Kingsmill Resort River Course With the LPGA's Kingsmill Championship scheduled to begin Thursday, May 15, I wanted to amplify upon what I shared in my Spring Trip Report about the Kingsmill Resort and the River Course on which the championship will be played. Cristie Kerr is the defending champion (http://www.thekingsmillchampionship.com).
The Kingsmill Resort (http://www.kingsmill.com) is a Xanterra managed property located in Williamsburg, VA that overlooks the James River. The River Course takes its name from this proximity. After a Sunday of golf at Augustine Golf Club in Stafford, VA and Mattaponi Springs Golf Course in Ruther Glen, VA north of Williamsburg, I arrived at the resort as the sun set. With rain in the forecast, I was keeping my fingers crossed that I would be able to play the River Course Monday morning without the inconvenience of precipitation.
The Kingsmill Resort (http://www.kingsmill.com) is a Xanterra managed property located in Williamsburg, VA that overlooks the James River. The River Course takes its name from this proximity. After a Sunday of golf at Augustine Golf Club in Stafford, VA and Mattaponi Springs Golf Course in Ruther Glen, VA north of Williamsburg, I arrived at the resort as the sun set. With rain in the forecast, I was keeping my fingers crossed that I would be able to play the River Course Monday morning without the inconvenience of precipitation.
Check-in at the Resort Center was quick and hassle-free and I was soon on my way by vehicle to a well-appointed one bedroom suite in a villa overlooking the ninth fairway of the River Course. It was not particularly warm outside when I reached the suite that was chillingly cold inside. I didn't give this much thought as I find this typical in my travels around the country. What cleaning crew wants to do their work in a hot, muggy setting when there is air conditioning available? I made an attempt to adjust the thermostat, unpacked, and took a nice hot shower. The room was still cold when I left for dinner.
There are several dining options at the resort. Three were available that evening. Bray's Dining Room is in the Resort Center and has a focus on fresh local ingredients for southern cuisine; Eagles is located in the adjacent building that also houses the Golf Clubhouse with a focus on clubhouse food with a large variety of beverages; and Regattas' is located in the Sport Club on the other side of the Resort Center with a focus on fresh salads, pastas, and pizza from a wood-burning oven.
I chose Eagles as it was presented as more of a pub option and I was looking for nothing more than a burger and a beer. I had the choice of the dining room side or the bar side and I chose the bar. I was in for a treat! As it was getting late in the evening on that Sunday, there was only one couple sitting at the bar while I sat at a high-top table.
Brandy was my server that evening and as I always do in my travels, I asked her if she had any locally brewed India Pale Ales. She recommended the Starr Hill Northern Lights IPA, brewed close by in Charlottesville, VA. It was excellent and I savored it as I perused the menu.
I also asked her if they could make me a burger to my specification. Back at my home course in Fort Wayne, they serve what has become known as The GusBurger. I explained to Brandy that the GusBurger is a sizeable beef patty made fiery with seasonings that include white pepper, black pepper, crushed red pepper, cayenne pepper, cajun seasoning and topped with a slice of pepper jack cheese. The burger is kept free of any other toppings although some people order it with jalapeno peppers. The very best GusBurgers are formed by mixing pureed fresh picked jalapenos with the ground beef. Brandy would check with the chef to see if my request could be accommodated. She returned shortly and indicated the chef was intrigued.
In no time, Brandy appeared with the first out-of-state GusBurger I had ever seen. She delivered a second IPA as I prepared to sample the burger. It was absolutely perfect! As I savored it, I could feel the burn on my lips and after I finished it, the burn lingered. I told her to tell the chef that his version was fantastic. She said "let me go get him and you can tell him yourself." A minute later, Chef Marcus was standing at my table as I gave him the accolades he deserved. I think he was pleased.
There are several dining options at the resort. Three were available that evening. Bray's Dining Room is in the Resort Center and has a focus on fresh local ingredients for southern cuisine; Eagles is located in the adjacent building that also houses the Golf Clubhouse with a focus on clubhouse food with a large variety of beverages; and Regattas' is located in the Sport Club on the other side of the Resort Center with a focus on fresh salads, pastas, and pizza from a wood-burning oven.
I chose Eagles as it was presented as more of a pub option and I was looking for nothing more than a burger and a beer. I had the choice of the dining room side or the bar side and I chose the bar. I was in for a treat! As it was getting late in the evening on that Sunday, there was only one couple sitting at the bar while I sat at a high-top table.
Brandy was my server that evening and as I always do in my travels, I asked her if she had any locally brewed India Pale Ales. She recommended the Starr Hill Northern Lights IPA, brewed close by in Charlottesville, VA. It was excellent and I savored it as I perused the menu.
I also asked her if they could make me a burger to my specification. Back at my home course in Fort Wayne, they serve what has become known as The GusBurger. I explained to Brandy that the GusBurger is a sizeable beef patty made fiery with seasonings that include white pepper, black pepper, crushed red pepper, cayenne pepper, cajun seasoning and topped with a slice of pepper jack cheese. The burger is kept free of any other toppings although some people order it with jalapeno peppers. The very best GusBurgers are formed by mixing pureed fresh picked jalapenos with the ground beef. Brandy would check with the chef to see if my request could be accommodated. She returned shortly and indicated the chef was intrigued.
In no time, Brandy appeared with the first out-of-state GusBurger I had ever seen. She delivered a second IPA as I prepared to sample the burger. It was absolutely perfect! As I savored it, I could feel the burn on my lips and after I finished it, the burn lingered. I told her to tell the chef that his version was fantastic. She said "let me go get him and you can tell him yourself." A minute later, Chef Marcus was standing at my table as I gave him the accolades he deserved. I think he was pleased.
Kingsmill's Personal Bourbon I got the feeling the couple at the bar was local to the area as I eavesdropped on their conversation with Brandy. She was sharing stories about past Kingsmill Championships and the behaviors of some of the players. As we were all about to leave, Brandy asked us if we were wine drinkers and presented us with a sample of one of her favorite red wines called The Magician by Lot 11. It is a fruity, blended red wine that is very smooth.
She then asked us if we liked bourbon. Neither I nor the couple are much into bourbon but Brandy produced a bottle of Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select Bourbon, made exclusively for Kingsmill Resort. There were 181 bottles made from the barrel and she insisted we give it a try. I didn't know what to expect. The shot went down easily and I was surprised to experience a butterscotch finish which somehow turned into a strawberry finish. I can't explain it but this bourbon was quite tasty.
After a few more pleasantries, I returned to my room which was still frigid. With a quick call to the front desk, a service call was issued and in no time, the room temperature was fine.
Monday morning was gloomy but the rain had not yet started as I packed my car. My only issue that morning was an ice machine adjacent to the villa that was not operating. I drove to the Golf Clubhouse and parked as breakfast, included in my package, was served in the Bray Dining Room. The breakfast was made to my specifications and included fresh fruit and fresh squeezed juices.
She then asked us if we liked bourbon. Neither I nor the couple are much into bourbon but Brandy produced a bottle of Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select Bourbon, made exclusively for Kingsmill Resort. There were 181 bottles made from the barrel and she insisted we give it a try. I didn't know what to expect. The shot went down easily and I was surprised to experience a butterscotch finish which somehow turned into a strawberry finish. I can't explain it but this bourbon was quite tasty.
After a few more pleasantries, I returned to my room which was still frigid. With a quick call to the front desk, a service call was issued and in no time, the room temperature was fine.
Monday morning was gloomy but the rain had not yet started as I packed my car. My only issue that morning was an ice machine adjacent to the villa that was not operating. I drove to the Golf Clubhouse and parked as breakfast, included in my package, was served in the Bray Dining Room. The breakfast was made to my specifications and included fresh fruit and fresh squeezed juices.
The River Course at Kingsmill is a Pete Dye design currently rated 90th on Golf Magazine's 2013 "America's Greatest Public Courses" list. In addition to the LPGA's annual Kingsmill Championship, the River Course also hosted the PGA Tour's Michelob Championship from 1968 to 2002. The past winners list is a who's who of PGA golf and includes Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller and Tom Watson.
Here are the key course statistics:
Tee Yardage Course Rating Slope
Gold 6432 71.0 128
Blue 6060 69.4 125
White 5490 67.4 118
Red/White 5223 66.2 115
Red 4880 68.8 125
Green 3656 61.5 111
I had an 8:30 tee time on the River Course and given that it was now raining, I had no trouble working with the starter to move my tee time up to become the first golfer out on the course that day (and as it turned out, perhaps the only one).
Here are the key course statistics:
Tee Yardage Course Rating Slope
Gold 6432 71.0 128
Blue 6060 69.4 125
White 5490 67.4 118
Red/White 5223 66.2 115
Red 4880 68.8 125
Green 3656 61.5 111
I had an 8:30 tee time on the River Course and given that it was now raining, I had no trouble working with the starter to move my tee time up to become the first golfer out on the course that day (and as it turned out, perhaps the only one).
The Par 4 8th Hole at Kingsmill Resort (River Course)
As the round progressed, the rain strengthened along with the wind. It got to the point where I was no longer able to take pictures and as a result, came away without a picture of the course's signature hole, the par 3 17th overlooking the James River.
The Par 3 13th Hole at Kingsmill Resort (River Course)
I certainly intend to return to the Kingsmill Resort to play the River Course in better conditions and its sister Plantation Course, an Arnold Palmer/Ed Seay design. Despite the rain, there is no debating the quality of the River Course.
The service I experienced at the resort was well-above average, especially my dining experience. Also to be noted is the quick attention by the resort staff to my issue with the temperature of the room. While I did not have the time to carefully assess all the amenities given the length of my stay, I can wholeheartedly recommend this resort to all golfers.
The service I experienced at the resort was well-above average, especially my dining experience. Also to be noted is the quick attention by the resort staff to my issue with the temperature of the room. While I did not have the time to carefully assess all the amenities given the length of my stay, I can wholeheartedly recommend this resort to all golfers.
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