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Dreams come true with new Tom Clark Course
Golf Course Architecture wrote about Tom Clark's vision coming to life in a beautiful way with the construction of Cutlong at Lake Anna. Richard Humphrey's did an excellent job highlighting the classic hole designs. Read the full article here and from the source below.
"The new Cutalong golf course at Lake Anna, Virginia, is now open for play. The layout has been designed by Tom Clark in collaboration with golf journalist Ron Whitten and comprises holes inspired by some of golf’s best-known classic hole designs.
The project was first conceived in 1999 as a 27-hole course complemented by a small real estate development. In 2005, Clark teamed up with Whitten on the design, the two exchanging ideas on how classic holes and green designs could be incorporated into layout.
The development has seen multiple owners, a foreclosure and a bankruptcy. The first construction began in 2012, with three holes completed and five others roughly shaped but financial difficulties brought the work to a halt.
Utah-based lender Private Capital Group purchased the project, both real estate and golf, in 2018, and course construction started again that year. By the end of 2019, eleven holes and the practice facilities were complete. The final seven holes were finished this year.
Speaking with GCA in 2019, Clark said: “My original intention was to create another National Golf Links, similar to the great Charles Blair Macdonald’s layout in Southampton. With some of Ron’s input we not only have Macdonald to draw from, but a host of other famous designers and now we even have a Civil War component.”
The site is close to Civil War battlegrounds and Clark and Whitten, a Civil War expert, have based some holes – including the ‘Stockade Redan’ eighth – on nineteenth century fortresses and defences.
The layout also emphasises the site’s mining history, featuring abandoned mine shafts, ruins and a rail line. “We have railroad tie bunkers, mine shafts have been capped and are now drainage basins, and we have used rail ruins, spikes, picks and mule shoes as tee markers,” said Clark.
Interpretations of famous holes that feature on the Cutalong layout include a version of James Braid’s ‘Het Girdle’ par-three fifth green at Gleneagles on the par-five third, the par-three seventeenth based on Alister MacKenzie’s Gibraltar hole at Moortown, as well others inspired by the work of Harry Colt, Hugh Alison, Donald Ross, Tom Simpson, Old Tom Morris, William Flynn and others.
Read more: A hole-by-hole descriptions of the golf course on the Cutalong at Lake Anna website.
The design team aimed to minimise earthmoving, resulting in occasional blind shots, another feature associated with historic courses. Wide fairways allow for multiple angles of approach, and are designed play firm and fast. “All greens have a minimum of six quadrants with plenty of pinnable areas,” said Clark.
Clark has a home five minutes from the course and for the last two years has averaged 20 days per month on site. “I would say I’ve put all my 50 years’ of experience into this,” he said. “And with so few new courses being developed, this may very well be my last and best!”
While all 18 holes are now open, the official opening is planned for 2 July 2021."
Source Link: https://www.golfcoursearchitecture.net/content/tom-clark-finally-realises-cutalong-dream-as-new-course-opens-for-play
Golfweek's Best Private Courses 2023: State-by-state rankings of private courses. Cutalong at Lake Anna was recently ranked top 10 private courses in the state of Virginia. Link to the Golf Week's Article - https://golfweek.usatoday.com/lists/golfweeks-best-private-courses-2023-state-by-state-rankings-golf/
Cutalong Golf Club was recently ranked in the top 5 best new private courses in America, by Golf Digest
Travel Dreams Magazine - Cutalong at Lake Anna, Central Virginia’s premier master-planned private golf community situated northwest of Richmond, announces an increase in membership initiation fees to $50,000, while instituting a waitlist for the popular Young Executive & National membership options. A staple of the club’s “non-resident” memberships, the Young Executive option gives professionals under the age of 40 the opportunity to join Cutalong and take advantage of its Tom Clark-designed golf course, its golf practice facilities and clubhouse, and attend club-sponsored events. The National membership option allows those who reside more than 75 miles from Cutalong to have access to the Club. The waitlists come in response to increased membership demand. Cutalong sits on the shores of scenic Lake Anna and provides a peaceful retreat for busy families and retirees alike. The community is located within driving distance of several cities, including Charlottesville (39 mi); Richmond (58 mi); Washington, D.C. (86 mi); Baltimore (123 mi); and even Philadelphia (223 mi). Features include an 18-hole golf course and multiple luxury and custom home options, and plans call for a private marina and amenities for the whole family to enjoy. Through a unique combination of golf tournaments and community events bringing members and non-members together, membership has skyrocketed at Cutalong and solidified its status as the region’s preeminent place to live and play. “The buzz around the lake has been palpable, and we are excited to enter the next stage in our growth as a premier golf community,” says Brady Noland, Director of Golf at Cutalong. “We look forward to continuing to provide a first-class experience for our members both on- and off-the-course.” Drawing inspiration from classic designs from the most noted course architects in the sport, the Cutalong golf course produces a distinctive experience on the highlands above Lake Anna. The layout also draws from the rich mining history on the property with actual spoil mounds and railroad timbers found on some holes. Off the course, Cutalong will offer 891 single-family homes, golf villas and member cottages perfect for those looking for a first home, second home or place to retire. More than 50 stay-and-play units are also planned, which will allow guests to enjoy everything Cutalong has to offer. Lake Anna is truly a hidden gem in Virginia, attracting nearly 2 million tourists annually and offering stunning scenery paired with a tight-knit social scene including live music, wineries and breweries. The only golf course in the area, Cutalong is the ultimate destination for golfers of all levels who want to experience a charming lakeside community. https://traveldreamsmagazine.com/cutalong-at-lake-anna-announces-updates-to-membership-demand/
The premier master planned golf-centered community on Virginia's Lake Anna.
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