Belmont GC

Richmond, VA

1916, A.W. Tillinghast; 1940 redesign, Donald Ross
Back 6350  70.6  126  71
Middle 5944  68.4  122  71

Directions: I-95 N to Wilkinson Rd exit and turn L, then L onto Brook Rd, follow signs to course

Fees: ~$20 plus cart Wknd

Fat Guy Review: Belmont hosted the 1949 PGA Championship which was then a matchplay event, and was won by Slammin' Sammy Snead. It's the only course in VA to have hosted a USGA major. Not often you can play a course with a Tillinghast/Ross/PGA Championship-type pedigree for this price, but this thing is a long way from its glory days so don't get your hopes up too high. This course features small greens, and a local rule that allows a re-tee if you catch the powerlines on the 1st with your drive. 4 holes were modified slightly when a nearby road was widened, but it still plays nearly the same as the original design. A great value just for the history, and not a bad track on top of that. Sees lots of rounds, so maintenance isn't perfect, but not bad for the greens fees. This was my regular haunt when I lived here. Rating: 7.0

Best Bar Nearby: I lived in Richmond for 2 years, so I know my way around, but it's been a little while. You'll find a surprisingly Southern city for one so close to the Mason/Dixon line (don't forget it was once the capital of the Confederate states; they still call it "The War of Northern Aggression"). As a transplanted Yankee, I found the prevailing attitude to be, "If it don't get done today, it'll get done tomorrow."

Both bars where I was a regular during my Richmond stint have since closed down, so here's what I know:

For a great Gentlemen's club, try Paper Moon (3300 Norfolk, Downtown; 6710 Midlothian Tpke, Southside; 804-674-0790, www.papermoonclub.com). I once picked up a dancer there and took her to Vegas for the weekend. Disastrous trip, but a great story. Or Pure Pleasure (68 Labrook Cnc, Southside, 804-232-5711).

Sports bars: Glory Days (10466 Ridgefield Pkwy, West End; 6151 Harbourside Centre Lp, Southside); Champps (9202 Stony Pt Pkwy, 10 mins S of downtown); Buffalo Wild Wings (7801 W Broad West End; 1501 E Cary, Shockoe Bottom); Mulligan's (1323 Main, downtown); & Hooter's (1211 Huguenot, Southside; 2401 W Hundred Rd, Chester; 7912 W Broad).

Shockoe Bottom is the best downtown pub & grub district, although an '04 flood wiped out many former hotspots. Hit Tonic (14 N 18th St, 804-648-4300) for serious martinis and a cutting-edge wine list. Try the house-specialty drinks: Champagne & Strawberries, or a Carmel Kiss.

Where To Grub: Downtown, you gotta get to Joe's Inn. Great little unassuming Italian joint, outstanding house dressing, and try the Spaghetti ala Joe, baked with mozarella on top. Avoid the meatballs. Tobacco Company in Shockoe Bottom (12th & Cary, www.thetobaccocompany.com) is a popular upscale spot set in an open 3-story former tobacco warehouse. A little fern-bar-ish and full of Yuppies, but good food in a nice setting. Way off the beaten path is Mammazu (Spruce & Pine, Oregon Hill; check out Southern folk-rockers Cowboy Junkies' tune "Oregon Hill"), a hole-in-the-wall with great Italian. Order veal marsala and the rockfish, family-style. Strawberry Street Cafe has a great Sunday brunch, a salad bar in a bathtub, and the best Snicker's pie on the planet. VA-based regional seafood chain Awful Arthur's (101 N 18th; 7408 W Broad) brings former locals back. Try Double T's for Best Of Richmond BBQ (2907 W Cary, across from Byrd Theatre). Post last-call, hit 3rd Street Diner (218 E Main) for a taste of Richmond's college freak set.  For the best pizza in town, hit Bottom's Up in Shockoe Bottom.

Where To Stay: If you're liquid, the historic Jefferson Hotel has been a bastion of genteel Southern hospitality for generations, with a staircase rumored to have inspired the one in the film Gone With The Wind.

Further Distractions: Carytown is the local artists' hang, with unique shopping. Hit Carytown's Byrd Theater for $1 2nd-run movies with the 1930's interior and pipe organ still intact, and the popcorn girls wear flapper costumes. Atlanta Braves' AAA farm club is a family-friendly outing (check the home schedule at www.rbraves.com). Tour a typical Southern estate at Berkeley Plantation (Rt 5, 22 mi E of Richmond, 888-466-6018). Hollywood Cemetery has plenty of history. The Civil War Visitors Center (5th & Tredegar) starting at Tredegar Iron Works is a nice walk. Or check out nearby King's Dominion (www.kingsdominion.com).