Royal New Kent Golf Club

*This is an updated review. For more thoughts on this course, see my full review from 6/11/17*

Anyone who has spent this summer near Providence Forge, VA knows how dry it has been and perhaps this course has been affected more than any other. But if ever there was a course that could overcome a bad hand dealt by Mother Nature, this is it.

Royal New Kent is, afterall, a true links-style course, with rolling fairways, fescue-covered dunes and even gorse to hit into. So when a course like this goes brown and dry from the summer heat and drought, it merely adds to the raw, unpampered character of British links golf. To their credit, RNK management have continued to water the greens and at least the thin strip of grass between the tee box markers. Fairways and rough, and the rest of the tee boxes, however, have become hard, brown, and crispy.

I rather liked the playing conditions, though many may think it looks unappealing. The unique, creative, and still beautiful layout will distract many from the dryness and it’s best to just focus on hitting a good shot as this remains one of the toughest courses in the country.

The twilight Golf Now rate of $32 is still a great value and with the variety of the holes here, you can come back dozens of times and never grow bored of playing this gem.

Beautiful course but very challenging!! Greens are difficult but need to be cleaned up just a bit. Overall wonderfully difficult course. Would go back tomm!!

A lot of the greens are unputtable. Growth on greens needs to be solved before you fork over $70+ for a round.

First time played in April. Course has amazing layout. First 2 holes and last 2 holes were very challenging. Everyhone has amazing views and challenges. Fairways and rough were a little dried out but may just be time of year. Most greens in good conditions with true rolls. It was pretty windy when I played. Would love to go back. I recommend getting the course layout book in the proshop. If it’s your first time there.

Very challenging. Nice layout and greens were in good condition.

Greens had Poa Annua ( I do believe ) growing up in them …..some way worse than others. A few greens closer to the clubhouse appeared to be cut so really didn’t make a difference, others appeared not to be cut and my ball looked like it was going through a plinko game

I hope you can kill that grass growing throughout the back nine greens. Really affects putting. Coming back at the end of April and hope greens are better.

The course itself was very good excepts for the greens. The back nine was almost unplayable. Tufts of crabgrass everywhere 1/8 inch to 1/4 higher than the green surface. Fix the greens and I would gladly return, but not until then.

Played as part of a 4some. A very good, challenging course, but truthfully, not one to play in wet, soggy conditions. Cart use was limited to cartpath only advancement, which made for long walks, which made for a long round. The course layout is awesome and I really enjoyed putting these greens. Will definitely play again in dy conditions.

22 years ago we discovered Royal New Kent on a golf trip to Williamsburg. After 1 round we cancelled all prearranged rounds at other courses and played all our rounds at Royal New Kent exclusively.
It is a true test of golf. Now at 67 years old and moving up to the white tees I enjoyed every minute of the round. the greens were in wonderful shape and the fairways were very good considering heavy rain the previous day. If you want to experience golf the way it is meant to be played...book a round and I am sure you will return. To say the least it is a challenging golf course....but one you will want to play over and over again.