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WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - The Shoe fits, literally.
Colonial Williamsburg is one of golf's most family-friendly destinations. There's endless entertainment from Busch Gardens Williamsburg to the mile-long Historic Area that transports everyone back in time to America's earliest days. The one missing family attraction, from a golf perspective, was an engaging short course. The nine-hole Spotswood Course at the Golden Horseshoe Golf Club closed in 2022 for potential redevelopment, leaving a void for casual golfers who didn't want to play a full round.
Enter The Shoe, a nine-hole executive course by Rees Jones that debuted earlier this year in one-third of Spotswood's old footprint. Paired with a new putting course that's free and fun, The Shoe will cater mostly to beginners, families or people who want a more affordable and less stressful way to spend roughly 90 minutes playing golf.
Jones gives golfers a mix of challenges from 43 to 137 yards. It's the first short course I've encountered where a majority of golfers will probably take a cart. The land is quite hilly, marked by a few steep falloffs surrounding the greens. My threesome of golf writers easily walked, although I won't judge cart riders. Between playing 36 more holes at Golden Horseshoe and walking everywhere inside Colonial Williamsburg, I got plenty of steps in over two and a half action-packed days in August. You will, too, exploring one of America's most endearing vacation destinations.
(Note: GolfPass can take you there with two different golf packages. Remember that GolfPass+ members get $100 off certain packages at booking.)
Teeing up Golden Horseshoe
What's the coolest part about playing golf at Golden Horseshoe? Every green fee supports The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, the private, not-for-profit 501(c)3 educational institution that maintains the Historic Area, which is the world's largest living American history museum.
Consider your tee time a charitable opportunity to give back to the next generation of families who might want to visit. Robert Trent Jones Sr. considered the 6,817-yard, par-71 Gold Course among his best designs. So do I. Its foursome of watery par 3s are as intimidating as they are gorgeous.
The second-floor grill in the clubhouse is known for its BBQ, smoked to perfection outside. Its oak-smoked BBQ is a local Virginia delicacy. My plate of brisket and pork paired nicely with both sweet and spicy sauces. I'd fly cross-country just for a second helping.
The next morning, I tackled the Green Course, a Rees Jones design added in the 1990s. It's a short shuttle ride for guests (like me) of the Williamsburg Lodge, Autograph Collection, to reach the sprawling 7,120-yard routing carved from acres of forest. Each hole follows its own corridor lined by towering trees and framed by bunkers and mounding to guide players along. It's flatter and slightly easier to score - and perhaps, best of all, more affordable - than its trophy sister course.
If you look at the price points of the various golf experiences, Golden Horseshoe hits all the marks - a true Top 100-caliber course in the Gold, a playable and cheaper option for vacation golfers with the Green and a short course in The Shoe that caters to all ages, skill levels and budgets. Golf needs more versatile facilities like this.
Time-travel inside Colonial Williamsburg
Every minute I wasn't sleeping in my very comfy room at the lodge or playing golf, I was trying to live my best life, 1780s style. The Historic Area includes 89 original 18th-century buildings, as well as hundreds more buildings reconstructed based on historical records and archaeological research.
I toured the Governor's Palace with a guide who educated the group on the politics of the day. Afterward, families could get lost together in a maze in the sprawling backyard. Inside the Gunsmith shop across town, I learned how musket rifles were built. Throughout the day, there was always something happening - soldiers marching down main street, horse and carriages shuttling guests about, musical acts playing weird-looking instruments from the time period and various staff-led activities to keep children busy. Air conditioning in many of the buildings helps to keep summer visits enjoyable.
My favorite attractions, of course, were the taverns. I had lunch one afternoon at Shields Tavern, where I ate a smorgasbord of Fry Chicken and Grand Sallet (salad). The highlight was the macaroni and cheese recipe from Thomas Jefferson himself. Check it out:
Dinner at Christiana Cambell's Tavern was as educational as it was tasty. Some items on the menu have been adapted from cookbooks of the era. The recipe of my Seafood Pye of lobster, shrimp and gravy dates to 1773.
Before a single bite, my waiter taught me how to wear my dinner napkin, a giant white cloth the size of a bed sheet. It wrapped over my shoulders and covered my legs. "Nice clothes were very expensive," he explained. "You don't want to soil them."
During dinner, a musician toured from room to room, entertaining guests with traditional patriotic songs many of us learned in elementary school.
Walking back to the lodge in the dark, I almost paid $20 to join a walking ghost tour. But I decided against it, wanting to go to bed with fond memories of the day, rather than waking up worrying what might be lurking in the closet.
Modern creature comforts with a nod to the past are spread throughout the resort. Let's put it this way: No one has to churn butter for toast at breakfast. True southern hospitality was on display during an elegant dinner in the Rockefeller Room inside the Williamsburg Inn - another accommodation option - and the breakfast buffets at Traditions in the lodge. Each meal provided enough tasty fuel for more walking or golf.
The Spa of Colonial Williamsburg across the street from the lodge incorporates a mix of 17th-century and new-age techniques in many of its treatments. My half-hour treatment of stretching and massage took the kinks out of my back after 45 holes of golf and 10 hours of airport stress to get here. Multiple pools and modern fitness facilities are available as well.
In case you didn't know yet, next year - 2026 - is America's 250th birthday. I can't think of a better way to celebrate this major milestone than a golf and history lesson visiting Colonial Williamsburg.
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