Given that I am an alum of The College of William and Mary and spent four years of my life in Williamsburg, Virginia, it is high on my list of places to enjoy a golf vacation.
Not only do you have great golf courses, you can round out your vacation with an abundance of activities at any time of the year.
Let’s have a look at some of the golf courses.
Golden Horseshoe Gold Course
First up is Golden Horseshoe, which is located right in the heart of Williamsburg. The original course, and still the better of the two, is the Gold Course.
The Shoe as it is affectionately called, was originally designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr. and opened in 1963. It has since been re-designed a couple times by his son Rees Jones, once in 1998, and most recently in 2016.
The Gold Course plays to a par of 71, and tops out at just over 6,800 yards from the back tees. It is best known for offering an outstanding set of four par 3s, one of which you can see below. The fairways are Bermuda grass and the greens are bent grass.
The course offers tree lined fairways and undulating terrain. As a result, accuracy off the tee is needed. The regular green fee is $169…a pretty good bargain for one of the best courses in Virginia!
The Green Course at Golden Horseshoe receives fewer accolades, but is still an excellent golf course. This is a more modern design by Rees Jones that opened in 1991.
This course plays to a par of 72, and is a more beastly 7,100 yards from the back tees. As a result, some consider it to be the more difficult of the two courses.
The course is a bit more open than the Gold course, but, due to its length and bunkering, presents a stern challenge that results in a 142 slope rating.
Green fees at the Green course are also only $89, so I would consider this to be a significant bargain.
I should note that both courses at Golden Horseshoe are owned by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and operated in conjunction with the Williamsburg Inn and Williamsburg Lodge. Both are excellent choices for your trip to Williamsburg.
Kingsmill River Course
The Kingsmill River Course was our home course when I attended William and Mary back in the 1980’s.
At the time it was host of the PGA Tour’s Anheuser Busch Classic, and two-time U.S. Open Champion Curtis Strange called this his home course. It is no host to a LPGA event annually.
The River Course was designed by Pete Dye and opened in 1974. From the tips, the course is just over 6,800 yards long, and is a typical, strategic, Dye type of course. It plays to a par 71.
Similar to the Golden Horseshoe, the fairways are Bermuda grass and the greens are bent grass. That is where the similarities end.
While there are trees lining the fairways, they are much further off the fairways than at Golden Horseshoe. Therefore, the rough is usually more penal.
My personal favorite hole is the par 4 16th, a dogleg right that stretches out to nearly 460 yards. The 17th is then a nice par 3 that plays along the James River.
Kingsmill Plantation Course
The Plantation course at Kingsmill was designed by Arnold Palmer and opened in 1985.
It was designed to be a more friendly course than the River Course, as it stretches out to only 6,254 yards and plays to a par of 72. Therefore, it is a pretty good companion to the River course for golfers of lesser ability.
In order to play the courses at KIngsmill, you are required to be a guest of the resort, or a member. However, the green fees are very good, and the accommodations themselves are not outrageously expensive.
Ford’s Colony
Ford’s Colony Country Club is a semi-private facility located to the northwest of Colonial Williamsburg that opened in the mid-1980’s and offers 54 holes. The three courses are named Blackheath, Marsh Hawk and Blue Heron.
Blackheath and Marsh Hawk are generally viewed as the more difficult courses, while Blue Heron is more user friendly. Blackheath and Marsh Hawk stretch out to over 6,600 yards, while Blue Heron is under 6,300 yards.
Green fees at Ford’s Colony are quite attractive if you are looking to add additional rounds to your trip to Williamsburg.
Williamsburg National Golf Club
Williamsburg National is a public facility located a few miles due west of Williamsburg. This club offers two golf courses, the Yorktowne course and the Jamestown course.
The Yorktowne Course plays to a par of 72 and is just over 7,000 yards from the back tees. This course was designed by Tom Clark and opened in 2007.
The Jamestown Course is actually a Jack Nicklaus design that opened in 1993. It also plays to a par of 72 and stretches out to 6,953 yards.
This facility has undergone a makeover in recent years and is getting stronger reviews. It’s definitely worth checking out during an extended stay.
There are some other courses in reasonable proximity to Williamsburg, but the courses I’ve discussed are the closest to Colonial Williamsburg that are open to the public.
Where to stay for your Williamsburg Golf Trip
Ideally, I’d recommend a stay at the Williamsburg Inn or Williamsburg Lodge, both located in Colonial Williamsburg, and next to Golden Horseshoe.
However, as I mentioned, in order to play at Kingsmill, you’ll need to stay at Kingsmill Resort.
For me, it is a coin toss if I had to choose between playing the Kingsmill River Course or Golden Horseshoe. However, the ideal golf trip to Williamsburg will include those two golf courses.
If you decide that you don’t want to stay at Kingsmill resort, then there are numerous hotels available for any budget. Williamsburg Inn represents the high end of the range while there is an abundance of budget chain hotels as well.
If you don’t mind splurging, I also recommend dining at Williamsburg Inn on your trip to get that 5 star experience. Otherwise, you will find plenty of dining options in and around Colonial Williamsburg and near the William and Mary campus.
For a great sandwich and calzones, you can’t beat Paul’s Deli, located directly across from campus. A stop in the Cheese Shop on Duke of Gloucester Street is also a necessity. Be sure to pick up a jar of the house dressing to take home with you…it is excellent on sandwiches and subs!
Lastly, I highly recommend a visit to Gambol’s at Josiah Chowning’s Tavern on Duke of Gloucester Street to get the colonial tavern experience. Gambols starts at 9 pm and involves song and dance with games and a little bit of magic in the tradition of colonial times.
If it is a Friday or Saturday evening, be sure to get in line by 8:45 to be sure to get a table. When you leave, enjoy the peace and quiet of strolling along Duke of Gloucester Street at night…it’s one of my favorite things to do.
If you have time, I recommend a stroll through the William and Mary campus, as it is simply one of the most beautiful in the U.S.
Busch Gardens and Water Park USA are located near Kingsmill, so if you have time, and you’ve brought the kids with you, check them out!
Lastly, if you are in the area for an extended stay during the summer, don’t forget that Virginia Beach is just an hour to the east. This will help you get your beach fix!
Check out some of the hotel deals below!
