Stonehouse Golf Club

Stonehouse is a very interesting and challenging course. A Stranz course, it is carved into the natural terrain with creeks, ravines, high slopes which funnel towards narrow fairways, deep bunkers, and plenty of blind shots. You have to think your way around this course, or there will be plenty of trouble waiting for you. Stonehouse is one of my favorite layouts to play; however, I was a tad disappointed today. There were several greens which had 50-75% of their greens not playable (no grass), specifically #3, #10 and #13 being the worst with a couple of others also in rough shape. However, there were other greens which were in beautiful shape. The fairways were also inconsistent with grass thickness and fullness. The guy in the Pro Shop told us it was the bad winter weather and the course simply didn't recover. They plan to sprig the greens soon, but it's going to take a lot to recover these greens. The rack rate today was $90 and I wouldn't have been happy to pay that rate given the conditions. The Tee Time Pass offered $59.50. This is a great layout, but understand it's just not in the best condition right now.

The tee boxes needed a lot of work. They didn't even look like designated tee boxes .The blind shots usually had some indicator with a pole so that you had some idea of where to hit your shot.

The staff was friendly and even gave us a book with the approximate yardages, but GPS on each cart would have been much better.

A few of the greens were in rough shape but it didn't hurt the putting experience at all.

There were plenty of signs directing you the next tee box.

As long as you can drive the carts in the fairways it was an overall good experience.

I grew up playing this track as a junior and love the layout. Lots of blind shots, challenging but fair once you get a handle on where to hit your tee shots. The greens overall were good however lots of burnt out areas and not the best of conditions. It is still a great course for the value but I write this review to give additional background compared to some saying the course is in immaculate shape. Worth the play but beware of imperfect conditions which are understandable from a course with many humongous greens.

I have played all of the Stranz courses in NC, SC, and VA and this is by leaps and bounds ahead of all the others. First price the MUCH cheaper than the rest.Look at Price for Tobacco Rd that's crazy. Stonehouse has all the quality holes that Tobacco RD has and saves yours tons of money. If you can only play one Stranz course. THIS IS THE ONE BLOWS ALL THE OTHERS AWAY. This has the same shock factor as the others but with some of the best staff of all them. Play this one over the rest you will not be disappointed.

In a world with more than 30,000 golf courses, there are few true originals. Those one-off unique experiences tend to be a bit on the wild and weird side, with moments of awe and others of “Huh?” Stonehouse is no exception. Architect Mike Strantz’s artist-first background and iconoclastic perspective led him to take some wild swings with his courses. Some of them are brilliant and some leave us scratching our heads. That’s the case at Stonehouse. The four par threes, in particular, are terrific. Three of them require forced carries to greens that look like faraway stages. The other one, the 8th, has one of the largest single contours on any green you will ever see.

Stonehouse was saved from decrepitude a few years ago by a local businessman, and conditioning is coming around nicely. For open-minded golfers, it is an absolute must-see.

The green sites alone are worth the price of admission. Yes the course is part of a subdivision; however, the golfer does not feel smothered by them. The property had rolling terrain.

It was worth the wait. This Mike Strantz gem has been through some hard times, but the new owner has rescued this outstanding layout and it is now in terrific condition. In typical Stantz fashion, there is great hole variety, a lot of artistry and risk-reward moments that make you think before you swing. I can see why it was named Best New Upscale Public Course by Golf Digest when it opened in the late 90's. If you are heading to the Williamsburg area to play, be sure to include Stonehouse on your itinerary along with the other Strantz masterpiece at Royal New Kent.

I had read a number of reviews and heard the greens were not good at Stonehouse (more during the July-August timeframe). However, I have to say...THESE GREENS ARE PRISTINE!! They are the best greens I've played on (and I just spent two days at The Golden Horseshoe courses). There wasn't a ball mark any place that we could see. I attached two pictures to show how beautiful the greens are (#8 and #13). The course overall is in wonderful shape...there were a couple of wet spots from the rain Saturday night (and we played Monday), but they were marked as GUR and we played away from them. If you don't like the challenge of Mike Strantz courses, then definitely stay away. But, if you like a challenge, appreciate different holes, and thinking your way around a golf course, Stonehouse is right up your alley. I totally enjoy this course, as it requires good course management and I use every club in my bag. It's not easy, so take your patience...but definitely try it if you haven't. It's exceptional!

First off, disregard the number rating somewhat because after reading comments, they factor in days long past under apparently different management. Even some of the best U.S. courses have seen those struggles. In Sept 2021, this course is an absolute 110% must-play to this first timer. Tee to green it is fantastic shape, and I can’t recall a mark on any of the expansive greens. Very firm and true. The traps were nicely kept as well, but not overly intrusive if playing smart. As it winds through some very undulating terrain, each hole is unique and quite beautiful. We texted plenty of pics to our golf friends, which is probably a great course barometer when you think about it. Wooded as it is, it is not overly tight. You definitely do feel remote/isolated on each hole. Dare I say it is even peaceful. Not a bad thing unless you enjoy an open course and seeing carts in every direction. The carts are nice though, and have some good zip for all the hills and seemingly miles of perfect stone/concrete golf paths. We did say several times how it must be hard keeping these paths so nice.

I’ve played countless courses and this one will stay in my mind and be highly recommended to others. Definitely add it to your Williamsburg rotation even if you think you just want to play the best rated local tracks. Strantz did a great job here. Don’t think you will be disappointed!

Great course that makes you plan your shots. The condition of the course has improved significantly over the past year, especially the greens. The pace of play was great. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a challenge.

I used my rain check and it only cost me $45 (vs. the $89 rack rate). I wasn't able to play the back nine when I played in November, and it is extremely challenging--more than the front nine, which has some of its own challenges. I had forgotten how much fun this course is to play!! You have to think your way around it--look for mounding for fairway bounces, closely bordering extreme rough and penalty areas, and drive forward to take a look at the hole because of the multitude of blind shots. The course is beautiful! The fairways are green and lush, the bunkers were certainly acceptable, and the tee boxes were good. The only reason I gave it a 4 vs 5 is because the greens are starting to burn out...if they don't do something, they will lose them. Unfortunately, this is the story with Stonehouse--great course, challenging and beautiful, but they have trouble holding the greens. This has happened since they opened in 1996. Try this course, though...it's another great Mike Strantz design and is not for the faint of heart!

Similar to my review of another track close by, this is absolutely what you expect from a Mike Strantz design. You will have some blind shots, and some diabolical false fronts :). I'm allowing a bit for winter weather and conditions with the four stars - I see several other reviews earlier in the year unhappy with the greens. I'll say this - they're not ALL the way back, but they are definitely trending in the right direction. Again if you are a fan of Mike Strantz courses, I'd recommend you play Stonehouse. Clearly the staff and owners are investing and it shows.

I use to play Stonehouse almost every trip to Williamsburg before it closed down. I was excited to hear it was bought, renovated, and reopened last year. This has been the first opportunity to play since it reopened. The only reason I gave it 4 stars and not 5 was because 1) the greens are still coming back after they redid them in Sept-Oct, and 2) it took 3 hours to play the front 9. (They were having a members Sr. Men's Tournament and it was just slow.) Now, to the good news: the fairways were beautiful, the bunkers and tee boxes were in good condition, and the cart paths were concrete which was really nice. I hit every fairway so I'm not sure how the rough was, but the fairways were wide and I didn't notice a lot of rough generally. This is a challenging layout and errant shots are going to be in the trees or in extreme rough. There are a lot of blind shots, so some holes you need to send a "forward scout" up to tell you when you can hit from the men's tee boxes. I'm definitely going to go back again when in Williamsburg--I want to play the back 9 to experience the entire course. Helen Ware, the GM, is exceptional! Friendly, welcoming, personable, and bends over backwards to accommodate. She was a one-woman show today doing everything...Pro Shop, cart cleaning, and even driving carts out to the course to exchange for players. She was kind enough to give me a rain check since pace was so slow. I highly recommend this course for the challenge, the diversity in layout, the attention to their customers, and the great condition of the course. I know this course is only going to get better, so am really looking forward to playing this Mike Strantz design in 2021.

Outstanding layout, good shape except for the greens, which need work. Putt-able, but not pretty. Had Impossible Burgers at the grill, which was nice. Good value while they rework it....

I HAVE PLAYED THIS COURSE SEVERAL TIMES AND REALIZE THAT IT HAS COME IN AND OUT OF BANKRUPTCY SEVERAL TIMES. MY PROBLEM IS WHEN YOU CHARGE RESORT RATES WHEN YOUR COURSE GREENS ARE COMPLETELY UNPLAYABLE. THE #1 and #18 GREENS WERE IN GOOD CONDITION - EVERY OTHER GREEN WAS UNPLAYABLE WITH ONE HAVING BEE DAMAGE TO THE POINT OF NOT BEING ABLE TO PUTT. I HAVE PLAYED DOG TRACKS FOR $20 IN BETTER SHAPE. THEY CHARGED US $60 (GROUP OF TWELVE) AND THEN WE COME TO FIND OUT THEY CLOSED THE COURSE FOR REPAIRS LESS THAN 2 WEEKS LATER. MIKE STRANZ, THE COURSE DESIGNER WOULD ROLL OVER IN HIS GRAVE THAT THIS CLUB OPERATES UNDER HIS DESIGN.

DO NOT PLAY THIS COURSE WITHOUT CHECKING FOR A RECENT REVIEW!

Kudos to the owner for trying to restore this fine Mike Strantz design. The fairways and bunkers are in good shape but the greens are still extremely thin and inconsistent. Hopefully they will be back after one more growing season. They really need to be rebuilt but hopefully seeding and fertilizing will get them back next year. They will not recover in 2020.

The tee boxes were in good but not great shape. Some were so hard that it was difficult to get a tee in the ground.

The course is difficult with many blind shots but is fair. You will get unique shots that make the round particularly enjoyable if you like a good challenge.

With all this said, however, I would encourage play. You will be challenged by the unique layout and it is physically beautiful. The owner can use the income to complete improvements to the course. It is a couple of years away from complete restoration, but it is enjoyable and challenging to play now. It is a true Mike Strantz course. Can't wait for continued improvements to the greens.

This was my first time playing this course though it's the 5th Mike Strantz designed course I've played and wow what a design it is! Two holes on the front nine have back tee boxes that are completely 90 degrees from the others (one of them on the par-4 5th was abandoned years ago) that make the hole play COMPLETELY differently and really blew my mind.

There are several holes where the two back tee boxes are tucked into the trees and have you hitting out over a forced carry onto the fairway which is one of my very favorite course design features. Lots of blind tee shots all over the course but none that trick you into hitting into trouble and that's the key. I do recommend using an app on your phone that has an overhead view of each hole as that will help you with exactly where to aim but even without one you won't get frustrated if you just hit it straight over the hill. The sheer amount of elevation changes on the course are impressive and formidable. There are lots of elevated fairways and downhill approaches to greens so choose your clubs carefully.

Conditions are still lagging and I'm probably being a bit harsher on this than other reviewers but for $63 and a long layoff before reopening I was expecting better. Many of the greens (especially on the front nine) still need to grow in more, you can tell the root system is still very shallow and makes for firm but slow and inconsistent greens. Other greens are much better and roll faster and smoother. Bunkers are in good-to-very good shape and most of the fairways are fully grown in but there are plenty of bare spots in the rough that look a bit unsightly.

Last issue on conditions is in regards to the aforementioned tucked away tee boxes. The trees really have overgrown and are not only cutting into the your view as you tee off but make the tee box grass very hard to grow in so much shade. Some tree removal on a few holes would go a long way to improving the overall experience off the tee on those holes.

I pretty much had the course to myself in the middle of a weekday with good weather so if you don't mind the sub-optimal conditions, you'll definitely enjoy not having to worry about pace of play here for a while.

I will definitely come back later in the year to play here again. A discounted rate or improved conditions will make it worth it to me because the layout is so unique.

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Stonehouse Golf Club

9700 Mill Pond Run, Toano, VA 23168 -

a week ago

WOW! STRANTZ WOULD BE PROUD!

Positives:

New Owners and Staff have really put this amazing course back on the playlist.

Looks and plays like a brand new course!

Not one nearing a quarter century.

93F today (6/4/20) and with Covid there's no coolers permitted on the course. Plan well ahead with 2 gallons of water on your cart.

Except for Black Tee on 10th (we always play from tips) the boxes, fairways and greens were like a brand new course. Grounds Team were working on rebuilding green collars on 6 & 10.

Greens rolled true if a bit slower than most as they are young Bentgrass taking root.

No scabs, ballmarks or Poa Annua anywhere!

Lovely..

Great craft beers at the turn and the best Bacon/Tomato/Cheese on Rye we've ever had.

Negatives:

Not many.. Men's room needs a total makeover. Good Grief. $63/round doesn't seem too much for the course conditions and Strantz Design but the bathroom was insulting.

Fix that and you'll draw ahead of Viniterra for value AND ambience.

See ya again soon..

The greens are the worst that I have ever seen. The grass is dried and pulled up from the ground and is impossible to putt.

Wait for them to come back.

Everyone in our group of 14 were very dissatisfied.

Stonehouse, along with New Kent, have gone out of business.