The course is located at the end of the 700-home River’s Bend neighborhood. (Michael Schwartz)
While there may not be any golfers passing through its clubhouse these days, a local restaurateur is adding some life to River’s Bend Golf Club.
Stymie’s Bar and Grill remains open for business inside the River’s Bend clubhouse at 11700 Hogans Alley in Chester, despite the golf course itself being closed for business as the future of its 177 acres unfolds.
Ronnie Kelley, who owns the golf course and the clubhouse, said the restaurant is now run by Ronette Landry. She came on in January and brought a menu that includes Cajun foods like fried alligator and gumbo. Kelley said Landry hails from Louisiana and previously ran two eateries in Colonial Heights.
He said Landry has developed enough of a following to help the club draw in revenue in recent months to help counteract the lack of golf rounds. He said many of the diners are from the surrounding River’s Bend neighborhood.
“The neighborhood has been very supportive,” he said.
Stymie’s is open Wednesday through from 4 to 9 p.m. and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Landry would not comment for this story.
Kelley said the course remains closed and hasn’t seen any golfers in months after a combination of factors led to him losing control of upkeep and being overtaken by weeds and cracked greens.
But Kelley remains ever optimistic, as has been the case since River’s Bend fell on hard times in 2013.
“There is a plan for the course. It’s going to be vibrant; it’s going to be good. I sound like Donald Trump,” Kelley said. “I can’t share anything on it. But there is a future plan for the golf course.”
Kelley isn’t the only one pondering the course’s future.
PC Amin, a local hotelier and River’s Bend resident who controls the loan secured by the golf course, has said he is weighing his options for its potentially valuable acreage, particularly its riverfront areas. The golf course’s land is all zoned residential, a designation that’s been in place since it was developed.
One option on the table is to potentially sell the course’s riverfront property – amounting to about 110 acres – to a conservation group that would look to maintain the land as a park.
The second scenario for the riverfront piece is to sell it to a developer who would look to build homes with a view.
The remaining non-riverfront fairways and greens could potentially be gifted to the River’s Bend Home Owners Association or converted into a 12-hole golf course.
The course is located at the end of the 700-home River’s Bend neighborhood. (Michael Schwartz)
While there may not be any golfers passing through its clubhouse these days, a local restaurateur is adding some life to River’s Bend Golf Club.
Stymie’s Bar and Grill remains open for business inside the River’s Bend clubhouse at 11700 Hogans Alley in Chester, despite the golf course itself being closed for business as the future of its 177 acres unfolds.
Ronnie Kelley, who owns the golf course and the clubhouse, said the restaurant is now run by Ronette Landry. She came on in January and brought a menu that includes Cajun foods like fried alligator and gumbo. Kelley said Landry hails from Louisiana and previously ran two eateries in Colonial Heights.
He said Landry has developed enough of a following to help the club draw in revenue in recent months to help counteract the lack of golf rounds. He said many of the diners are from the surrounding River’s Bend neighborhood.
“The neighborhood has been very supportive,” he said.
Stymie’s is open Wednesday through from 4 to 9 p.m. and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Landry would not comment for this story.
Kelley said the course remains closed and hasn’t seen any golfers in months after a combination of factors led to him losing control of upkeep and being overtaken by weeds and cracked greens.
But Kelley remains ever optimistic, as has been the case since River’s Bend fell on hard times in 2013.
“There is a plan for the course. It’s going to be vibrant; it’s going to be good. I sound like Donald Trump,” Kelley said. “I can’t share anything on it. But there is a future plan for the golf course.”
Kelley isn’t the only one pondering the course’s future.
PC Amin, a local hotelier and River’s Bend resident who controls the loan secured by the golf course, has said he is weighing his options for its potentially valuable acreage, particularly its riverfront areas. The golf course’s land is all zoned residential, a designation that’s been in place since it was developed.
One option on the table is to potentially sell the course’s riverfront property – amounting to about 110 acres – to a conservation group that would look to maintain the land as a park.
The second scenario for the riverfront piece is to sell it to a developer who would look to build homes with a view.
The remaining non-riverfront fairways and greens could potentially be gifted to the River’s Bend Home Owners Association or converted into a 12-hole golf course.
I miss that course was my favorite course to play and one of the most beautiful. I can’t believe what these owners have done to this place not investing in its up keep and improvement and just let it die. I ranked this on my list of top 3 courses in VA to play with Royal New Kent and Kingsmill being the other two in 2000.