Virginia Golf Vacations - Virginia is “Fore” Golf Lovers

PGA Professional Chris Hartig and his staff at Virginia Golf Vacations.com can’t promise golfers sunny skies, sub-par rounds or accurate iron play at any of the two dozen courses they represent. What they can offer is the most intimate, local knowledge for all of your golf vacation needs, whether you’re traveling to Williamsburg, Virginia Beach or the Northern Neck region of Virginia.

“We’re the local experts,” said Hartig, the golf director at Virginia Golf Vacations and former director of golf at Kingsmill Golf Resort who boasts more than 20 years of experience in the golf business. “We’re in the marketplace. We know how long it takes to get from point X to Y. And we can help with course and accommodation selection based on personal preference.” 

As the former Director of Golf at Kingsmill, where he spent nine total years, Hartig has been very involved in the Virginia golf community, especially in Williamsburg. He is currently a regional director on the Middle Atlantic PGA's southern chapter board of directors. His depth of knowledge about the Williamsburg area makes him the premier golf packager in this area. Hartig began his PGA club professional career at Hell's Point in Virginia Beach, where he grew up.

A recent expansion extended the reach of Virginia Golf Vacations, which is based in Williamsburg and has specialized in putting together golf vacations there, to include golf trips and packages to Virginia Beach and the Northern Neck area of Virginia. Not only does the team at Virginia Golf Vacations rank at the top of the list when it comes to golf experience, they have a number of industry professionals that have many years of experience in Hotel Operations and Group Reservations.

The state-of-the-art Virginia Golf Vactions.com Web site offers a ton of information about the destinations, golf courses and hotel accommodations offered by the group, includes a golf packaging mechanism that will allow customers to build and create real-time quotes, and if you're not comfortable with that, you can always fill out an old-fashioned quote request and the reservation team will quickly respond to your inquiry.

All of the destinations featured on Virginia Golf Vacations are within a half days drive from the Northeast, making it a much closer and cost effective trip than a longer haul to the Carolinas or Florida. And when you arrive, you'll find a wide selection of quality courses, most have been awarded at least a 4 star rating, that are quite convenient to each other, meaning you'll spend more time on the course than in the car.

WILLIAMSBURG

In Williamsburg alone there are 15 quality courses, all rated 4 stars or higher by Golf Digest that are considered championship caliber layouts. This collection of facilities makes Williamsburg one of the top golf destinations on the East Coast.

If you think that sounds too good to be true, consider this; twenty-two PGA Tour events, 6 LPGA Tour events, 5 USGA Championships and the 2007 NCAA men's golf championship have all been played in Williamsburg.

The courses in and around Williamsburg were designed by a who's who of American golf course architects.

Arthur Hills designed Williamsburg's newest edition, Colonial Heritage, which opened in late fall 2006.

Dan Maples, who along with his father Ellis, has designed a number of holes at the Ford's Colony facility.

Robert Trent Jones designed the Golden Horseshoe Gold Course, which recently hosted the 2007 NCAA Men's Golf Championship and has previously welcomed five USGA championships. Rees Jones, son of Robert Trent Jones, Sr., did the layout next door - the Golden Horseshoe Green Course.

Kingsmill Golf Resort features courses designed by Arnold Palmer (Plantation), Pete Dye (River) and Tom Clark/Curtis Strange (Woods). The famous River Course has challenged the very best of the PGA and LPGA, past and present. The course currently hosts the LPGA's annual Michelob Ultra Open at Kingsmill each May.

Strange also built a Curtis Strange Signature Golf Course in Williamsburg - The Golf Club at Brickshire.

Named after nearby historic Jamestown, Williamsburg National's Jamestown Course was designed by the legendary Jack Nicklaus. Williamsburg National's second course, Yorktown, was also done by Clark.

VIRGINIA BEACH

A bit of a departure from the Williamsburg area, Virginia Beach offers golf travelers a different feel in terms of nightlife, dining and of course, proximity to the ocean. There are a number of wonderful designs to choose from in Virginia Beach.

The Bay Creek Resort and Club is home to a recently opened Jack Nicklaus Signature Course that features panoramic views of the Chesapeake Bay and Old Plantation Creek.  Bay Creek is also home to a beautiful Arnold Palmer Signature design, marking the first time both Nicklaus and Palmer have designed courses for the same club.

An old standby is the Rees Jones-designed Hell's Point Golf Club, which was recognized as one of the "Best New Courses" by Golf Digest when it originally opened in 1982.

Heron Ridge Golf Club is a compilation from PGA Tour superstar Fred Couples and design partner Gene Bates that opened in 1999.

Riverfront Golf Club, designed by Tom Doak, is an old-style course that winds its way through riverfront acreage, tidal marshes, huge oaks and pines and vast rolling farmland. Riverfront was voted 4.5 stars by Golf Digest.

Another Palmer course is the Signature at West Neck, a semi-private layout.

Finally, Virginia Beach National, which opened in 1999 and was formerly TPC of Virginia Beach, was designed by Pete Dye with consultation from Hall of Fame touring pro Curtis Strange. This course features generous fairways, bordered with large waste bunkers and challenging greens.

NORTHERN NECK

Located less than two hours from Washington, D.C., the Northern Neck area is home to four championship courses.

King Carter Golf Club was recently named the No. 1 "New Affordable Course in the US under $75" by Golf Digest.

Nestled among rivers and woods in the heart of Virginia's Tidewater area, Piankatank River Course is the only golf course in Middlesex County and one of the most unique and beautiful courses in Virginia.

The Golden Eagle golf course has hosted several USGA events, while the Tartan Course is the only American work of Sir Guy Campbell of St. Andrews, Scotland.

Virginia Golf Vacations.com

Whichever destination you decide to choose, expect an offering of intimate local knowledge, quality golf courses and lodging accommodations and superior service. Visit www.virginiagolfvacations.com to begin customizing your Virginia golf trip today.

Also available on the Web site is a list of specials, including a complimentary vacation for group leaders booking 16 or more golfers.  Plus the Kingsmill triple play, Golden Horseshoe combo, and Traditions package that all offer additional discounts for playing multiple rounds at their facilities. Visit the website to sign up for their newsletter and check back regular for updated seasonal specials.