The par-4 18th at Blackheath features a
challenging and picturesque island green.
the putting greens are in the best condition
we’ve seen in years,” says Stelten.
Several notes on play: Fairways demand
real thought on tee shots. Greens are
pitched back to front and par 3’s No. 4 and
No. 17 play over ponds. Stelten calls the 18th
green among the course’s most challenging.
Survive that, then take a long look at the
gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains that helped
shape the venue you’ve just toured.
SUNDAY, JUNE 12
FORD’S COLONY COUNTRY CLUB
Blackheath, the most scenic of Williamsburg’s three Ford’s Colony options gets
the nod for a rare weekend One-Day event.
Players will most likely tee from the par
71 Blue, 6,101-yard and 5,754-yard Blue/
White Combo. Water is evident on 13 of 18
holes but is only in play on seven holes for a
15 handicapper says assistant professional
Zack Bowman.
The first hole is a precursor of what
awaits. From an elevated tee box the
fairway stretches 493 yards (Blue) and
453 yards (White) all the while bending
right. The surroundings are “beautiful,”
throughout and populated with wildlife, he
says of a track that sets up extremely well
for a left-handed golfer. Further on players
face many tee shots toward strategically
placed bunkers and approaches to subtle
The Palmer Course at Bay Creek is
loaded with hazards from start to finish.
vsga.org
greens, particularly on holes 5, 6 and 18
with its island green.
MONDAY-TUESDAY JUNE 27-28
BAY CREEK PALMER AND
NICKLAUS COURSES
As one of many Richmonders who have
done a stay-and-play double at Bay Creek,
this opportunity rates five stars. Joe Burbee,
PGA and Bay Creek’s director of golf, understates the case when saying the “courses
just speak for themselves. Beautiful and
challenging without being gimmicky, everything is right in front of you.”
The Palmer, a 7,260-yard semi-private
Signature Course on 300 acres between
the Chesapeake Bay and Plantation Creek
is visually captivating. Holes 3 and 4 are
hard by the Bay and a pin back right over
water on No. 12 is really dicey. The Nicklaus Signature Course (7,417 yards from
the tips) opened in 2005 and its holes and
views are heart stopping. Truth be told
the course is difficult with well-placed
bunkers (Hole 16 for one), water hazards
and fast greens.
More to the point Burbee says “We are on
many must-play lists. We judge our success
on our repeat play and we have a lot of it.”
Play these courses once and you’ll join the
burgeoning fan club.
This year the VSGA will stage more than
100 events at approximately 85 courses on
85 different days. Need more information?
The VSGA’s website (vsga.org) is a repository of One-Day data with an especially
thorough FAQ section. Get started—new
fairways beckon.
Michael J. Stott is a Richmond-based
freelance writer and a regular contributor
to Virginia Golfer.
M A R C H /A P R I L 2 0 16 | V I R G I N I A G O L F E R
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