Since 2008 I have played over 20 courses in the Williamsburg area of Virginia including Kingsmill (The River Course), Ford Colony (three courses), Williamsburg National (two courses), The Tradition Courses (three courses) and The Club at Viniterra. Without a doubt my new favourite is Colonial Heritage.
I played my first round of golf in Williamsburg at Colonial Heritage in October of 2008. I don't remember too much about the round and the lasting impression of the course was 'it was tough'! I recently came across the score card; I had shot a 101 with numerous penalty strokes. It's not surprising then that I didn't venture back again until October 2014 for another round.
Keep in mind I stopped working full-time in 2010 and as I played more golf my handicap fell; by 2014 I was down to a 10 from over 20 in 2008. Colonial Heritage would be a test to see how much I had improved.
Our travel day from Mississauga Ontario was Saturday October 18th and we were looking for something close by to play on the Sunday - preferably an afternoon tee time. This would give us a chance to sleep in and stay away from the crowds. By chance GolfNow had a deal on to play Colonial Heritage for $25 US plus tax and it included the use of the practice facilities. What a bargain!
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| Colonial Heritage Practice Facility |
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| Colonial Heritage Driving Range |
The practice facility and driving range is a great way to warm up before playing. There is a huge green and a couple of bunkers to practice sand shots, chipping, pitching and putting before heading off to the driving range directly across the cart path. With a 2 pm tee time we were able to have a leisurely breakfast before driving the 6.6 km from our timeshare, settle in for some serious practice and not have to worry about the early morning crowds. It was perfect!
We headed over to the tee-off area at 1:30 pm and it was deserted. After a few pointers from the starter off we went to the tee and the first decision of the day; which tees to use. Back in 2008 the nines were reversed and the tees we used, the greens, were 6,385 yards with a slope of 139. They now correspond to the blue tees - same distance but a slope of 141. We opted instead to use the white tees which are 6,016 yards and slope of 134; much better suited to my handicap.
If there was any advice I could give someone playing Colonial Heritage for the first time it would be "don't be intimidated by what you see" play your own game. It starts on the 1st hole that features a 90 degree dogleg to the left over a huge fairway bunker. Play safe to the right and you leave yourself a very long 2nd shot to a green protected by sand on the left-side. Play too far left of the bunker and you could end up short of the fairway in the deep rough or small bunkers. How much of the dogleg to cut off? Visually it is difficult to gauge the width of the fairway past the bunker but it does slope down towards the green.
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| First Hole |
I decided to aim left of the bunker and fade my drive back into the fairway; from the white tees that means carrying a drive about 240 yards. Perhaps the turning point of the round and all the rounds I have played here since - I hit the drive to perfection catching the fairway and ending up close to the middle leaving a 100 yard 2nd shot on the 407 yard par 4.
In subsequent rounds I have played here, my opening tee shot is usually a harbinger for how I drive the rest of the day. I have butchered two rounds shooting high 90s and both times I ended up in the sand on #1. Getting the distance and accuracy right on #1, when duplicated, is exactly what is needed to be successful on the tougher holes to come.
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| Colonial Heritage Hole #1 (Cart path across from the white tees) |
For an opening hole the 1st is not particularly picturesque or memorable; it is wide open with sand placed strategically to catch your attention. The green is narrow at the front and well protected by bunkers on the left; it is plateaued and falls off at the sides and the back. The secret to scoring is to get in the fairway and come in with a high lofted club.
The 2nd hole is short (336 yard Par 4) and downhill playing to an elevated green. The longer your tee shot the less fairway available to land in. Shots hit right have a habit of ending up in the rough or past the cart path on the left side of the fairway due to the right to left slope. Not a particularly hard hole but not one of my favourites either; I have messed it up more than a couple of times.
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| Colonial Heritage Hole #2 from Tee | | |
The third hole is up next. It is a 124 yard par 3 that is straight uphill to an elevated green. Once again you have to play your own game - it is a blind shot so make sure you have enough club to make the green and stay away from the green side bunker on the left side. It is not a particularly hard hole otherwise.
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| Colonial Heritage #3 Green |
There are a number of what I term signature holes on this course which for me means holes that I think are outstanding. The 4th and 5th holes are the two that stand out on the front nine.
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| Colonial Heritage #4 Tee |
Visually the 4th hole is both picturesque and intimidating. There is a gully of heavy vegetation to clear to reach the uphill sloping (right to left) tree-lined fairway. There is a small bunker sitting at the right of the fairway about 260 yards from the tee and that is precisely the line you want to be on to end up in the fairway. Miss the fairway or dub a tee shot and you are looking at a lost ball. This hole is only 340 yards so it is imperative you focus on hitting the fairway and less on the distance.
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| Colonial Heritage #4 Fairway |
Once past the gully you can see how much the fairway rises and how the trees start to close in. About 30 yards past the bunker the fairway falls into another gully with the green at the base. There is a small bunker to the right of the green and one behind it. There is little room if you over-hit your approach and for most the shot coming in is blind.
While the 4th hole is rated as the 9th toughest on the course it is good practice for the 5th hole that follows; the toughest on the course.
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| 5th Hole Tee-off |
Spectacularly beautiful with all the trees this hole is also visually tough to play the first time around. It is a 476 yard par 5 that requires some pin-point shooting to do well. There is a small gully with heavy vegetation just past the tee blocks. The fairway slopes from left to right towards a hazard that includes a small stream and large area of dense vegetation.
The first time through I actually had the nerve to use my driver and I hit a pretty long and straight shot that finished up on the left side near the end of the fairway. When I got to my ball I realized I had actually gone too far and was partially obstructed forcing me to lay up. In subsequent rounds I have used a 4 wood to play a little shorter off the tee and let the natural slope of the fairway carry the ball down to the edge of the vegetation; ending more in the middle of the fairway than to the left side.
What makes the hole tough is the huge hill the green sits on and where best to finish after hitting your second shot. There is a natural landing area on the far side of the hazard (right side of the cart path) that
is relatively flat. The trick is to keep the ball in that area and leave yourself about 120 to 130 yards to the green. If you are too short on your 2nd shot you'll be 170+ yards away and too long and you overshoot the landing area and end up at the bottom or side of the hill. I need to add 1 1/2 to 2 extra clubs because of the hill so getting the distance right for your third shot is crucial. Regardless you will be coming into the green blind and there is lots of danger on the left side and behind the green if you are long.
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| Colonial Heritage #5 -Fairway View |
The 6th hole crosses a gully with heavy vegetation to an elevated fairway. Use the three fairway bunkers as a guide; you want your drive to end up left of them or take the risk of having an obstructed approach shot. While I play the white tees I typically use the blues on this hole if the white tees are up - less chance of driving the gully in front of the green or getting too close to the trees on the right.
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| Colonial Heritage #6 Hole |
The fairway narrows the further you drive it and the gully in front of the green is definitely in play from the front tees. The green is not deep and a challenge to hit in regulation. Short and you end up in the gully or a side-hill lie. A miss left is preferable to being long or right.
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| Colonial Heritage #6 Hole - View from the Gully |
From the gully it is a blind shot uphill to a narrow green.
The 7th hole is a 504 yard par 5 with a dog-leg left that winds around water. There is a monster trap down the middle and a large tree on the left side near the water that can come into play.
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| Colonial Heritage #7 Hole |
While I have driven the bunker before I generally don't worry about it when teeing off; there are worse places to be. Since I typically hit a fade my natural aim is at the tree to allow my drive to come back into the fairway just in front of the bunker. There is little to be gained by trying to clear the bunker unless you comfortable hitting over 300 yards.
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| Colonial Heritage #7 Hole - view from the tee. |
Once past the bunker the green can be reached on your next shot although there is some risk; there are numerous bunkers guarding the right and front of the green and a large field of grasses to the left side. The safer play is to play position and leave a short pitch shot to the long and narrow green.
This is just your average par 5 hole - nothing really spectacular about it. I find the tendency is to play left of the fairway which can bring the edge of the water in play as the ground slopes right to left. There is a field of scrub grass from the water to the green on the left side which can also come into play when going for the green with a wood. If you play safe it is a relatively easy hole.
The 8th hole is an uphill par 3 135 yards from the white tees. There is a large bunker to the left side of the green and a smaller bunker near the front right. It is a blind shot as the green is slightly elevated and I am forever under-clubbing the hole catching the front right trap. It always seem to play longer than the yardage for me and I wonder if it because of the prevailing wind direction.
The 9th hole is a long par 4 that dog-legs left around a field of brush with three bunkers strategically placed on the left side of the fairway past the dog-leg.
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| Colonial Heritage 9th Hole |
The right front of the fairway bunker in the shot above is between 195 and 240 yards depending on the tee blocks used. If you are able to take on the bunker a drive clearing the corner leaves an approach shot in the range of 100 yards. The safer drive is to keep it right of the bunker.
The green is long and narrow and sits on a plateau so anything long or to the sides will find sand or roll down and away from the green. There is a large bunker on the left side and a small one at the front right. The green is sloped and a long putt becomes a potential 3-putt.
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| Colonial Heritage 9th Green |
The 9th hole is fairly open and plays long when it is windy. I always seem to struggle with it even when I hit a decent drive. Even when on in regulation there is always the danger of a 3-putt because its a long green with many breaks.
The 10th hole at Colonial Heritage starts the back nine off with a very tough little par 4 that is 400+ yards long.
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| Colonial Heritage #10 | | | | |
The diagram doesn't do this hole justice. Much of the danger can't be seen from the tees with the left bunker on the side of a mound. So you are hitting blind down a narrowing fairway with a bunker on the right side that is in play from the front tees and for long hitters on the back ones.
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| Colonial Heritage #10 (View from the tees) |
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The view from the cart path provides some perspective as to the danger that lurks when teeing off below. Obviously you need to trust your distance and accuracy on this hole. With my draw I start the ball to the left of the bunker and let it come back into the fairway. I have tagged the ball a few times off the tee and ended up in the second bunker on the right side (not visible in the shot above). If you end up right of that bunker in the fairway there is a good chance the trees will come into play on your approach shot.
The fairway falls away so your 2nd shot is downhill to a plateaued green with three bunkers guarding the front right side. This is a tough green to hit and hold. The green is tiered and slopes towards the front - coming in from the side on a layup or out of the sand is no easy task.
The 11th hole is fairly open hole that dog-legs right over a series of five fairway bunkers clustered between 220 and 250 yards out from the white tees. Yes they are in play and going around them means a much longer 2nd shoot uphill to an unprotected green.
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| Colonial Heritage #11 (View from tees) |
The bunkers are only partially visible from the tees but as you moved down the fairway the danger becomes more evident.
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| Colonial Heritage #11 (View from the fairway) |
Missing the hole to the left and you find the rough while a right miss lands you at the bottom of a small gully and a tough pitch up to the green.
The par 4 12th hole is another of what I call signature holes at Colonial Heritage. It is short at less than 290 yards but easy to remember. It is visually striking and a challenge to play.
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| Colonial Heritage #12 Hole |
The tee area is elevated and plays to a rapidly narrowing fairway. There is a very long and narrow bunker that runs about 130 yards along the left side of the fairway starting 150 yards from the tees. It is steep climb down and will gobble up any errand shots that don't hold the fairway. On the right side there are three small pot bunkers that start around 230 yards from the tee. Accuracy is paramount and finding the middle of the fairway will be rewarded with a low yardage approach shot to a long narrow green.
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| Colonial Heritage 13th Hole |
Number 13 is a real challenge when playing the blue tees (376 yards) but a much easier one from the whites (293 yards). The risk from the front tees comes from a narrowing fairway that will punish a long ball that leaks left or right. The hole plays downhill to an elongated tiered green; it is not enough to get on the green as a long distance to the pin invites a 3-putt. Keep the ball straight and manage the distance to leave a high lofted iron for your 2nd shot.
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| Colonial Heritage #13 (view from the white tees) |
Looking from the white tee tees the view is beautiful but the danger is well hidden. Disciple is required to make sure your drive is straight and not too long as the fairway slopes downhill the closer to the green your ball ends up.
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| Colonial Heritage #14 | | | |
The 14th hole is a relatively short par 3 at about 140 yards to the middle of the green from the white tees. Your tee shot crosses a gully with heavy vegetation to a narrow but long green sitting on a plateau. There is danger being short with multiple traps center and right plus a steep hill to pull your ball to the bottom of the gully. There is a bank at the back of the putting surface so bailing long leaves a challenging side-hill pitch to a green that slopes away.
Like many holes on the course accuracy and distance control are needed. Pin position can add or subtract yardage as well. The secret is to make your club selection and commit to the shot; second guessing can easily get you a double bogey if you are not careful.
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| Colonial Heritage #15 |
The 15th hole is a 500 yard par 5 that dog-legs to the left. It is uphill and plays long. The fairway starts to narrow about 250 yards out from the white tees. Missing left can take you down into a small gully and leave a partially obstructed second shot back up to the fairway. Pushing the ball too far right gets you into trees or rouge and invites a lost ball.
Between 60 and 80 yards from the green there is a long bunker that cuts across the fairway on the right side. It is barely visible from the tees. The small tree in the distance is left and just short of the green
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| Colonial Heritage #15 (view from the fairway bunker) |
The view from beside the fairway bunker shows the tree and two bunkers on the left side of the green. If you miss it is better to do so on the right side, short of or past the fairway bunker; the resulting pitch shot is unobstructed and gives you more green to shot for. The green is slightly elevated and falls off if you are long or to the left.
Now onward to one of the most challenging holes on the course and another signature hole. I quickly learned that teeing off from the whites and using a wood can get you into all kinds of trouble so on my next round I opted to play from the blue tees. It is a 404 yard par 4 from the blues.
There is quite an intimidation factor shooting over a huge gully that wraps around the right side of the fairway. You just can't be short. With my draw I aim to the middle of the fairway and let the natural flight of my ball along with the natural slope left to right of the fairway carry me down to the bottom of the landing area. I have made this shot almost perfectly a number of times so I don't think about it anymore.
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| Colonial Heritage #16 |
As good as I drive this hole I have only once manged to hit this green in regulation. I am forever under clubbing and catching the side of the hill or pushing my shot right trying to squeeze a few more yards out of my irons. Clearly this shot has gotten into my head.
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| Colonial Heritage #16 (view from forward tees) |
The view from the forward tees provides a glimpse of the challenge awaiting. The green is square shaped but oriented to appear diamond-shaped. It is a sloping green with a long bunker to the left back and a few small traps at the front. There is of course the gully to get over and anything short or right will likely result in a lost ball or a very poor position.
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| Colonial Heritage #16 (view from the green) |
The view from the 16th green gives one the sense of the beauty and difficulty of this hole. While I have only parred it a couple of times it is one of my favorite holes because of the personal challenge.
If nothing else the approach to the 16th hole is a warm up for what is awaiting at the par 3 17th hole. It is the last and perhaps the best of the signature holes on this course.
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| Colonial Heritage #17 (view from the tees) |
The first time you play this hole the sheer intimidation factor is off the charts - it looks that tough! The tee shot requires a long carry over a gully with heavy vegetation. The green is on a plateau with steep slopes at the front and sides. The green itself is long and narrow forming an L shape around two large bunkers on the right side. While the yardage is only 146 to the middle of the green from the whites it can play 20 yards longer or shorter depending on the pin placement.
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| Colonial Heritage #17 (view from the green) |
The green is also two tiered with the slope in the middle from back to front. Accuracy is paramount on this hole as there is very little room for error left
or right. I tend to over-club a little to reduce the anxiety of getting
enough distance and this has led me to some very successful outcomes. Being a little long is perhaps the only bailout but a huge challenge if the pin is on the lower tier and you are chipping or putting from the back. Getting a par here is always a great score.
The 18th hole is a 478 yard par 5 from the white tees. I am not a fan of this hole although it is not particularly tough.
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| Colonial Heritage #18 Hole |
The tee off area is once again over a gully with heavy vegetation and the angle you set-up with is critical. Because you are hitting into a rising fairway the danger of a misdirected tee shot is not clear. The fairway narrows the further down you go and there is out of bounds to the right pass the elevated cart path. Meanwhile there is water on the left side and the fairway slopes to the left. I have a tendency to not play far enough left with my fade and this gets me into trouble on the right side.
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| Colonial Heritage #18 Hole (view from cart at tee area) |
The view from the tee area shows the vegetation and how difficult it is to get oriented as the water and out of bounds are not clearly visible. Truthfully the
18th is a disappointment after playing the 16th and 17th holes.
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| Colonial Heritage #18 Hole (view down the fairway) |
A little further up from the tees and you can see the cart path winding down the right side. You can also see the homes on the right side and the out of bounds stakes. From the tee off area you do not get an appreciation where you have to keep your tee shot. Even from here the water on the left side is not visible yet.
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| Colonial Heritage #18 Hole (view from center of the fairway) |
The green is long and narrow and is tucked around the water on the left
side. A long tee shot puts the green in play in two but it is a tough
carry over the water. Playing safe requires a very accurate 2nd shot
shot towards the bunker on the right side of the fairway. Laying up well short of the bunker on the right makes your approach shot very challenging - the further back the more water you have to take on to get to the green. There is a large bunker at the back left side of the green as well.The bail out on your approach is on the right side of the green.
Since I rediscovered Colonial Heritage in 2014 I have played here multiple times on each of my trips to Williamsburg. I have used GolfNow and TeeOff to book some very inexpensive rounds on the course - typically getting us off between 11 am and 2:30 pm. During the week (April and October) it is usually not very busy but weekends can be busy and slow.
This course has a number of signature holes that set it apart and are easily remembered. The course is very scenic and very challenging but also is fair. Disregard the visual intimidation, hit the ball straight play smart and you can score on this course. I have shot a number of rounds between 80 and 85. That said when I have been off I have run up some pretty high scores between 95 and 100.
Regardless of what I shoot Colonial Heritage remains my current pick as the best golfing value in the Williamsburg area.
