An extensive tree clearing to open up sights of mountain backdrops surrounding the Amherst, Va. facility is just one aspect of the work being done. The club will also rebuild all its bunkers, add a new fleet of golf carts and construct two comfort stations with restrooms.
Poplar Grove’s investment in upgrading the Amherst, Va. golf community’s 18-hole course and historic Manor House are in full swing, The News & Advance out of Lynchburg, Va. reported. The $3 million renovation project started in the winter and includes rebuilding all bunkers, a new fleet of golf carts, constructing two comfort stations with restrooms for golfers to grab a drink and take up shelter from rain, and extensive tree clearing to open up sights of mountain backdrops and rolling hills.
“That’s what’s spectacular,” Jacob Mast, head golf professional, said of the scenic views while gazing at the fairways on a late March afternoon. Jacob is the son of longtime PGA TOUR veteran Dick Mast.
The improvements to the course enhance the golf experience and add amenities to sustain vibrant membership, Mast told The News & Advance. The Great Recession crippled the development’s residential housing portion and the course was in “limbo” for a while, he said.
Despite a rainy winter season, the renovation project is making swift progress and is more than just putting bandages on a few problems, Mast said.
“It’s an overall strategy to elevate Poplar Grove to the level it should be at,” he said.
The vast majority of bunkers have been excavated and the main goal is to make them more sustainable, according to The News & Advance report.
A 2014 graduate of Liberty University, Mast recalls his first time playing at the Amherst course, the last designed by the late professional golfer Sam Snead, in 2006. There wasn’t a weed on the course then and the green was spectacular as any he ever saw, he said of the experience.
“It never gets old,” he said of the course’s many features and challenges. “Every time you play it, it’s something different.”
The renovation is “extremely exciting” and improves the site’s playability, he told The News & Advance.
While the course’s upgrades are targeted for completion later this spring, the major makeover to the Manor House, the cornerstone of the 1,000-plus-acre property dating back to 1773, is more tedious and will take longer, The News & Advance reported. The work includes a 100-seat indoor and outdoor dining area, a luxury bar and overnight accommodations. The restored house and its features also will serve as a venue for weddings and celebrations, Mast said.
Todd Carter, a Poplar Grove member, said the renovation is “very professional” and exciting to see, according to The News & Advance report. He believes it will improve the overall experience 100 percent.
“Visually, it’s going to be stunning,” Carter said. “It’s going to make this a premier golf course when it’s all done.”
Mast said the course is unique and features bentgrass, a more pristine, finer grass, The News & Advance reported. Poplar Grove’s management said the course will be in excellent shape in May or June.
“It takes time, but it’s coming,” Mast said of the upgrades.
The course’s resurgence is good for Amherst County and attracting visitors to spend money in the local economy, Mast told The News & Advance. The Poplar Grove Golf Club is focused on incentives for members, accommodating guests who want a special experience and making them all feel like family, he added.
C+RB first reported on the renovations in December 2018.
For a limited time, Poplar Grove’s monthly rates start at just $150 for a single membership package while a couple’s membership comes with a monthly rate of $175. A full-family membership is also being offered for $225 per month.
In addition to its three membership tiers, Poplar Grove is also waiving the initiation fee for its first 100 members.
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