The Decline of a Community Golf Course

This is a brief yet poignant narrative about a once-thriving golf course that has deteriorated following its acquisition by real estate developers. It’s a tale of Reston National Golf Course in Virginia, a popular spot for golfers of all skill levels, now facing significant hardships.

It all began in 2019.

In May of that year, developers Weller Development Company and War Horse Cities announced the purchase of the 18-hole, 168-acre course from RN Golf LLC for over $23 million.

At that time, a local group called Rescue Reston expressed their concerns, fearing the golf course would be replaced by homes and condos. They issued a statement criticizing the sale.

“Rescue Reston is disappointed that a developer who fully intended to keep the 18-hole golf course and preserve the open space could not gain traction with RN Golf,” they stated. “Instead, they chose to sell to a developer whose long-term intentions appear to lean towards developing Reston’s open space.”

However, the new owners seemed to have a different take. According to the Fairfax Times, Weller Development Company and War Horse Cities claimed they had no immediate plans for the property beyond maintaining the course.

This sparked a community debate over whether to retain the course or allow for its development into housing.

In June of that year, the Fairfax County Planning Commission leaned towards development. Yet, shortly after, the Board of Supervisors made a commendable move by putting the brakes on development plans, at least temporarily, halting the extended campaign to eliminate the course.

Unfortunately, the story doesn’t end there.

Since the acquisition in 2019, the condition of the course seems to have significantly declined. One golfer from Northern Virginia shared his thoughts in a Reddit thread.

“I’m posting this to warn anyone against spending money to play at Reston National. After over ten years of golfing in the area, I can say the course is a total disgrace right now. I don’t know what happened recently, but it’s practically unplayable, and they still charge full price,” he cautioned, sharing images of the greens that resemble a neglected backyard. “The tee boxes are just patches of dirt with clumps of crabgrass, and the greens are full of dirt spots, making putting impossible.”

The golfer continued…

“The new owner seems to be hoping to let the course fall apart so that they can push for development later on. It’s a real shame; it used to be a decent course and a good value, but honestly, nobody should play it until something changes.”

Other local golfers chimed in, recounting their own unfortunate experiences and expressing disbelief over the high fees at such a dilapidated facility.

“Easily the worst course in Northern Virginia. I wouldn’t pay $40 to play there,” one commenter noted.

Another golfer observed that it wasn’t just the greens that were suffering.

“Sadly, the owners appear to be intentionally neglecting it. They are a real estate company aiming to re-zone the land for more townhomes. They’ve invested in the clubhouse (maybe it could be turned into a restaurant), but the rest of the facilities have drastically declined over the past year, especially as they’ve run into obstacles in their re-zoning attempts, which have always been unlikely to succeed. It seems like the owners are trying to make the course undesirable to end community resistance,” the user explained.

There’s something disheartening about corporate interests putting profit over community welfare. Society needs housing, of course, but it also deserves well-kept golf courses with smooth greens.

I hope the developers aren’t resorting to such tactics, but the signs are pointing that way. And I truly hope golfers in Northern Virginia continue their efforts to restore the glory of Reston. Thank you for considering this matter.