Belvedere Golf Club

Favorite Hole

No. 16, par 4, 346 yards

The 16th hole begins at the lowest point of the back nine and climbs to the central ridge. It serves as a reminder that not every short par 4 has to be drivable. The wedge shot into this elevated green, with its repelling right side, is nothing short of terrifying. A slight miss to the right or excessive spin will send the ball rolling down. Bailing left leads to a tricky chip that could easily roll off the green.

In an era where drivable par 4s have gained prominence, short par 4s demanding intricate wedge shots have become underrated, and the 16th hole stands as one of our favorite examples.

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Overall Thoughts

How do you build a compelling course with just one core topographical feature? By using it repeatedly and crafting incredible greens. At Belvedere, William Watson built fascinating golf on a site featuring a prominent ridge with a road running through it.

Belvedere’s property is fairly simple, defined by a steep ridge and a road—Marion Center—that bisects the property almost equally. The road has been there since the course’s inception, dividing the front nine on the west side and the back nine on the east. The ridge extends to both sides of the road, making for an unusual property, but one that Watson uses well. His routing allows many holes to play off of, along, or one top of the ridge.

Players encounter this dynamic from the very start. The first hole at Belvedere features a dramatic tee shot off the ridge, playing down to a fairway pressed against the ridge line. This stellar hole makes an immediate impression, whereas the next four navigate some of the course’s least interesting land. Despite the flat terrain, the holes are memorable because of standout greens. The long par-3 fourth, for instance, has one of Belvedere’s many “potato chip”-style greens.

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From the low point on the west side of the property, you begin your ascent up the ridge on the sixth hole, a difficult dogleg right. This hole provides a welcome splash of topographical variety after a series of flat holes. The approach shot is demanding, semi-blind to a severe green. The seventh continues the climb with a long par 5, and on the eighth tee, you find yourself back on top of the ridge, playing a par 3 towards the edge. Recent tree removal by superintendent Jordan Caplan has emphasized the infinity character of this spectacular green. The ninth then plays along the ridge, tempting you to shorten the hole by biting off some of the right side. The hole culminates in another remarkable Watson green with a false front and a severe left-to-right slope.

After you cross the road to the back nine, the 10th once again takes you from the ridge down into the valley. The 11th hole, playing back up to the ridge’s base, is captivating. Hitting your tee shot to the right leaves your view of the green obstructed by a small ridge. The short approach demands utmost attention because of the green’s sharp undulations, many of which repel the ball away from its target.

The back nine stands out for its greater interaction and variety with the ridge. After the 11th, you walk up to the 12th tee and play along and down the ridge diagonally. Shorter hitters will approach the green from the ridgetop, while longer hitters may reach the bottom. A tough outcome is if the ball stays on the slope of the ridge, resulting in a sidehill approach with a wedge.

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Unlike the front nine, the back features only two flat holes: the par-4 13th and the par-3 14th. The 13th boasts one of the best greens on the property, and the 14th, a long hole, plays into a beautiful stand of trees, which brings you to the awkward 15th. This hole takes you down a second ridge to the lowest portion of the east side of the property. There are two options off the tee: play safe and stay on top of the ridge or attempt to cut the dogleg right and get to the lower area. Playing to the top leaves a longer approach but is an easier tee shot, while pushing down is risky, with trees on the right, an irrigation pond on the left, and the chance for your ball to catch on the ridge

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From the back nine’s low point, the exceptional 16th hole ascends back up the ridge. The long par-3 17th plays over a valley in memorable fashion, and the closer, much like the ninth, runs along the top of the ridge, leading to a green that leaves a lasting impression. Situated on flat land with a false front and a couple of knobs, this green will often send you away with a five even if you reach it in two.

Belvedere’s virtues are simple but enduring. Watson’s routing uses the terrain, especially its defining ridge, to create a varied and exciting walk, and his greens test your short game and enliven the duller sections of the property. All towns could have a course like this—and I wish they did.

1 Egg

From a design perspective, the greens and routing at Belvedere are masterful, easily deserving of an Egg. While the agronomic presentation is impressive (superintendent Jordan Caplan has remarkably enhanced Belvedere’s playing conditions over the years), the course’s stylistic presentation suffers from the lack of original bunkers. The existing bunkers, as depicted in the photos, resemble open saucers more than Watson’s rugged creations. A bunker restoration, if undertaken, would significantly improve the course’s aesthetics. It should be mentioned, though, that consulting architect Bruce Hepner has skillfully restored fairway lines, green sizes, and playing corridors on a budget over time. As for the land criterion, Belvedere falls slightly short of an Egg. Although the ridge is used ingeniously in some areas, there are too many flat holes for the property to be considered elite.

Additional Content

The Underappreciated Craft of Golf Course Drainage (Article)

Course Tour

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