Abandoned Johnny Miller-designed Beacon Hill to be reborn in Virginia

The former Beacon Hill Golf Club near Leesburg, Virginia, has been acquired by Resort Development Partners, which plans to reintroduce golf to the property in 2024.

The course, originally known as Golf Club of Virginia, opened in 2001 with a layout designed by former PGA Tour star Johnny Miller – original plans also included a second course to be designed by Jack Nicklaus. The club later was renamed Beacon Hill, then it shut down in 2006 because of financial difficulties. The property has been neglected and overgrown since.

The Virginia-based Resort Development Partners has entered an agreement with the Beacon Hill Community Association to take over the abandoned and neglected 27-hole private course. The company plans to reopen it as 18 holes named The Preserve at Beacon Hill and later to add a nine-hole family-style course, a new clubhouse and a practice facility.

“Our sleeves are rolled up and work begins immediately to transform this property into an extraordinary golf experience commensurate with the beauty and prestige of the community,” Frank Denniston, Resort Development Partners co-founder and managing partner, said in a media release announcing the news.

Resort Development Partners has experience in operations and strategic planning for hotels, clubs, residential and resort communities in the United States. Its portfolio of clubs includes The Country Club of Indianapolis, Hidden Valley Country Club in Virginia, Pine Island Country Club in North Carolina, Out Door Country Club in Pennsylvania, Timacuan Club in Florida and Cat Island Club in South Carolina.

The homeowners association acquired the course in 2014 from absentee owners and has tried for years to renovate the property. Past deals to renovate have fallen through, leaving the future of the course in limbo for more than a decade.

“The commitment and support to reinstate golf have led to this opportunity to finally fulfill the promise that Beacon Hill was founded upon more than 20 years ago,” Beacon Hill Community Association president Sid Rudolph said in the media release.