We go head-to-head with the world long-distance driving champion
In Williamsburg, Virginia, history is everywhere.
Few places in the United States can inspire a sense of immersion in our country’s history like Williamsburg, Virginia. Four hundred years after European settlers landed in Virginia, the culture of the area has a depth, combined with its modern facilities, it is a real trip. In more recent history—about the last century—Williamsburg has also become a potential destination for something else: golf tours. Designed by famous architects such as Robert Trent Jones, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Mike Srantz More than a dozen courses are dotted with diverse landscapes.
Even better, the location of Williamsburg makes it ideal for road trip destinations from anywhere on the east coast. Once there, the only difficulty you will encounter is to reduce your itinerary. This is the version of our weekend golf trip.
Day 1: If you are driving, great! If you are flying, there are many options. The nearest airport is Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport (PHF), only 15 miles from the city center. Norfolk and Richmond are each about an hour away, and the airport in Washington, D.C. is less than three hours away.
I landed in Newport News, which is a pleasant small airport, and quickly took a taxi to the city center. We checked in at the historic Williamsburg Hotel, which is located on the first tee of the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club. The game starts now.
Dinner: Gabriel Archer Tavern at Williamsburg Winery. From farm to table dining, the vineyard has a panoramic view.
Evening entertainment: Pirate Bay Adventure Golf. It is important to make the putter hot at the beginning of any golf trip.
Day 2: Golden Horseshoe Golf Club
Golden Horseshoe has 45 walkable holes across three courses-so we handled all 45 holes at the beginning of the week. The green course is the perfect introduction to this trip, as we walked through some mature woodland in the opening 18 holes. Gold is the crown jewel of the property; the dramatic Robert Trent Jones, Sr. design has won a comparison with the Augusta National Team. We polished it with desserts at Spotswood. This is an original nine-hole design that has maintained its charm for decades.
Dinner: Enjoy tacos and beer at Precarious Beer Project. Great beer selection. Top-notch tacos. arcade games. Win easily.
Evening entertainment: Colonial ghost walking tour. Arguably the best way to experience downtown Williamsburg. Of course, I slept a little restlessly that night...
After 45 holes in Golden Horseshoe, what better way than 36 holes on the road? Kingsmill Resort has witnessed some of the greatest golfers. In the morning we played at the Pete Day River Course, where the PGA and LPGA Tour matches were held, and the dew swept our picturesque and challenging layout. The climax of 16-17-18 bordering the vast James River created a satisfactory upper limit for this round of competition. We talked about this while eating sandwiches at the Eagles restaurant while overlooking the 18th green. In the afternoon, we shuttled around the plantation field designed by Arnold Palmer, where birds can be captured better than a strong river.
Evening: After staying in our cabin in Kingsmill, which directly overlooks the James River, we gather to go to the historic Jamestown Island to truly understand colonial history. When the sun went down, we strolled in the original James Fort, wondering what it would be like in this place in the early 1600s.
Dinner: Cochon on the 2nd. Williamsburg has a wide range of dining options, and Kechon on the 2nd allows us to enjoy the wine purchased nearby and the delicious waves and turf.
Day 4: Williamsburg National Golf Club
Williamsburg National also has two 18-hole layouts, Yorktown Courses and Jamestown Courses, so we filled the omelet from the cheerful Blue Talon Bistro and headed to the stadium. We visited the Jamestown Stadium and plunged into the Yorktown Stadium. This is a beautiful stadium designed by Tom Clark, with a set of bold greens and a challenging test for more than 7,000 yards. There are three par-3 holes, three par-4 holes and three par-5 holes in the back nine holes, setting a lot of drama. The round corn flakes at 1607 Grille are fantastic.
Evening entertainment: historic Yorktown. The scenic drive along Colonial Park Avenue brought us to Yorktown. When we arrived, we got a night guided walking tour focusing on the historical drama of the town and its background in the big picture of the Revolution and Civil War era. The enthusiasm and knowledge of our tour guide made this a totally rewarding and immersive experience-especially when we learned about the connection with the Yorktown Country Club, it was a long-lost design by William Flynn (link to YCC work). Combining an interesting history of golf to talk about primitive settlers and key battlefields, it feels like the perfect end of this trip.
Dinner: Water Street Barbecue. Right on the street of Yorktown Beach (not far from our hike), we walked into the Yorktown Bar for a beer, and then went across the street to have dinner. The Water Street Grille allows us to choose from a wide variety of craft beers, share snacks and pizzas, and enjoy the views of the adjacent York River, while looking back at the past week-and the sights and sounds we must add next time.
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