Kingsmill Resort is located in Williamsburg, VA, a town best known for its rich colonial history and ties to the Revolutionary War. It’s home to Colonial Williamsburg, the world’s largest living history museum, which recreates 18th-century life. It’s also the home of Kingsmill Resort, built in the 1970s by Anheuser-Busch as part of their development of diversified activities in the Williamsburg area. The Busch Gardens amusement park is right next door. Kingsmill Resort has the distinction of being the only AAA Four Diamond Condominium Resort in Williamsburg.
Kingsmill Resort sits on a 2,900-acre tract of land along the historic James River, which was part of the original Kingsmill Plantation. The original plantation structures and anything built thereafter are long gone. The Resort is best known for its two championship-caliber golf courses, which hosted 38 professional golf tournaments from 1981 until 2021, including LPGA and PGA TOUR events.
The River Course is the most popular and best known of the two. It was the home of the PGA TOUR’s Anheuser Busch Classic from 1981 – 2002, as well as the LPGA from 2003 – 2021. The River course is the handiwork of legendary designer Pete Dye and has challenged some of the world’s best golfers.
As you stand on the first tee, you can see that Pete Dye has his fingerprints all over this course, from the pot bunkers in the middle of the fairway to the ones that surround the green. Getting further into your round, you’ll find some really good elevation changes. Several tee shots require a forced carry, but nothing that the average golfer can’t handle, provided they pick the appropriate tees. There’s a good mix of tree-lined fairways that require a certain amount of accuracy, and wide open holes where you can swing away. Dye has done a great job of blending the golf course into the natural surroundings. Pot bunkers, some with huge lips on them, guard many of the greens.
Two holes on the River Course caught my attention: the par 5, 3rd hole, and the par 3, 17th. Number 3 is a great-looking par 5 dogleg left, playing 452 yards from the White Tees with an elevated tee box. Hit your tee shot towards the fairway bunker on the right. Play your layup shot down the right side as well, and let the gently sloping fairway funnel it back to the middle. Beware of the two bunkers that guard a small pond about 80 yards short of the green on the left. Success thus far will leave a short uphill pitch shot onto an elevated green that slopes right to left. Two bunkers guard the right side and back of the putting surface; they sit about 15 feet below it, too!
The consensus for the favorite hole on the River Course is Number 17. It’s a 133-yard par 3 that plays along the banks of the James River. You tee off from an elevated tee box over a ravine, to a green that is 48 yards long and not very wide, with two bunkers on the right side. Depending on pin placement, it can be a two or three-club difference. It’s a challenging hole with incredible views!
The River Course has five sets of tees, so a suitable yardage should be easy to find. From the back tees, the course plays 6,831 yards with a slope rating of 136. Less masochistic golfers play the White Tees from a yardage of 5,704. From here, the course still carries an impressive slope rating of 126. Don’t try and bite off too much of the course, and you’ll have a great time!
The Plantation Course was designed by Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay and challenges players regardless of their abilities. Plantation has five sets of tees with yardages ranging from 3,606 yards (Green) to 6,436 yards (Black). It’s a course that requires good iron play and adept putting if you want to score well. For the most part, fairway landing areas are generous, with water coming into play on eight holes. There’s no shortage of gaping ravines or heavy woods either. The putting surfaces are large with considerable undulations and swales. Greens are well-guarded, often with multiple bunkers or water.
Playing golf at Kingsmill Resort is also a history lesson. As you make your way around both courses, you’ll come across signs and plaques that tell the history of what was going on back in those early days. There are landmarks from Richard Kingsmill’s 1736 plantation woven into the landscape, making a round of golf on these courses a historic event!
There’s a third course on property as well. The Woods Course is very private and has been ranked #10 by Golfweek Magazine in their list of Virginia’s Top Ten Golf Courses. It was designed by golf course architect Tom Clark with input from two-time U.S. Open champion Curtis Strange. It’s a classic parkland-style course tucked in a secluded corner of the resort.
If your golf game needs a little tune-up, Kingsmill’s Golf Academy has been recognized as one of the Top 25 Golf Schools in America. PGA Director of Instruction Chris George was voted the No. 1 instructor for Virginia by Golf Digest’s list of the “Best Teachers in Your State.”
There are all kinds of things to do at the Kingsmill Resort besides golf that will keep the entire family busy, together, or individually. Should you prefer the courts over the course, Kingsmill’s Tennis Academy is a place where you can enjoy special programs and events the resort puts together, or let your competitive juices flow at one of their resort tournaments. Kingsmill has 10 clay courts and two hard courts. Four have been lined for pickleball.
Kids love pools, and Kingsmill does not disappoint with both indoor and outdoor pools for year-round enjoyment. The River Pool features a winding lazy river with tubes, a waterslide, a zero-depth entry pool with fountains, a sandy beach area, and a fire pit. It’s the go-to family spot at the resort. 37 North, the Sports Club’s outdoor pool – 37 North – is very peaceful, with beautiful views of the James River. It’s ideal for those looking for some quiet relaxation or lap swimming. The indoor pool is lined for laps and also has a spill-over hot tub attached to it.
The Fitness Centre has undergone an $8M renovation and features Hammer Strength weightlifting equipment, treadmills, ellipticals, upright bikes, recumbent bikes, circuit-training machines, and miles of paths for walking or running.
Kingsmill’s pride and joy is the marina and, if you enjoy being on the water, it’s the place you want to be. They have jet skis, paddle boards, pontoon boats, kayaks, double kayaks, and fishing poles for rent. They have everything you’ll need for a day on the James!
At the Kingsmill Spa, they focus on your total relaxation. Choose from over 50 luxurious spa services, or visit the full-service salon featuring state-of-the-art shampoo, hair, and nail stations. Wine service is available to heighten your experience.
When it comes to accommodations, you have a lot of choices. Fortunately, there are only two questions you need to answer for a guestroom: do you want a king bed or two doubles, and river view or golf course view? Regardless, it will also have a private balcony or patio, a work desk, and Wi-Fi, as well as the normal resort in-room amenities you’d expect. If you want a little more space, there are 1, 2, and 3-bedroom condos available. There’s usually a sofa bed as well. All have a dining room, a fully equipped kitchen, Wi-Fi, and some have fireplaces.
The Cottages on The James is a little community of five homes with professionally decorated interiors, cottage-inspired exteriors, and three or four bedrooms. They also have fantastic views of the James River and the 18th hole of the River Course.
If you want the ultimate in luxury accommodations, there’s the Estate at Kingsmill, a 7,000-square-foot private estate that sits on a scenic bluff overlooking the James River. The original mansion was built as a private retreat for the Busch Family and recently underwent a $3 million makeover. Now, the property serves as a luxury rental for vacationers and corporations. The Estate is located within the gated, manicured grounds of the resort.
There are a lot of great spots to eat at Kingsmill, but I developed a couple of favorites. Eagles is located in the golf clubhouse and is a great place to decompress after a day on the golf course. In addition to your favorite adult beverages, they serve lunch and dinner and offer a diverse range of appetizers, soups, salads, burgers, and more.
The James Landing Grille is located down by the marina, and if you time it right, you can catch a beautiful sunset over the James River. It’s Williamsburg’s only riverfront restaurant, and they use locally-sourced/caught ingredients such as oysters on the half shell and grilled fish dishes.
Kingsmill Resort should definitely be a consideration for your next golf vacation or outing. There are several golf packages offered on their website, or, if you’d like to book your next outing or charitable tournament, they can help with that too. For more information or to book your next vacation, visit www.kingsmill.com.