With over 200 fantastic courses on offer throughout the state, Virginia is a must-visit golf destination.
The quality and diversity cannot be beaten and selecting the 10 best golf courses in Virginia has been a trying assignment.
This task has been eased with a collaboration with TheGrint, our favorite mobile app that helps golfers track their handicap and stats. They have collected golf course reviews from millions of real golf rounds from real golfers.
Ranking in order 1 to 10
- Kinloch Golf Club
- Robert Trent Jones Golf Club
- River Bend Golf & Country Club | River Bend
- Primland Resort
- Creighton Farms
- The Homestead | Cascades Course
- The Federal Club
- Spring Creek Golf Club
- Fawn Lake Country Club
- Trump National Golf Club, Washington DC | Championship Course
1. Kinloch Golf Club
- Site Link
- Location: Manakin-Sabot, Virginia.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,584 meters off the Tips and 4,773 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
5 tees options available.
Signature Hole – The 388-meter par 4 18th is the signature hole.
The Lake lies down the left-side fairway and 2 bunkers lurk on the right.
Hitting the sloping right to left green which is guarded by a bunker on the right, creates the opportunity for par or better.
The remote setting allows golf to be the only thought for the day.
A feature is the variety of holes with regards to length, shape, and option taking during the round.
Risk and reward split fairways, meandering creeks, trees, and interesting doglegs make the challenge a personal one.
Take them on and score with well-executed shots or add big numbers to the card.
Redan-style greens give options on approach shots.
2. Robert Trent Jones Golf Club
- Site Link
- Location: Lake Manassas, Virginia.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,787 meters off the Tips and 5,091 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
5 tee options available.
Signature Hole – The 197-meter par 3 11th is the signature hole.
It plays across Lake Manassas to a peninsula green protected by 2 bunkers.
The danger is the steep bank of the closely mown area that fronts the green and feeds towards the lake.
Don’t be short!
The Robert Trent Jones course has a magnificent and scenic setting for golf.
Rolling fairways, great bunkering, and solid holes throughout raise the bar and the challenge.
5 holes play along the shoreline of Lake Manassas with the 2 par 3’s being exceptional.
The back 9 brings more water into play and finishing with a good scorecard is an achievement.
A must-play golf course.
3. River Bend Golf & Country Club | River Bend
- Site Link
- Location: Great Falls, Virginia.
- Par: 71
- Length: 6,338 meters off the Tips and 5,366 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
4 tee options available.
Signature Hole – The monster 581-meter par 5 9th is my choice of signature hole.
It plays downhill off the tee to a wide fairway with a water hazard at the bottom of the hill.
The layup 2nd shot over the hazard sets up the approach to the green protected by a bunker on each corner.
The course twists and winds its way through tall hardwood trees which frame the fairways.
The hills of Northern Virginia create some stunning golf holes as the round progresses.
Elevation changes with slopes coupled with ponds, old stone walls, and bridges and streams add to the challenge.
The views are picturesque.
4. Primland Resort
- Site Link
- Location: Meadows of Dan, Virginia.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,447 meters off the Tips and 5,496 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
4 tee options available.
Signature Hole – The 490-meter par 5 1st is the signature hole.
A tough opening hole sets the scene for the remainder of the round.
It plays up a small incline off the tee and then curves right and drops steeply down to the green.
A grass swale lies in front of the undulating green.
This unique course set on top of the mountains is a must-play for all enthusiasts.
Extreme terrain with massive elevation changes and large greens is the order of the day.
The solid golf holes, with individual risk and reward opportunities throughout, will demand shot-making and decision-taking.
Expect to use every club in the bag, and the wide fairways are pristine.
A fairway missed means lost golf balls.
Playing here is like a mountain adventure.
5. Creighton Farms
- Site Link
- Location: Aldie, Virginia.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,773 meters off the Tips and 4,816 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
5 tee options available.
Signature Hole – In the designer’s own words, Jack Nicklaus stated that they employed him to design 18 signature holes.
The choice is yours.
A Jack Nicklaus Signature course using the natural terrain and features to make an exciting 18-holes.
The bunkers are a feature throughout and the variety and shape are places to look at and not play from!
The wetlands area has some beautiful holes to negotiate and the moderate elevation changes add to the difficulty.
The green complexes are not over-complicated, so all can enjoy.
A thinking golfers track, but proper execution makes a good card.
6. The Homestead | Cascades Course
- Site Link
- Location: Hot Springs, Virginia.
- Par: 70
- Length: 6,094 meters off the Tips and 5,055 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
3 tee options available.
Signature Hole – The 192-meter par 3 4th is the signature hole.
It drops dramatically down to the green and flanked by tall trees.
A single bunker short left is the only hazard.
The hang time on the shot is exciting!
The course is an American Classic golden age design set in the Allegheny Mountains.
A shortish layout by modern standards requires accuracy over length to keep a good card.
The dramatic elevation changes create fantastic holes on the front 9.
One good hole after the other is the feature of the back 9 and herein lies the greatest challenge.
Streams, ponds, up and downhill holes, tree-lined doglegs, and bunkers create an awesome experience through the round.
7. The Federal Club
- Site Link
- Location: Glen Allen, Virginia.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,465 meters off the Tips and 5,580 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
4 tee options available.
Signature Hole – My choice of signature hole is the 339-meter par 4 18th.
It plays to a split-fairway with 7 bunkers lurking in the landing area.
The danger comes with the 2nd shot to a peninsula green with a single bunker in front.
Stunning finishing hole!
The Federal course is designed for the player who can move the ball both ways in the air.
Narrow, tree-lined fairways require accuracy and placement off the tee to avoid the bunkers and trees blocking the 2nd shot.
Water is ever-present and so avoid it to keep the scorecard neat.
If the driver isn’t working expect a long day!
8. Spring Creek Golf Club
- Site Link
- Location: Gordonsville, Virginia.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,754 meters off the Tips and 5,109 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
4 tee options available.
Signature Hole – The 379-meter par 4 6th is the signature hole.
It plays to a bunker-protected landing area on the right with a steep dropoff on the left.
The fairway then doglegs right and climbs slightly to the green, tucked behind more bunkers.
A stunning hole.
A private golf club played through gently rolling terrain and housing development.
Variety and shot-options are a feature of the layout with risk and reward on offer.
The wide generous fairways can be attacked, but plenty of bunkers lurk throughout.
Trees line the fairways but only catch the wild shot.
A strategist’s dream course.
9. Fawn Lake Country Club
- Site Link
- Location: Spotsylvania, Virginia.
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,427 meters off the Tips and 5,021 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
4 tee options available.
Signature Hole – The 377-meter par 4 7th is the signature hole.
It plays downhill from the tee followed by an uphill 2nd normally from a sloped lie.
The green appears to sit on a ledge and tends to lead to most golfers playing short.
Club selection is the key.
Fawn Lake golf course is one of those tracks that just oozes challenge.
Water is used extensively through the layout and the strategically placed white sand bunkers lurk everywhere.
Doglegs on tree-lined, narrow fairways may keep the driver in the bag on some of the tight holes.
The forced carries and the scrub fringing the hazards could bring big numbers to the card.
Bring the A-game or expect a tough day at the office!
10. Trump National Golf Club, Washington DC | Championship Course
- Site Link
- Location: Sterling, Virginia.
- Par: 72
- Length: 7,123 meters off the Tips and 5,331 meters off the Front.
PLAYER RATING
5 tee options available.
Signature Hole – The 218-meter par 3 17th is the signature hole.
A beautiful waterfall cascades into a pond behind the large undulating green.
Hit the right club into the green to avoid a 3-putt.
This championship course sits on the Potomac River floodplains.
The front 9 plays through flat terrain alongside the river.
However, at the turn, the course moves into wooded, undulating terrain.
This is where the teeth come out of the course and accuracy and placement are well rewarded.
An all-rounders course that can keep both the short and the long game under control.
Other courses outside the top 10
1. Belmont Country Club
- Site Link
- Location: Ashburn, Virginia.
PLAYER RATING
An Arnold Palmer Signature course design that is fairly tough.
Tree-lined fairways, elevation changes, and the many wetland hazards keep all players honest.
Hit it straight.
2. The Homestead | Old Course
- Site Link
- Location: Hot Springs, Virginia.
PLAYER RATING
A William Flynn design, this track is steeped in history.
Expect to play from uneven lies throughout the course as it winds its way through rolling fairways with gentle elevation changes.
3. Belle Haven Country Club
- Site Link
- Location: Alexandria, Virginia.
PLAYER RATING
Belle Haven is a challenging but fair layout with all the trappings.
Ponds, elevated tees and greens, a creek that meanders through the track, doglegs, and trees to negotiate, OB and risk and reward holes make an interesting round.
Final Thoughts
Some serious golf courses to tackle in Virginia.
Whether you are a low or high handicap golfer there are challenges and fun courses to enjoy at reasonable rates.
Take them on!
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Nick is the founder of GolfSpan and an avid golfer. He's not quite a pro but has over 15 years of experience playing and coaching golfers worldwide. His mission is to bring the golfing community a better experience when it comes to choosing the right golf gear and finding the right setup for your game.
