Royal New Kent Golf Club

This will be the very last time I play Royal New Kent course! Very rude golf club manager and overpriced.

I had booked a foursome early in the week (based off of my guest's request) and when I showed up with only myself and my 1 guest - because the other 2 players had canceled at the last minute (no fault of my own), I was publicly scolded in front of everyone standing in the proshop as if I was the manager's 5-year old kid.

I guess the 2 of us (me and my guest) should have just not shown up at all to pay our near $100 green fees each, but while standing there to pay this high price (on time), the manager felt it necessary to scold me who actually showed up as committed and paid in full... and went as far as to go on and say that next time my friends decide to cancel at the last minute he was going to charge me full price for anyone of my other no-show guests. (You do the math on that at this fee, good luck with that!) He made this threat with a scolding tone as if I, a 54 year old grown man man, was his 5-year old kid. I then kindly apologized and said he could put us with other singles or double players, to which he only replied with rolled eyes and a disgusted smirk.

If I wasn't with my friend who really wanted play, I would've refused to pay altogether and simply walked right out of there at that very second. Instead, we paid our $98 each and moved on... We moved on to also pay $32 ($27 plus 5 for tip, because who doesn't tip?)... for 6 beers with no bag of ice included at all... $27 for 6 domestic light beers with no bag of ice (really)?! Talk about 5 star pricing with 2 dollar product and service!

Both me and my friend live right here in Brickshire neighborhood, and this is the last time we play that overpriced Royal New Kent who has a rude jerk running the place... Yes, we'll stick with any of the other 3 courses in New Kent (Brickshire, Viniterra, or Brookwoods), where they are nice and respectful to paying customers who show up to play on time regardless if someone else in the group cancels at the last minute beyond their control.

Wayne Rose

Thank you for the great review! Yes, we are fortunate to have players from far away to come play this Strantz piece of art. Its definitely unique and never boring and the more you play it, the more you come to understand and appreciate its wonderful design. Hope you come back soon.

Thank you for the five star review. Since a major renovation by new owners in 2019, this Mike Strantz course is back to offer a unique and entertaining ride for golfers that enjoy playing a course that is never boring. Hope you can make it back soon.

Thank you for the five star review! Strantz and his team wanted to build the exciting roller coasters of golf rather then the boring merry-go-rounds. In each hole, he designed a conservative route and a "go for it" route, which makes it fun to play. Hope you make it back soon.

Thank you for the great review! Strantz's design idol was Dr. Alister MacKenzie and he incorporated much of MacKenzie's philosophy in each hole such as making holes appear harder then they really are and building in risk/reward opportunities in every shot. MacKenzie thought great courses are like good wine or good music in that the more you experience it, the more you come to appreciate the uniqueness and beauty of the place. Hope you can make it back soon.

Thank you for the five star review. As you may know, Mike Strantz was a student of Alister MacKenzie and applied MacKenzie's 13 Principles of Golf Course Design to all seven of his courses.. One of those is that great golf courses are like great wine or music, you have to play them multiple times to fully appreciate them. Another is to design holes to appear harder then they really are. Strantz gives you a conservative route and a "go for it" route on every hole and there is a risk/reward which makes it fun to play and also, at times. frustrating but never boring.. He and his small team noticed at the amusement parks, that the long lines were at the roller coasters and not the boring merry-go-rounds. They set out to build the exciting roller coasters of golf.. There are plenty of merry-go-round courses to play. .We hope you can make it back to play again and again because on that second, third or fourth round we are confident that you will be hooked on Mike Strantz.

Thank you Robert for the great review. Since we bought the shuttered course in 2018, and went through an eight month renovation, reviews like yours go a long way to helping us get the word out that our Mike Strantz course is back. Its a beautiful and unique design. Hope you can make it back soon.

Thank you for the great review. New owners bought the course in 2018 and brought back two of Mike Strantz's original team members to do an eight month renovation. The course is back to its original condition. Strantz designed and built a unique place. Hope you can make it back soon to 'Golf Ireland in Virginia'.