Washington Golf Monthly....

GOOD LIVING, GOOD GOLF

THE WILLIAMSBURG INN

Where the 19th Hole is in the 18th Century

In a state blessed with so much history and golf, Colonial Williamsburg and the Williamsburg Inn provide the perfect combination. Where else can you find 18 holes in the morning and the 18th century in the afternoon?

From the moment you arrive, the Williamsburg Inn provides the perfect Colonial Williamsburg base on and off the links. Elegant lodgings, renowned dining, attentive personal service, and all the amenities of a world-class hotel await golfing guests.

Built in 1937, the Inn's design was inspired by the great, 19th-century "springs" hotels--most notably, Red Sweet Springs, or "Old Sweet," in Monroe County, West Virginia. The concept demanded a distinctive image complementing, but not imitating, Colonial Williamsburg's Historic Area.

Furnishings and service at the Inn are based on a philosophy dictated by Williamsburg's earliest benefactor, John D. Rockefeller Jr. During its planning, Mr. and Mrs. Rockefeller determined that the Inn would be "absolutely unlike a hotel, but rather like a private home away from home." For golfers, it is definitely like their own private golf course estate.

The main building's 102 guest rooms and public spaces are decorated in the Regency style and reflect the ambience of a 19th-century English country house. The design scheme incorporates fine-quality furnishings and natural fabrics from Baker, Schumacher, Kittinger, Scalamandre, and others, along with antiques purchased exclusively for the Inn.

The Inn's Regency Dining Room provides an exquisite experience in an elegant, old-world atmosphere. Continental cuisine featuring regional specialties and scrumptious desserts, is created, prepared, and impeccably presented under the direction of award-winning chef Hans J. Schadler. Renowned specialties such as sweet lobster bisque, veal delicacies, and roast rack of lamb are consistent favorites. A bountiful selection of the world's finest wines adds to the affair. Weekend diners are serenaded by a jazz combo, harpist, or classical guitarist.

The luncheon menu in the Regency Dining Room offers lighter fare, including salads and light entrees. Breakfast is served daily and a special champagne brunch is offered on Sundays. Nearby, the Regency Lounge brings the added dimensions of a luncheon buffet, afternoon tea, and evening cocktails.

The Williamsburg Inn's legacy of lodging, dining, service, and golf has led to many awards. The Inn has received the Mobil Travel Guide's Five-Star Award for an incredible 18 consecutive years. Along with a wide variety of golf and dining awards and accolades, the Inn is also recognized as a Historic Hotel of America by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Colonial Williamsburg also features other fine lodging options, including: the Williamsburg Lodge and Conference Center (with the Tazewell Fitness Center); Providence Hall; Williamsburg Woodlands; and the Governor's Inn. Another unique possibility is staying at one of the colonial houses or taverns in the historic district.

Guests may not want to leave the Williamsburg Inn or their other choice of accommodations, but Colonial Williamsburg is just out the front door and great golf is out back. You have time for both.

Golfers of all skill levels find ample challenges on the award-winning Golden Horseshoe courses. The Golden Horseshoe name refers to a legendary 1716 expedition led by Governor Alexander Spotswood to the western reaches of the Virginia colony. The explorers ventured to the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah Valley and, upon their return, Spotswood gave expedition members golden horseshoe pins. Today, the Golden Horseshoe name is synonomous with legendary golf expeditions.

Calling the Gold Course "my finest design," course architect Robert Trent Jones Sr. challenges golfers of every caliber. Rolling fairways stretch 6,700 yards over a five-acre lake, across ravines, and through woodland glens. Seven holes pose water hazards. The par-five 15th hole plays 634 yards from the championship tee. The par-three 16th plays without fairway to an island green.

"A great golf course must be a superb blend of shot values, an artistic flow of lines, and a blending of masses for an overall pleasing result that will satisfy all classes of golfers," says Trent Jones Sr. "The Gold Horseshoe Golf Course at the Williamsburg Inn is more. The site is a natural arboretum upon which a great golf course has been built. The overall result is perfection."

Trent Jones calls the 16th the most spectacular hole on the course. The island green appears quite small and the elevation of the tee also makes for a deceptive shot. He says, "This hole is in golf's great short hole category."

The Gold Course opened in 1963. Jack Nicklaus holds the professional course record of 67, while Marvin "Vinny" Giles hold the amateur record at 68. The USGA slope rating from the gold tees is the highest among public-access golf courses in Virginia.

The Green Course, designed by renowned architect Rees Jones and created to fit the rugged land, complements his father's older Gold Course. Links-style fairways and rough were carved from mature forest. Two holes play over water and four holes present lateral hazards. Sand bunkers number an imposing 115.

The par 5 18th hole is a favorite of Rees Jones. He says, "From the elevated tees, this picturesque finishing hole unfolds in its entirety. The amphitheater green is protected by numerous oval and pot bunkers and is framed by mature trees, which form a breathtaking backdrop."

Both Golden Horseshoe courses offer practice ranges and putting greens. Each clubhouse features a modern restaurant and lounge, men's and women's locker rooms, bag rooms, and golf shops.

Colonial Williamsburg also boasts a challenging nine-hole executive-length course. The par-31 Spotswood Course, designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., measures 1,865 years, with par-5 and two par-4 holes. Golfers may play a "back nine" to the same greens from different tees.

After such good golf, the good living of the 18th century awaits. Colonial Williamsburg portrays 18th-century Williamsburg as it appeared on the eve of the Revolution. It covers 173 acres of the 220-acre town laid out in 1699 by Royal Governor Francis Nicholson.

Bisected by mile-long Duke of Gloucester Street, the Historic Area is enhanced by a 3,000-acre greenbelt. There are 88 original structures, 50 major reconstructions, and 40 exhibition buildings containing 225 rooms, with furnishings from a 100,000-item collection.

Colonial Williamsburg also features 90 acres of gardens and greens, 15 exhibition sites, ten shops, 21 trade presentations, several museums, historic interpreters, many special and on-going programs, and nearby Carter's Grove, featuring a 1754 mansion, Wolstenholme Towne, a museum, a slave quarter, and a reception center.

Any visit to this historic 19th hole should start with a stop at the informative Visitor Center. Opened in 1957, the Visitor Center provides information, tickets, bus service, and reservations. Orientation begins with "Williamsburg--The Story of a Patriot," a 35-minute film starring Jack Lord. Be sure to pick up a "Visitor's Companion," which provides updated schedules and information concerning everything at Colonial Williamsburg.

When you're not dining at the Williamsburg Inn, there are several more casual options in the historic area. Operating taverns include Chowning's, Christiana Campbell's Shields, and King's Arms, while the well-known Trellis and other options are available at Merchants Square. For shoppers, Merchants Square also serves as an ideal place for that perfect gift or weekend memory (the Williamsburg Inn Gift Shop and the Craft House at the Williamsburg Inn are other convenient shopping stops for guests).

Colonial Williamsburg and the Williamsburg Inn also provide a perfect base for exploring Yorktown and Jamestown, the other two points of the Historic Triangle. Be prepared, however, to spend more than just a day exploring the historic riches of the area.

Yorktown, part of the Colonial National Historical Park, was the site of the last major battle of the Revolutionary War and the surrender of Lord Cornwallis to General George Washington in 1781. A visitor center includes a film, museum, gift shop, rooftop overlook, and the start of a Battlefield Tour. The Yorktown Victory Center tells the story of the American Revolution through a documentary film, thematic exhibits, and outdoor living history.

Jamestown, also part of the Colonial National Historical Park, was the original site of the first permanent English settlement in the New World. This National Historic Site includes a Visitor Center with a film, museum, gift shop, reconstructed Glasshouse of 1608, and ruins of the 1640s church tower, as well as the original town. At Jamestown Settlement, the settlers' story is told through a docudrama film, expansive indoor gallery exhibits, full-size recreations of ships, and outdoor settings where costumed interpreters portray life in Virginia at the beginning of the 17th century.

SIDEBAR

Colonial Williamsburg and the Williamsburg Inn offer a wide variety of package possibilities that include accommodations, dining, golf, tickets for Colonial Williamsburg, and many other activities. There are also special them weekend packages, amateur golf tournaments, Golf Digest Schools, and many other special reasons to visit the Williamsburg Inn and Colonial Williamsburg.

To receive the excellent "Vacation Planner," contact Colonial Williamsburg at P.O. Box 1776, Williamsburg, VA 23187-1776, 804-229-1000 or 800-HISTORY.

For more information about Yorktown, contact the Colonial National Historical Park at P.O. Box 210, Yorktown, VA 23690, 804-898-3400. For more information about Jamestown, contact the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation at P.O. Drawer JF, Williamsburg, VA 23187, 804-253-4175.