Fort Belvoir Gunston
You
may be wondering why GolfinAmigos is reviewing a
military course. Well, you may or may not know that
many military courses are now open to civilians if you can get on base.
It used to be that military
courses were restricted to active military, retired
military and Department of Defense contractors. Now
many of them open their doors to civilian hackers as
well, and the Gunston course at Fort Belvoir.
Originally an 18-hole Robert Trent Jones design, the
grounds of Fort Belvoir now house two regulation
18-hole courses at the north end of the facility (Gunston
and Woodlawn). Our first trip on post was to review
the Gunston course that was used as a US Open
qualifying course in 1998.
 Our
first thought of a military course was a bland
straight forward course with little thought on
design. I guess our perception was clouded by the
general stereotypes of all things that are
government owned and controlled. But we were
pleasantly surprised with the level of challenge
and unique design the Gunston course offered.
On
the Gunston course there is very little water to
speak of; virtually none. But there are plenty of
trees that guard and shape every fairway.
Every fairway
has at least one strategically positioned bunker
that effects each decision on how to play the hole
off the tee. In addition there are a multitude
of sand traps to make even the good
golfers take extra time with their shot and club
selection.
Amigos
Favorite Hole:
The hole we
liked best at the Gunston course was the 540-yard,
par 5, number 13. This mammoth is a
definite three shot hole because a bomb off
the tee is required for any attempt at making the
green in two. But the distance to reach the
green is only part of the test. This dog-leg left
turns at a sharp angle and will cut off a few drives
that even want to attempt reaching in two, not to
mention your approach shot is to one of the smallest
greens on the course that is slightly elevated.
 On
a chilly autumn day made only for true hardcore
hackers, our "Amigo Party of Four" all had adequate
drives but none were man enough, or should we say "foolish
enough", to attempt reaching the green in two.
With decent
second shots we were all within 100 yards of the hole
prior to our third shot. On a day where our best
golf had yet to appear our short game and lack of
quality putting only netted one Par out of the
entire foursome.
Review Date:
11/15/2003
Course review ratings are conducted on a five point scale. ( 1 = Double Bogey 3 = Par 5 = Eagle)
Tees:
There are four sets of tees for different levels of playing ability. The forward tees are a decent challenge for most average golfers, while the tips are a real challenge. At the 1998 US Open qualifier nobody broke par from the tips. They were in good condition for this time of year.
Fairways:
The fairways are relatively generous, but you cannot get lazy. The course keeps you honest. There are a couple blind tee and approach shots, but the map on the score card and the signposts at the tee are pretty accurate. Today the cart rule was cart-path only so we didn’t drive on the fairways.
Rough:
The rough is penalizing, but not to rough. You probably have to grip down on lower-lofted club than you would hit from the same spot in the fairway, but you could always play the ball from the rough. The rough was not unfair.
Traps:
The bunkers were a bit inconsistent, but that is normal for this time of year. We were able to hit some nice sand shots, so that tells us that they are playable – neither hardpan or overly damp.
Greens:
The greens rolled smoothly and were of average to slightly larger than average size. They were medium-fast for greens in the area. The ball did not roll off the green as if it was concrete, but they were not like shag carpet either. Approach shots held pretty well and there were relatively few pitch marks. The pin placements were sometimes difficult but never unfair.
Amenities:
The expansive clubhouse with all the trimmings. There is a driving range and added practice facility.
Staff Services:
The staff we encountered were friendly and courteous. We just checked in with the starter, so our contact with staff was brief.
Pace of Play:
The pace of play was relatively fast. We finished in 4.5 hours easily. Without having to look under leaves for our ball, we could have finished in 4 hours or less.
Overall Average:
4.43, Birdie Course
Nice Course, to play recommendation
The GolfinAmigos would like to thank Mr. Jeff Lychwick, Head PGA Professional at Ft. Belvoir Golf Course for allowing us to visit and review the course.
A special thanks to Mr. Tom Yu for helping set up the review and for being our official staff photographer for the day!
CLICK HERE for additional course information...
Location:
8450 Beulah St, Building 2920, Fort Belvoir VA 22060
Tee Time Phone:
703-806-5878
Course Type:
Military
*The opinions expressed in this course review are those of the individual reviewer(s) and do not reflect the editorial opinion of
www.GolfinAmigos.com
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