Golden Horseshoe Gold Course
Robert Trent Jones Sr. called it his finest design, and a round here makes the case. Cut through the hardwood ravines of Colonial Williamsburg in 1963, the Gold Course is a parade of long, downhill par 3s over water, including the first island green Jones ever built. A par 71 of about 6,817 yards, restored by his son Rees in 1998, it is the headline tee time of any Williamsburg golf trip.
Photograph: Golden Horseshoe Golf Club, via Google
The verdict
The Gold Course is the crown jewel of Williamsburg golf and one of the great public access courses of the American mid Atlantic. Robert Trent Jones Sr. routed it in 1963 through a wooded parcel of ravines and natural ponds in the heart of Colonial Williamsburg, and it remains the layout he himself singled out as a personal favorite. The land does the heavy lifting, plunging tee shots from elevated tees into tree lined corridors, and Jones used the water with a showman's flair, most famously on the par 3 16th, the first island green he ever designed and the template for a hundred imitations.
For the traveling golfer this is the easy yes of a Williamsburg itinerary, a genuine architectural landmark you can actually book. Rees Jones restored the course in 1998 with respect for his father's intentions, sharpening the greens and bunkering without losing the original character. The collection of par 3s is the headline, four of them demanding and distinct, and the routing rewards a player who can flight the ball and trust a downhill swing. Pair it with the resort's Green Course and the wider Williamsburg golf scene and you have a Virginia history and golf trip with real pedigree at the heart of it.
Golden Horseshoe Gold Course at a glance
- Opened
- 1963
- Designer
- Robert Trent Jones Sr.; Rees Jones restoration
- Type
- Wooded resort parkland
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- About 6,817 yds
- Access
- Resort, public tee times
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Colonial Williamsburg and course databases. The Gold Course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and opened in 1963, with a 1998 restoration by Rees Jones, a par 71 of about 6,817 yards. Indicative resort green fees in 2026 have run from roughly the high two figures up to the high one hundreds with a cart, varying by season and time of day. Rates change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The par 3s are why the Gold Course endures, and the 16th is the one everyone comes to see. Jones built his first island green here, a mid iron over water to a putting surface ringed by sand and bunkering, a hole that has been copied across the world but rarely bettered for the way it sits naturally in the land. It comes late in the round, when nerves are already frayed, and it asks for one committed swing with the trip on the line.
It is not alone. The seventh plunges from an elevated tee to a green guarded by water, and the other one shotters all play downhill over hazard, a set so strong that the Gold Course is remembered as much for its par 3s as for anything else. In between, the par 4s thread through hardwood corridors where the tee shot must find the fairway to leave a clean angle in, and the greens, sharpened in the Rees Jones restoration, demand precise distance control on approach.
From the back tees at about 6,817 yards the Gold Course is a fair but exacting test, defended by elevation change, water and tree lined corridors rather than brute length. The variety of downhill tee shots gives the round a sense of theater, and the closing holes through the ravines build toward a finish worthy of a course its architect loved best. It walks beautifully, and it rewards the thinking golfer who plots a route off each elevated tee.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A resort course at Colonial Williamsburg, open to resort guests and the visiting public by advance tee time |
| Green fee | Indicative 2026 rates run from roughly the high two figures up to the high one hundreds with a cart, depending on season and time of day; always confirm directly before booking |
| Booking | Book online or through the golf shop; resort guests often access preferential tee times, and stay and play packages bundle the Gold and Green courses |
| On the day | A traditional golf dress code applies; the course walks well, with carts available; allow time for the demanding set of par 3s |
| Best months | April to June and September to October, when Virginia is at its most settled and the fairways are firm |
| Getting there | In the heart of Colonial Williamsburg, about an hour from Richmond and Norfolk airports and close to Busch Gardens |
Access and fee information verified June 2026 from resort and course sources; resort rates change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking. Ask about Williamsburg tee times.
Where to stay nearby
The natural base is Colonial Williamsburg itself, where the resort lodging sits within a short walk or shuttle of the first tee and the historic district. It is one of the most family friendly golf destinations in the country, pairing championship golf with American history, dining and the nearby Busch Gardens theme park, so a Gold Course round folds easily into a wider trip.
Most visiting golfers build a Williamsburg and tidewater Virginia itinerary, given how much golf sits within an easy drive. Pair the Gold Course with the Pete Dye resort golf of the Kingsmill Resort River Course a few minutes away, and add the Robert Trent Jones pedigree of the private Robert Trent Jones Golf Club up in Northern Virginia for a trip that traces the architect's hand across the state.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts in Williamsburg.
Build a Williamsburg golf trip
We secure tee times on the Golden Horseshoe Gold Course, pair them with the best resort golf in tidewater Virginia and handle the lodging, carts and order of play. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Golden Horseshoe Gold Course questions
Can the public play the Golden Horseshoe Gold Course?
Yes. The Gold Course is a resort course at Colonial Williamsburg, open to resort guests and the visiting public by advance tee time. Indicative green fees in 2026 have run from roughly the high two figures to the high one hundreds with a cart, depending on season and time of day. Always confirm the current rate and availability directly before booking.
Who designed the Golden Horseshoe Gold Course?
Robert Trent Jones Sr. designed the Gold Course, which opened in 1963 and is widely regarded as one of his finest resort layouts. His son Rees Jones carried out a sympathetic restoration in 1998. The par 3 16th is celebrated as the first island green Jones ever built.
What is the par and yardage of the Golden Horseshoe Gold Course?
The Gold Course plays as a par 71 of about 6,817 yards from the back tees, routed through hardwood ravines and across natural ponds in the heart of Colonial Williamsburg. Multiple tees make it playable for a wide range of standards.
Where is the Golden Horseshoe Gold Course?
The Gold Course sits within Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia, a short walk from the historic district and close to Busch Gardens and the wider Williamsburg resort area, about an hour from Richmond and Norfolk airports.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par, yardage and access verified June 2026; fees indicative for the 2026 season. Last reviewed June 2026.