Course Review: Royal New Kent

Number 2 Par 5. Driver is fine as long as you are straight or a tad left. Anything right will go into the huge ravine and will not be playable. Now you can hit a 200-215 yard club to the edge or the ravine then if you have the guts you can hit a 225-235 yard shot over the ravine to the green for an eagle putt. If you come up short you are in the crap with an almost impossible shot.

DSC01769.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

Close up from the tee box towards the fairway and ravine
DSC01770.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

The ravine
DSC01771.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

Green
DSC01775.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 
I remember that hole. The green looks huge.
 
Number 3 par 3. This is a very big green with 2 tiers and can play to many different distances. If you are short or left you can manage to save par. Long and right and your in a little bowl and can still make par. To far right and your in trouble.
DSC01777.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01779.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01780.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 
Number 4 par 4. Bunkers come into play here and will get you in trouble because they are deep. Stay left of them. From the white tees and the black for the big hitter driver can be to much depending on your placement. There are bunkers past the first two in the middle of the fairway that you can't see. You can only see the right side of the fairway from the black tees but there is a lot of room to the left. They have a pole in the natural brush to help with aiming. Don't go right off the tee and don't be long on your approach shot. Green slops down from the back towards the fairway.

DSC01782.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01783.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01784.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01785.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01787.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01788.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 
Thanks for the review of RNK. It is one of my favorite courses. Very challenging and very fun to play. I remember the guys in the club house saying that RNK is the least played of the 3 courses in their membership. I can understand it because it would be a tough course to play ever weekend :bulgy-eyes:
 
Number 5 par 5. Tighter fairway with natural brush on the side and bunkers short. Takes about 225 to carry first bunkers on the right. There are three bunkers that are at the end of the fairway at 290 and if it is dry you can and drive into them and will have no second shot towards the green. Blind shot to the green and you can not get there unless you have a 275 club. More natural brush down the right side and trees on the left. Plenty of room though for your second shot. One green side bunker. Green is longer than wider but one of the wider greens on the course you can miss left or right and still hit it, has some elevation. Long off the back or to the right slopes down and green will be above your feet.

DSC01789.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01790.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
DSC01791.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

Bunkers at the end of the fairway you don't want to drive into
DSC01792.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01795.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01797.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01799.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 
Nubmer 6 par 4. Bunkers on the left with natural brush you don't want to go there. Big Big Big bunker that you will take away second shot straight ahead and sits at 265 from black tees. If you are right of that bunker you can drive into the trees. You want to drive between that bunker and the ones on the left. Green has 2 distinct tiers and slops off to the left hard. It is the hardest green on the course IMO it is wide but and long because of the two tiers.

DSC01800.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01801.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01802.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01803.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
DSC01804.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
DSC01805.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
DSC01806.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 
Number 7 par 3. One of the prettiest hole IMO with creek running down the left side. Do not go into the creek. Left of the creek is natural grass but playable. Green is longer than wide And slopes from the back down to the fairway. There is a bunker on back side of the green and on the right side too that can come into play, it has some elevation change.

DSC01807.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01808.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01809.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01813.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01811.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01812.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01814.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 
Number 8 par 4. Right of the fairway is trouble with some big natural brush. Left is trouble with a creek and long puts you in the crap again. Driver is fine as long as you are not longer than 240-250. If so you want to play something different to the 150ish mark or inside. The green is blocked by another big hill and you can only see the right side. It is a blind shot into the green. Green is good size with trouble long. It is a tough shot.

DSC01819.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01820.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

Green is right over the left side of hill on the fairway
DSC01821.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01822.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01825.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 
Number 9 par 4. Creek running down the right side, you are safe on either side of the creek. Bunkers straight head around the 280 range. Driver is not needed on this hole. Green is elevated and big.

DSC01826.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01827.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 
Number 10 par 5. Water on the right and trees. A little natural area sticks out from the cart path at the 275 mark, you can hit out of it. Trees on the left side, and a big marsh to carry if you plan on going for it in two. Bunker on the left of the green will come into play and the one that runs all the way across in front and the green has two tiers. There is a big bunker running down the left hand side that comes into play on the second shot. Choose your lay spot carefully.

DSC01828.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01829.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01831.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01832.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01836.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01837.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01839.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 
A great and thorough write up.
I played it once with a buddy in Richmond who loves it also.
I hit the first green in two and 4 putted (ball on extreme left front, pin on extreme back left).
Some interesting holes, challenging.
Can be visually intimidating.
The horseshoe par 5 is unique.
Some massive sand traps and huge drop off on at least one par 3.
Was disappointed in the last 2-3 holes as they did not seem to fit / match the design of the other holes.
 
Number 11 par 4. Not really a tough hole you can miss a little to the right with the drive and be okay, don't come up short into the fairway bunkers or you have no second shot. The green is elevated with a nasty bunker in front. The green is big and slopes all over the place. If you pull your drive left you can be in trouble and it makes the hole longer.

DSC01842.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01843.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01844.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01845.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01847.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01848.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 
Number 12 par 3. Down hill par 3 that can play to several different distances based on pin placement. The green is narrow but long. Bunkers on the left and right with a bunch of nasty natural grass to the right. Need to be accurate here.

DSC01849.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01850.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01851.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 
Number 13 par 4. Short par 4 with bunkers and natural grass on the right, you can play out of these okay. Wide fairway just don't pull the ball. Green slightly elevated and is longer than wide but still good size. One of the easier greens on the course but will slope to the left a tad.

DSC01852.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01853.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01854.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01856.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 
Number 14 par 4. Do not hit driver on this hole not worth the risk. Fairway funnels to a small landing area/passage at around 230 with thick natural brush on both sides. A shot to the right side of the fairway is best for view of the green or you are going in blind over a mound. Green is wider than long.

DSC01857.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01858.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01859.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01861.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 
Number 15 par 3. Long par 3 and the green up hill. It is a large and wide green with a small area that has a false front. Do not go right, it will funnel down to a little marsh. Green is pretty flat and just really big.

DSC01862.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01863.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01864.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 
Number 16 par 4 and the hardest hole on the course IMO. You need to have a long tee shot here to have anything inside 185 to an elevated green. If you can draw the ball around the trees a little you can catch the down slope of the fairway and get some good roll out. Right on your tee shot makes this a par 5! Left of the green you are safe and can get up and down. Right is a different story. Bunker is nasty and bunch of natural grass and one strategically placed green bush. Green is large and slopes from the back of the houses back towards the fairway.

DSC01866.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

175 in to the green
DSC01867.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01868.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01871.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01869.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01870.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 
Number 17 par 5. Long par 5 that is not reachable in 2 unless your are 300+ tee game from the black tees. Creek runs down the right side but no reason to try and go that side because it does not help you. Bunker straight ahead but not really a problem. Green is dog legged back to the right and creek running in front of it with a bunker on the right and pond on the left. Green is small but long in length and has two tiers. Smart tee shot and second shot makes than an easier hole.

DSC01873.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

2nd shots

DSC01874.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01875.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01878.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 
Number 18 par 4 and a tough finishing hole. Uphill fairway and driver is fine from the black tees but from the whit tees you have have to be careful. White tees you want to stay left closer to the cart path with the drive because the fairway slopes down to the water that you cant see and you can drive into it. Island green that is below your feet with water all the way around other than on the left. Big rocks behind the green and in front. A good tee shot from the black can still eave 160 into the green. Green has a slope starting on the left side but then is relatively flat. I believe there is a drop zone if you get wet.

DSC01879.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01881.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01882.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01884.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]

DSC01886.jpg
[/URL][/IMG]
 
Nice bump and additional information. This track definitely looks fun.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
 
Great write up Lynchburg. This course looks really tough, but a great test of skills. I can't think of a better venue for the RR DMV/Carolinas.


I am a huge fan of Mike Stranz designs and I wish I could play them more often.
 
I read the hole by hole stuff last night and was just on the courses website. This is a great course to start with and am glad THP got this for the event. It sets up great for a team event and will depending on format/(s) used will be some serious strategizing by the teams both in matchups and then within the matchup how to attack the course.
 
Pace of play will be critical, with the long distances between holes it drives the playing time up. I'm sure we will hear more about it in the RR thread.
 
Pace of play will be critical, with the long distances between holes it drives the playing time up. I'm sure we will hear more about it in the RR thread.

There is some distance between holes for sure. When the high school and college tournaments are held here they transport the players from hole to hole with them just walking the hole itself. Depending of what time you tee off you can still play 36. My buddies and I have done it a lot in summer months with no problem.
 
Back
Top