Robert Trent Jones called the Gold course his ‘finest design’

When Golden Horseshoe Golf Club at Colonial Williamsburg opened in 1963, Robert Trent Jones, Sr. called it, “my finest design,” and “the equal of Augusta National.”

In the golf world, it’s borderline heresy to compare another course to Augusta National; it’s the equivalent of comparing a hockey player to Wayne Gretzky. But when the man who makes the comparison redesigned parts of Augusta himself (as Trent Jones did), well, then you’ve got our attention. It’s clear he brought that same design philosophy with him to Colonial Williamsburg.

Good news: Every golfer has an opportunity to walk the fairways of the Gold, which tips out at an approachable 6,817 yards, offers tee times for under $100, and promises a memorable 18 holes as part of a golf trip to Williamsburg, Va.

So, what makes the Gold worthy of such lofty comparisons? Let’s explore.

THE LANDSCAPE

If you strolled the property without thinking of the golf holes themselves, already you’d feel the flow that makes this place special. As the landscape rises and falls from hole to hole, corridors appear in every direction, making sense of the airy forest. Wide swaths of fairway and green are interrupted by stands of massive pines, but there’s an openness to the woods that allows light, air, golfers, and golf balls to pass easily through.

The Gold boasts an unmistakably modern design. The bold landscape demands the golfer navigate valleys, ravines, forced carries over water. It’s remarkable, then, that this course has been here for more than half a century. While that’s hardly “old” by Williamsburg’s standards, it’s a testament to the timelessness of the original design — and the effectiveness of Rees Jones’ 2017 touch-up.

Read more about the Golden Horseshoe here https://golf.com/travel/robert-trent-jones-golden-horseshoe-williamsburg/