Finally my first blog of a new year is not in Florida! Independence Golf Club is located twenty minutes outside Richmond in the suburb of Midlothian. Tom Fazio designed it in 2001 with a George Lester upgrade in 2014 with renovated bunkers, re-grassed fairways, and newly converted Champion Bermuda greens. It was used to co-host the 2024 US Mid-Amateur Championship.
Independence is a classic looking golf course with clean lines and beautifully manicured grounds. The scalloped bunkers artfully protect the putting surfaces, usually along the front on a particular side while the other side has fall offs that scurry the ball away. This style gives a distinct advantage to those who can elevate the ball and make it stop quickly. For those who lack such talent, short grass around the greens still allows a playable and enjoyable round.
(The 605/585/550 yard par five fourth doglegs slightly left. The long hitter can shave a few yards cutting the corner but the rest of us will probably shy to the right, making this monster play even longer.)
(This photo shows just how far out of play they placed the cart paths. It adds quite a bit to the experience and makes the course look even better. I couldn’t help but notice plenty of walkers on this brisk high 40 degree day.)
(The 200/175/160 yard par three ninth is a simple shot over a shallow valley to pedestal green. Not too demanding, a well struck ball will be a reasonable birdie opportunity.)
The front nine is more difficult with several long par fours starting the round. If you can stave off any big numbers then the eighth and ninth will bleed into the back nine where Fazio lightens up and gives the player some birdie chances. A sequence of short par fours and a short par five are there for the taking. During the Mid-Am, the leaders were able to gain ground in 10-14 stretch while those who struggled didn’t make it to the matchplay portion. The final three holes are solid although not visually spectacular. It should be noted that this is Fazio’s only public course in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
(The 350/340/310 yard par four tenth doglegs left with water in the elbow. A nicely positioned ball leaves an aggressive angle to the green.)
(The 520/475/440 yard par five thirteenth is a good birdie opportunity during normal play but turns into a beast at state and national events when it changes to a par four. The par five eighth is also designed in this manner. Such flexibility has allowed Independence to host multiple state opens and qualifiers.)
(The uphill 230/180/145 yard par three fourteenth has a two tier green. Knowing where the flag is located is half the battle. Short grass abounds left and short of the putting surface.)
(I thought the 460/435/415 yard par four sixteenth was the hardest hole on the course. It doglegs right with this bunker guarding the inside corner. It’s a long second shot to a green that sheds balls into the trees. The bunker short left is a better miss.)
Independence is considered Richmond’s premier golf course and it’s presented as such. The courses is in fantastic shape and has very quick greens. The $140 price tag was more than I was expecting but I can’t argue with the near perfect conditions it was kept in. It’s well worth the fee and seeking out if you’re in the area. I give it a 6 (very good)(worth driving 1-2 hours to play). The more Tom Fazio courses I play, the more I find myself liking his work.
(The final hole is a 465/385/350 yard uphill par four. The green sits away from the southern plantation colored clubhouse. During the summer, they have concerts for the locals.)
(I played the white tees at 6,230 yards. As you can tell by the pictures, there’s a lot of room for a miss from the tee. Being able to advance the ball when I hit poor drives meant bogey was still in play with a decent pitch. The highlight of the round was hitting every par three in regulation. Blog 492.)
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