Annual Report of the Chair, Board of Governors And the General and Special Committees 2025
offering real-time yardages, and allowing staff to communicate course conditions and updates directly to golfers. Planning continues for the potential Arlington Golf Renovation and Improvement Plan (GRIP), a key component of the broader ANCC Facilities Master Plan. Independent site visits conducted by leading agronomists from the United States Golf Association and Turfgrass Disease Solutions have highlighted several long-standing infrastructure concerns—including aging greens and fairways, deteriorating bunkers, an outdated irrigation system, shallow ponds, erosion along Long Branch Creek, and heavily used, undersized practice facilities. Many of these challenges were previously acknowledged during a 2018 town hall, where then–Director of Golf Greg Scott addressed the membership. In response, a draft renovation plan was developed by A.H. Green Design, Inc. and presented at a special informational meeting on February 27, 2025. The draft, now available for member review and comment, also explores broader site enhancements—such as creating additional space near the indoor tennis center for future club projects, expanding much-needed parking closer to the clubhouse, and mitigating safety concerns from errant shots near the parking lot, pool, and neighboring properties. Civil engineering work is currently underway to assess the feasibility of the plan and to determine projected costs. Although cost speculation persists, no official figures have been released, as the necessary engineering and design work is still underway to establish those cost estimates. We anticipate receiving detailed estimates from the engineering team and A.H. Green Design later this fall, likely around Thanksgiving. While much of the recent attention has centered on Arlington, we are equally enthusiastic about the future of club operations at Fairfax. The Fairfax Task Force—formed to conduct a comprehensive review of the campus and develop recommendations for optimizing use of the property—has completed its work and will present its findings to the membership at the annual meeting in October. We look forward to the opportunities and enhancements they will propose for golf at Fairfax. Turnover among professional golf staff is a frequent and natural part of the industry, and we are deeply grateful to those who have served our membership with dedication over the years. At the same time, we are excited to welcome new faces to the team who bring fresh energy and perspective. We want to give special thanks to Rachel Belanger for her outstanding work as Director of Player Development—her leadership and commitment to growing the game have been invaluable. We also extend our appreciation to Jonathan Sands, our long-time Director of Retail, whose keen eye for trends and constant introduction of exciting new products have made the golf shops a popular stop for members and guests alike. Finally, we offer heartfelt gratitude to Pete Stassi for his many years of devoted service to the club. Pete has been a fixture of the Arlington golf experience, and while his ongoing health journey may limit his day-to-day presence, we are actively exploring ways for him to stay engaged with the Club in a meaningful way. In the meantime, the search is underway for a new Head Golf Professional at the Arlington campus. We sincerely thank the membership for entrusting the Golf & Green Committee with the responsibility of stewarding the courses and golf experience at Army Navy Country Club. It’s a
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