#1 Golf Social Network

PENHOOK, Va.—The Water's Edge Golf Course, hailed as one of the top mid-Atlantic courses by Golf Digest, has reopened following a $5 million renovation by renowned golf architect Richard Mandell and Aspen Corporation.

Details of the course renovations were showcased during a grand reopening ceremony and news conference held at The Water's Edge Country Club. Members gathered with several regional PGA golf professionals to hear the details of the course directly from Richard Mandell who was joined by representatives from Richard Mandell Golf Architecture, Aspen Corporation, and Ronald L. Willard, President of The Willard Companies which owns the course.

"We are thrilled to reopen the Water's Edge after a long awaited renovation," says Willard. "There has been an incredible level of anticipation to unveil the designs and show-off what new challenges have been brought to the game on this course. The renovations done by Richard's team and Aspen Corporation are truly remarkable and will undoubtedly bring an entirely new level of excitement."

A par-72 course, the revitalized Water's Edge now features faster and more durable greens with the addition of A1 and A4 bent grass. New irrigation systems were installed to help maintain the integrity of the greens and other improvements included the removal of several barrier trees, improved sand bunkers, and enlarged teeing areas.

Originally designed in 1988 by the late Raymond F. "Buddy" Loving, Jr., the 18-hole, 72-acre course has long been acclaimed as one of the most beautiful, challenging golf courses in Virginia. According to Richard Mandell, "Buddy's golf courses hold a lofty position in the history of Virginia golf development and it is truly an honor to preserve his legacy through this project."

Nestled along 13.5 miles of shoreline at Smith Mountain Lake, the course is known for a variety of unique obstacles from its signature island on the seventh hole to the 450-yard finishing hole.

"As a testament to Loving's work, we strived to keep the initial designs as intact as possible," says Mandell. "But by incorporating some of the most cutting edge golf architecture techniques and technology, we were able to take it to the next level, ensuring a truly memorable experience for anyone who has the opportunity to play."

For more information about The Water's Edge, visit http://www.smithmtnlake.com/watersedge.htm

About The Willard Companies
The Willard Companies is the umbrella for Willard Construction of Roanoke Valley, Inc., Prudential Waterfront Properties, The Waterfront, The Water's Edge and The Westlake Golf and Country Clubs. The company is involved in country clubs, building, developing, marketing and real estate. The Willard Companies is also affiliated with Westlake Towne Center, Westlake Cinema and Smith Mountain Building Supply.

Contact: Christopher Finley, 540.721.5288, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed