Course Around or South of Richmond, VA close to I-95 or I-85

lespaulist · July 15, 2012

Hi everyone,

We have our annual Pinehurst top coming up in August. We are coming from the Northeast and always play a round of golf on the drive down. We would like to either pay around or ideally a little south of Richmond because it is a good breaking point for our drive. Ideally, the course would be close to I-95 or I-85 too so we don't deviate too much off our route. Does anyone have any course recommendations? I am not very familiar with that area.

Thanks.

ChipDriver · July 15, 2012

Kinloch Golf Club is amazing - albeit you may need a sponsor. But if you're playing PInehurst I assume you could have your club call down and hook you up.

Big L · July 15, 2012

http://www.traditionalclubs.com/sites/courses/layout9.asp?id=363&page=37969

This company owns a couple courses around Richmond. The Crossings is only 10 minutes north of the city, the others are about 30 minutes east off I64. I have played Stonehouse and the Crossings and enjoyed them. Royal New Kent is supposed to be an amazing course (links style). I'm not familiar with any courses south of the city.

ChipDriver · July 15, 2012

[quote name='Big L' timestamp='1342393378' post='5281464']
[url="http://www.traditionalclubs.com/sites/courses/layout9.asp?id=363&page=37969"]http://www.tradition...=363&page=37969[/url]

This company owns a couple courses around Richmond. The Crossings is only 10 minutes north of the city, the others are about 30 minutes east off I64. I have played Stonehouse and the Crossings and enjoyed them. Royal New Kent is supposed to be an amazing course (links style). I'm not familiar with any courses south of the city.
[/quote]

I thought Royal New Kent was near Williamsburg - but that's a really nice course. Mike Strantz (RIP) designed it - and the first hole on RNK looks and plays very very similarly to the first hole at Tobacco Road which is near the Pinehurst area.

Good choice!

act0fgod · July 15, 2012

[quote name='ChipDriver' timestamp='1342393246' post='5281448']
Kinloch Golf Club is amazing - albeit you may need a sponsor. But if you're playing PInehurst I assume you could have your club call down and hook you up.
[/quote]

Not sure why playing Pinehurst means he has a club that could call down. If you stay at the resort you can play Pinehurst courses.

If Williamsburg isn't too far off (an hour out of your way) there are a few courses...Golden Horseshoe or Kingsmill are both pretty good places.

lespaulist · July 15, 2012

Thanks for the suggestions. Royal New Kent looks good but I think Williamsburg may be a little far off the track. Plus, we are playing Tobacco Road so I am not sure if I want to play another Strantz course. Last year we wound up playing the preserve at Jordan Lake. I was looking to break a little closer this year but we could always find a course in Durham/Chapel Hill too.

mattastic · July 15, 2012

Indepence is my course of choice, albeit 25 minutes off 95. In great shape right now they just had the Virginia Open

ChipDriver · July 15, 2012

[quote name='act0fgod' timestamp='1342399963' post='5282086']
[quote name='ChipDriver' timestamp='1342393246' post='5281448']
Kinloch Golf Club is amazing - albeit you may need a sponsor. But if you're playing PInehurst I assume you could have your club call down and hook you up.
[/quote]

Not sure why playing Pinehurst means he has a club that could call down. If you stay at the resort you can play Pinehurst courses.

If Williamsburg isn't too far off (an hour out of your way) there are a few courses...Golden Horseshoe or Kingsmill are both pretty good places.
[/quote]

My mistake - you're missing the point b/c of my faulty assumptions. Good point.

I should have just said "have your club or pro call Kinloch and see if they can get you on" - it will easily rival the quality of Pinehurst...and it's on the way.

Big L · July 16, 2012

Royal New Kent is smack dab in between Richmond and Williamsburg, so it won't be too far of a detour if you stay in Richmond. Completely forgot about Independence, a great course, only about 15 minutes outside of the city and right near a highway that connects back to 95. PM me if you have any other questions, I live in the area.

cottonseed · July 16, 2012

I would look at Mattopani Springs. Its just a little north of Richmond. You get off at the Kings Dominion exit and then it is about 10-15 minutes from there. I think you can get off north of Kings Dominion and get there as well without having to backtrack at all. I always arrive from the south, so I'm not positive. I'm sure mapquest or Google maps can help. Mattopani Springs is a cool course and in my opinion is the best option in the Richmond area that is near I-95 or I-85.

titeygolfer · July 16, 2012

Skip Royal New Kent, its a bizarre track. Try Viniterra which is right in the same area, and is my favorite course around there.

henricogolfer · July 16, 2012

If you are into history there is Belmont Golf Course, north of Richmond and right off 95, from their website:

Belmont Golf Course, located in Henrico County, Virginia, features an 18-hole PGA Championship golf course. In 1949, the course was host to the PGA Championship won by Sam Snead. Belmont Golf Course, formerly the Hermitage Country Club, was designed in 1916 by Albert Warren Tillenghast, one of the best course architects of his time. The course was redesigned in 1927 by Donald Ross.

Municipal now and can be slow to play, but easy and cheap. Further south is Dogwood Trace, Petersburg, just off of 85 or 95. Owned by the city, was rebuilt about 4 years ago and is also easy and cheap. I am friends with the head pro, pm if you are interested. The recomendations above are all good courses, the two I mention are good places to stretch your legs on the trip.

Good luck and enjoy the Sand Hills!

jafishe3 · July 16, 2012

I would avoid The Crossings and unless you're a member at a relatively exclusive club, Kinloch is going to be out of the question.

I would recommend Independence if you are set on playing south of Richmond, but if you don't mind venturing just a little west of 95, I would recommend The Federal Club. Easily the best course open to the public in Richmond during the week (private on the weekends). It's definitely worth the 25 minute detour off 95.

SHIVAN · July 16, 2012

How about Fredericksburg, a little more north?? Cannon Ridge is a good course, and if you play the blacks or the tips, it will give you everything you could ask for in a test of golf. Most of the single cap members, I've met, play the blues (middle).

MikeMcM · July 16, 2012

Dogwood Trace is just south of Richmond in Petersburg, just off I-95/85, It was an original Fred Findlay course that was redesigned by Ault Clark, reasonably priced, decent conditioning, and not far off the Interestate

lespaulist · July 16, 2012

Thanks for all the suggestions. I think we definitely want to be south of Richmond for our round. We leave from Maryland around 5 am and drive directly to Pinehurst. Somewhere past Richmond would be great because it would be at or just past our halfway point. Dogwood Trace sounds like an interesting option. I checked their website and they only take tee times 7 days in advance which kind of stinks. Thanks for all the recommendations and please keep them coming.

ChipDriver · July 16, 2012

[quote name='lespaulist' timestamp='1342481415' post='5288326']
Thanks for all the suggestions. I think we definitely want to be south of Richmond for our round. We leave from Maryland around 5 am and drive directly to Pinehurst. Somewhere past Richmond would be great because it would be at or just past our halfway point. Dogwood Trace sounds like an interesting option. I checked their website and they only take tee times 7 days in advance which kind of stinks. Thanks for all the recommendations and please keep them coming.
[/quote]

Where are you leaving from Maryland? From Bethesda it's about 2 hours. From Baltimore it's 2.5.

mattastic · July 17, 2012

[quote name='lespaulist' timestamp='1342481415' post='5288326']
Thanks for all the suggestions. I think we definitely want to be south of Richmond for our round. We leave from Maryland around 5 am and drive directly to Pinehurst. Somewhere past Richmond would be great because it would be at or just past our halfway point. Dogwood Trace sounds like an interesting option. I checked their website and they only take tee times 7 days in advance which kind of stinks. Thanks for all the recommendations and please keep them coming.
[/quote]

That shouldn't be a big deal though. I have only played the course a couple times and never had trouble getting out.

bartlettsj · July 17, 2012

Look at the Federal Club in Glen Allen just north of Richmond or Spring Creek which in Gordonsville which is just off I-64 west of I-95 (toward Charlottesville).

Hokie2k5 · July 17, 2012

[quote name='bartlettsj' timestamp='1342526847' post='5291176']
Look at the Federal Club in Glen Allen just north of Richmond or Spring Creek which in Gordonsville which is just off I-64 west of I-95 (toward Charlottesville).
[/quote]

+1 on this - These are probably the best two tracks outside of private clubs in Richmond. Independence isn't far behind though. In my opinion Spring Creek is a better track than Federal but it's an hour out of your way.