD

Summary:
This family oriented golf club said good-bye July 5th to it's 1969 Edmund Ault design as architect Arthur Hills began a complete renovation project. While still following the existing hole routing, fans of this parkland course along the George Washington Parkway and the Potomac River will be stunned by the many upgrades in progress.

Hills won over the membership after focused meetings with players of all levels, beating out Tom Fazio, P.B. Dye and Lester George, also considered for the job.

Hills will retain the original course's traditional style despite addition of many new contours, bunker complexes and vastly expanded lakes. Members who enjoyed numerous flat fairways will be surprised to stand on new fairways that resemble rolling waves.

Based on my recent tour of the site and conversations with pro Steve Danielson, the finished product will encompass numerous risk-reward opportunities. The careful player will be able to negoiate bogey with relative ease, while the skilled or aggressive player will find plenty of temptation to make birdie or even eagle.... but woe to those who fail to pull off the bold stroke.

Getting to the green will be such a challenge, that Hills will limit the degree of slope on his putting greens. However, a new bentgrass, "A-2," will grace the putting surfaces. This species has a short, fine blade so golfers can regularly expect speeds of 10-12 on the stimpmeter.

Much of the course stands on relatively flat flood plain and suffered for years from heavy rains. Heavy clay soils also hindered turf growth. But the dramatic expansion of several lakes, new raised fairways and lots of new topsoil should put an end to those problems.

Ironically, just before construction began, I found this course to be in the best condition I had seen it in 30-years! It still contained several original holes dating back to the club's founding in the 1920s. Before Edmund Ault's addition of five new holes in 1969, prior architects at Belle Haven included the late George Cobb, a consultant to Augusta National, and noted course designer Leonard MacComber of Chicago.

While the "old course" at Belle Haven provided many countless hours of enjoyment, the prospect of playing the new Belle Haven is exciting, indeed.

Customer Service:
Pro Steve Danielson is friendly, loves golf and offers a very competitive selection of new equipment.

Similar Courses Played:
Dirving and practice range is excellent. The range was renovated several years ago and features a huge bent grass tee ground and target greens and bunkers. Three practice putting greens plus short-gam