Royal New Kent Golf Club

Still an awesome and amazing course. With the course only open for a week, there are still a few places where fairways are being repaired. Greens were sandy but still rolled fast and not many issues.

I played the “old” course and we certainly come back over and over. So happy this course has come back. I had a Hot Deal and paid $50. SO ALL THE HATERS THAT THIS COURSE ISNT WORTH IT, DONT PLAY IT! That will give me more deals to play here.

I won’t spend $95 but I will pay $50 and play here at least once a month! Thanks again for a great course to play again and can’t wait to come back.

Played the day after opening, so grass was still coming in. I'm sure the conditions will become 5 star in a few weeks . Absolutely amazing layout. Every hole was a different challenge. Loved it.

I have played RNK many times in the past as a former Traditions club member and after. The course has had its condition ups and downs but still remains a great layout. the new owners have done a great job with drainage and repairing the sinkholes around the low areas. The greens are great and roll very well. False fronts and backstops are back to being what they are supposed to be. Sandtraps look great but not sure about type of sand, reminds me of old Florida sugarsand and not very playable. Overall, the improvements are great and when the grass really grows in, the course should be spectacular. The course was only mildly busy but the round only took about 4 hours, which is great for this course. Cutting back the really bad natural grass may account for some of this. I think that the $95 regular fee will have to be adjusted somewhat if they want steady local play.

After being closed, sold off, abandoned, purchased, and remodeled, Royal New Kent Golf Club is finally back to its former glory.

When last I played here in October of 2017, the fairway grass was thin, the greens were bumpy, and the many, MANY bunkers were utterly unplayable. Fast forward to the present and the Wingfield Golf Management Services and company have worked a small miracle. Though the clubhouse and layout of the course remain unchanged, there are major and minor improvements everywhere you look.

Let’s start with the course conditions and the biggest changes; the greens and bunkers. The management rolled the dice and decided to swap out every green from bentgrass to Bermuda hybrid. So far, so good. They look incredible with more slope (but less firmness) than Independence Golf Club, another course that dared to go Bermuda this far north (they subsequently lost their greens to a harsh 2017-2018 winter and had to start over). The greens here always rolled on the fast side but after reportedly rolling them every day for a week leading up to the re-opening, they were probably around 11 on the stipmeter; near the limit for casual golfers. As you would expect from having not been played on they rolled pure and smoothly.

The bunkers have also received a great deal of attention with an all new drainage system that's already been put to the test with incredibly wet weather over the past year. The fresh, beachy sand is piled high in every bunker and thankfully I avoided all but one of them. For the near future, expect a plugged lie as the sand still needs to settle in and firm up a bit. There’s also an aesthetic change to the sand traps, whereas before the single, sprawling and uninterrupted bunkers are now a group of smaller, more circular traps. This apparently is in line with Mike Strantz’ original design.

The only other significant change to the course is new drainage systems to the fairways which will be great in time but for now the new drains are surrounded by sod that hasn’t fully taken yet and the course is encouraging players to treat them as ground under repair. The rest of the fairways and rough remain in good but unchanged condition.

There are a few minor upgrades as well worth mentioning: brand new gas golf carts complete with club and ball washers, a cooler, and USB charge port; new logo and Irish-themed flags on the the pins, and a new menu at the in-house Strantz Pub grill.

Pristine conditions aside, this course is all about the incredibly fun yet challenging Mike Strantz layout with Irish links style fairways and tees, blind approach shots, penalizing bunkers, tiered greens, and very few flat lies. The design has never looked better and will only increase in beauty with the warmer weather greening up the place. Though I didn’t score particularly well, I had a few shots that I’ll remember for a long time.

The staff here is very friendly and professional and I appreciate the car-side service and free range balls (grass range!) to go with my round.

Value is important to me and while the rack rates of $95 are a bit steep for most golfers, there are more value-focused options: There are GolfNow rates available online with discounts, twilight rates during the week drop down to $55 and for those brave enough to walk this long, hilly course the rate drops another $20. Be ye warned however: walking this gem is not for the faint of heart as there are several long gaps between holes. There may be a couple shortcuts but you’ll have to know the course pretty well to find them.

Overall my experience here was superb. Yes, it was opening day so there are some elements that might not last (it was far from crowded when I played and it’s *possible* a golfer or two from here on out will neglect their ball marks on the greens), but even with the higher greens fees than before I can’t wait to come back and play it again!

There's a lot of great work going on at Royal New Kent. Completely new greens that look incredible. Bunkers being completely renovated. Fairway drainage pipes being completely renovated. Once everything is completed in the Spring, this place will, once again, be something truly special in the world of golf. Certainly Top 10 in Virginia and close to Top 100 in America.

Course was in great shape! Greens were very nice! Nothing but good things to say about this course. I would recommend it everyone and will go back!

This is one of my favorite courses here in Virginia and it’s mainly because of the fantastic Irish-links style layout by Mike Strantz. Yes, it can be extremely unforgiving and make for a long round, but if you go in with the right mindset you’ll definitely enjoy yourself. If nothing else, it is a very pretty course.

You can tell though that the course is underfunded right now. A minimal staff and the many pot bunker sandtraps that seem to long since have actual sand in them. Their bareness and the exposed drainage pipes aren;t a good look for such course. On the bright side, the greens were mostly in good share and the fairways looked better than on my previous two visits. The course had received a lot of rain recently and nearly all of the course had drained nicely.

For the right price (plenty of GolfNow deals available) this can be a great value, just be warned that a “quick” round here is anything under 5 hours. My threesome finished in just under 5:00 and only had to wait a few minutes on the very last hole.

Take your time and enjoy the challenge! I will make the drive many more times.

Great golf course, a definite must play if you are in the Williamsburgh area. The layout is a true Strantz gem and is quite a challenge. The Staff were quite friendly and courteous! This is a course that it would help to play with a member or a few times to get used to your sight lines. The conditioning was ok but some of the greens were rough in some patches. As well the bunkers and cart paths need work! For the money though it was a great deal! When back in the area it will be a definite replay!

I was not prepared for this course. The first few holes reminded me of the crazy Old Macdonald at Bandon...huge elevation changes, huge greens, and totally blind tee shots and approaches. Many players will not like the course as it is VERY difficult...if you don't have your A game, good luck. One of the other reviewers suggested to forget your ego and play from more forward tee boxes and he is right on. They have pot bunkers everywhere that are more British thsn American, meaning if you find one it may as well be a stroke penalty. This course is one of the most beautiful I have played and houses or buildings are visible in the distance on only a few holes. I can't wait to play it again!

The course was a difficult course. Took 6 hrs for 18 holes. However the layout was more of a challenge than I expected. First time golfers would have a more enjoyable time with someone that knows the course

Fantastic layout. This is a true links course with the pot bunkers, etc... It has many unique holes. The fairways are generally very wide, and the greens are huge, but the penalty for missing either is huge. I enjoyed this course as much as any course I have played.

This course is fantastic very challenging a hidden gem. Greens in great shape, will challenge every part of your game.

I am huge fan of Mike Strantz as an architect so that along with the reviews here led me to play here. This course has everything you could ask for from forced carries, lay ups to ideal spots and great green design. There are plenty of tee choices for your game. The pro shop will give you a course map with distances and layout which is helpful but if you can play with someone who has played before you will be better off. If you have never played a Strantz course you have to keep an open mind. It is challenging, humbling and a lot of fun. The courses conditions were perfect considering the above average rainfall we had in August. This course reminds me the most of Tobacco Road in Sanford, NC, minus the sand and waste areas of Tobacco Road. If you are in the area and want a truly unique experience give Royal New Kent a call. Again prepare to be humbled but have an open mind.

the course is in great shape. My advice, bring some sort of gps, or get a yardage book. Some of the greens are enormous and easily make up at least a 2 club difference depending on pin position.

Royal New Kent is an awesome gem of a course that we played for a steal of a price. The layout is breath-taking and there are some magnificent holes that would challenge players at every level. It was evident that the maintenance budget was down since the bunkers weren't raked and several were filled with water, along with slower greens. However, it didn't really diminish what an amazing value this course was to play!

Links style course. A "little" difficult, but extremely fun.

Bring your A game, or just have fun, I would recommend playing with someone who has played there before

There is a reason this course is ranked as one of the most difficult in the country. Playing here will tell you where your game really is. This links style layout is unique to central VA and can be intimidating the first few times you play it. Once you've been around this track a few times and know where to place your shots, the scoring opportunities are many. There is no "let-up" and you have to stay mentally focused during the entire round to score well. If you're looking for a golf course with no "home-course-advantage" to play a match with your buddies, this is it... Enjoy!

Course is in great shape. Cart paths could use some repair. Always a challenge, intimidating to the first-timer, but really playable and fair once you get familiar with it. Cool bar and staff too! Definitely one to play if you are in the area!! ($25 deals on golfnow.com as well)

The more you play the more you appreciate. First couple times little confusing , trying to figure layout and target areas . Very unique and challenging. Elevation changes , doglegs and design takes getting used to, but the more you play the more you appreciate the layout and the different ways it can be played. Layout very unique to Richmond market and challenge will bring out your best shot making. Nice drive from Richmond market , but worth it for its original design. Enjoy the natural setting and course in very good conditon considering the heat . Links style course actually plays into the heat and dry conditions. Greens very good condition . Tee boxes little hard and fairways weak in spots, but overall very good and conditions add to the links design with plenty of roll. Makes other courses in the area seem easy. Layout really makes you think more about shot selection. Hope to play here more often to change things up.