Williamsburg, VA area courses

Doing a quick weekend trip in Oct to Williamsburg. Going to play Viniterra on the drive down. How is Viniterra? Looking at the Williamsburg National courses the following day. How are the Williamsburg Nat courses? Got a tee time book for either Williamsburg Nat course at $49 with cart, good deal? What other courses to consider? And of course the Golden Horseshoe is on the list again, but did that last year.

I am also going in Oct. Considering:

Golden Horseshoe
Kings Mill River (have played before)
Royal New Kent

If you can get on, the Williamsburg club right across the railroad from kingsmill is awesome. Probably the best course in Williamsburg

That's Williamsburg CC, you're probably going to have to know someone to get on there. Golden Horseshoe Gold Course is a great choice. Kingsmill River course...or you might try Ford's Colony Blackheath.

Kingsmill River Course is in fantastic shape and an all around fun track, just played it a few weeks ago.

Williamsburg National Courses are on my "will never play again" list. Consistantly in very disappointing shape, I've never played there with anything better than "average" conditioning. IMO those "deals" are there for a reason. Ugh, there are just too many other places to play that deserve your money. Royal New Kent, Viniterra, Golden Horseshoe and Kingsmill River would be a great start.

RNK / Viniterra though are @ a half hour from Williamsburg itself.

The Gold course at Golden Horseshoe and Royal New Kent are my two favorite courses in that area by far.

if youre going to viniterra play royal new kent as others have mentioned, its 10-15 mins away. its a strantz design so there are some blind shots but its a great great course. if you take route 60 from williamsburg there is an exxon in providence forge(left hand side of rte 60 from williamsburg) that has good fried chicken fwiw.

[quote name='melo' timestamp='1442839630' post='12343374']
That's Williamsburg CC, you're probably going to have to know someone to get on there. Golden Horseshoe Gold Course is a great choice. Kingsmill River course...or you might try Ford's Colony Blackheath.
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I don't think it is williamsburg cc anymore.....I was a member there before i moved away....I think they made it a resort course and changed the name......If they didn't change it too much, play the tips and bring your a game.

[quote name='wobgon' timestamp='1442887927' post='12347814']
[quote name='melo' timestamp='1442839630' post='12343374']
That's Williamsburg CC, you're probably going to have to know someone to get on there. Golden Horseshoe Gold Course is a great choice. Kingsmill River course...or you might try Ford's Colony Blackheath.
[/quote]
I don't think it is williamsburg cc anymore.....I was a member there before i moved away....I think they made it a resort course and changed the name......If they didn't change it too much, play the tips and bring your a game.
[/quote]

It's such a solid course. Shot my first ever collegiate round in the 60s there. We played 4 as a par 4, always hated that hole.

It's always in awesome shape, as it looks like nobody ever plays it.

an additional little gem is called brookwoods, its 10 mins nw of viniterra but still in new kent county. its a gem b/c the layout is fun, lots of doglegs and undulation price is very affordable and my buddy played it 3 weeks ago and said it was in great shape. if youre looking for something more affordable than RNK or Vini- check it out

I played Brickshire yesterday and other than a few stressed spots on some of the greens (from a real dry summer) the course was in great shape. I loved the layout. For the heros here there was a 260 yard par three over a deep ravine on the back nine.

Kingsmill is definitely a cool place to play if you have never been there. Golden Horseshoe obviously. Ford's Colony has 3 golf courses I have played 2 of them and they are great.

Any feedback on the courses at Ford's Colony? Which is the better course there? Marsh Hawk? Blue Heron? Blackheath?

Blackheath

I love the 18th hole on the Blackheath course. Great finishing hole.

A lot of the courses already mentioned are great so I won't repeat, but to add one that hasn't been mentioned, you might also check out Stonehouse. It isn't far from Vinaterra either. I like it better than Royal New Kent.

Lots of great golf in the WIlliamsburg area.

[quote name='vbb' timestamp='1443723546' post='12396436']
A lot of the courses already mentioned are great so I won't repeat, but to add one that hasn't been mentioned, you might also check out Stonehouse. It isn't far from Vinaterra either. I like it better than Royal New Kent.

Lots of great golf in the WIlliamsburg area.
[/quote]agree to disagree Stonehouse, not a fan. Royal New Kent is rough too. Vinaterra is decent but in the middle of nowhere and not Williamsburg. Horseshoe and Kingsmill River are the top of the food chain.

do not play stone house, the layout is great(strantz design) but it was in horrible shape. a pity its gotten so bad.

[quote name='ccorrada' timestamp='1443729827' post='12396996']
[quote name='vbb' timestamp='1443723546' post='12396436']
A lot of the courses already mentioned are great so I won't repeat, but to add one that hasn't been mentioned, you might also check out Stonehouse. It isn't far from Vinaterra either. I like it better than Royal New Kent.

Lots of great golf in the WIlliamsburg area.
[/quote]agree to disagree Stonehouse, not a fan. Royal New Kent is rough too. Vinaterra is decent but in the middle of nowhere and not Williamsburg. Horseshoe and Kingsmill River are the top of the food chain.
[/quote]

I have played Kingsmill River a couple of times and it is a nice track, but not worth the "hype" it gets for formerly hosting a tour event and currently hosting an lpga tour event. I absolutely loved the Kingsmill Woods course, but unfortunately they made it full private and exclusive to members only so you can't even play there as a resort guest anymore. The Plantation course is forgettable. Now the Golden Horseshoe course are both great... Green and Gold. Not a single bad thing to say about those courses. I took a particular liking to Stonehouse though, I don't know why, but I did. Royal New Kent left a bad taste in my mouth because I feel it is "tricked up" and has a lot of blind shots that make it no fun unless you know the course.

[quote name='prsgtrman' timestamp='1443788329' post='12399688']
do not play stone house, the layout is great(strantz design) but it was in horrible shape. a pity its gotten so bad.
[/quote]

Really, when did you play it? I found the conditions to be nice... maybe a 7 out of 10... back in May or June when I last played it. I played a round with a member and he was telling me that sometime last year someone vandalized the greens, but they were redone and had come in nicely.

[quote name='vbb' timestamp='1443791508' post='12399878']
[quote name='ccorrada' timestamp='1443729827' post='12396996']
[quote name='vbb' timestamp='1443723546' post='12396436']
A lot of the courses already mentioned are great so I won't repeat, but to add one that hasn't been mentioned, you might also check out Stonehouse. It isn't far from Vinaterra either. I like it better than Royal New Kent.

Lots of great golf in the WIlliamsburg area.
[/quote]agree to disagree Stonehouse, not a fan. Royal New Kent is rough too. Vinaterra is decent but in the middle of nowhere and not Williamsburg. Horseshoe and Kingsmill River are the top of the food chain.
[/quote]

I have played Kingsmill River a couple of times and it is a nice track, but not worth the "hype" it gets for formerly hosting a tour event and currently hosting an lpga tour event. I absolutely loved the Kingsmill Woods course, but unfortunately they made it full private and exclusive to members only so you can't even play there as a resort guest anymore. The Plantation course is forgettable. Now the Golden Horseshoe course are both great... Green and Gold. Not a single bad thing to say about those courses. I took a particular liking to Stonehouse though, I don't know why, but I did. Royal New Kent left a bad taste in my mouth because I feel it is "tricked up" and has a lot of blind shots that make it no fun unless you know the course.

[quote name='prsgtrman' timestamp='1443788329' post='12399688']
do not play stone house, the layout is great(strantz design) but it was in horrible shape. a pity its gotten so bad.
[/quote]

Really, when did you play it? I found the conditions to be nice... maybe a 7 out of 10... back in May or June when I last played it. I played a round with a member and he was telling me that sometime last year someone vandalized the greens, but they were redone and had come in nicely.
[/quote]
I always thought it was interesting that on the river course, you do not see the river till # 16.

A good friend of mine went to college in W'Burg and said that pound for pound Ford's Colony has the best group and I would agree with him. Good solid, classic golf courses.

I will say the Kingsmill River Course is the only Dye course I have ever liked right off the bat and look forward to playing.

RNK is always fun as long as you approach it with the right attitude.

I have also enjoyed playing The Colonial near Williamsburg.

Colonial Heritage is a good tough track as well, it's not far from downtown Wburg and has some great holes.

Blackheath is also a good track, we held a tournament there and it was a success. #1 and #18 are definitely memorable holes.

GH Gold gets all the press but don't pass on the Green either. It's probably my favorite course in Wburg and is just plain fun to play. Plenty of length with some birdie opportunities scattered in there, and the greens are always great.

Colonial Heritage is a tough test. I could see how a 1 would like it, but for a bogey golfer it makes for a long day.

Horseshoe Green is a good course too. Usually play it while I am down there.

Royal New Kent was in horrible shape when I played it last . . . a couple of years ago. Never again for me.

I'll be heading to the area towards the end of April but I'm not the one setting the deal up. We're playing Blackheath, Viniterra, Colonial Heritage and Kiskiack. There have been a number of comments about all of them except Kiskiack, has anyone played it? if so what are your thoughts.

Lastly, I will be going in a day earlier than the others and may try to play 36. Any recommendations? I was thinking Golden Horseshoe gold & green for simple logistics or maybe play the Gold and the River course at Kingsmill. Would that doable?

Thanks

I'll be heading to the area towards the end of April but I'm not the one setting the deal up. We're playing Blackheath, Viniterra, Colonial Heritage and Kiskiack. There have been a number of comments about all of them except Kiskiack, has anyone played it? if so what are your thoughts.

 

Lastly, I will be going in a day earlier than the others and may try to play 36. Any recommendations? I was thinking Golden Horseshoe gold & green for simple logistics or maybe play the Gold and the River course at Kingsmill. Would that doable?

 

Thanks

Kiskiak is a solid track and I would recommend it it's not in pristine condition by any means but still a great course.

if youre going a day earlier play royal new kent once or twice even. if you drive to new kent you can also do as a second 18 brookwoods or brickshire. however i would play royal new kent 2x. i played it the first week of january and it was in perfect condition.

if youre going a day earlier play royal new kent once or twice even. if you drive to new kent you can also do as a second 18 brookwoods or brickshire. however i would play royal new kent 2x. i played it the first week of january and it was in perfect condition.

Really??

I haven't been in a long while, but that surprises me. That course design forces a substantial maintenance budget, unless they have filled in or abandoned a bunch of the bunkers since I was last there.

Good for them.

Colonial Heritage is a tough test. I could see how a 1 would like it, but for a bogey golfer it makes for a long day.

 

Horseshoe Green is a good course too. Usually play it while I am down there.

+1 to Colonial Heritage..love it.