Shooting Solo / Ford's Colony Blackheath Course
Trip Start
Jun 27, 2008
1
9
15
Trip End
Jul 06, 2008
Williamsburg,
Virginia,
United States
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
I did not hit the road until 9 am but there was no traffic heading south on I95 so I arrived in Williamsburg around noon
#3 green
. First, I stopped at the condo at Williamsburg Plantation to drop off the luggage and pick up my golf clubs. Residents at Williamsburg Plantation are eligible for a deal with the Ford's Colony Golf Course called "Member for three days". With a coupon provided by guest services, you can play one round at Ford's Colony for a discount price of $60 and your next two rounds (within a year) will cost $35. I planned on playing golf at least 3 days this long weekend, so it was a great deal for me!Ford's Colony has 3 eighteen hole courses, Blackheath, Blue Heron and Marsh Hawk. All three courses were designed by Dan Maples. The Maples name is famous in North Carolina with several members of the Maples family working for/with Donald Ross at Pinehurst before venturing out with their own design company. I have played two Maples courses, Pinehurst #5 (Ellis Maples) and South Riding (Dan Maples), and enjoyed them both. I look forward to playing three more.
When I walked on a little after noon, I had no problems immediately teeing off the Blackheath course. The first hole is a 493 yard, par 5 with a dogleg to the right and water along the left. While waiting for the foursome ahead of me to play, the starter gave me some advice for the #1 hole. The water on the left is reachable with a drive and he suggested hitting it 225 yards over the fairway bunkers on the right
Bridge to #3 island tee box
. I did exactly as he said with my 3 wood. My second shot had to avoid the water along the left and another set of fairway bunkers on the right...no problem. My third shot was a 3/4 gap wedge shot which ended hitting the top of the lip in the left green-side bunker. It was the worst possible lie you can imagine with the ball buried against the lip. Somehow I managed to get it out and 2 putted for bogey...a good start.The third hole was a 175 yard, par 3. You had to hit from an island tee box across the water onto a large green. I hit the ball with my 3 iron on the green and 2 putted for a par. The foursome ahead of me saw how well I played the hole and let me play through...that was the last time I saw any people on the course with the exception of the occasional cart girl. I did see quite a few birds including a stork, heron, ducks, geese and even some ravens. The birds were enjoying the water found throughout this course...13 of 18 holes has water in play. I was playing well and managed not to lose any balls into the water...that is until the eighteenth hole. #18 is a 320 yard, par 4 with water along the entire left side and an approach shot onto an island green. I sliced my drive up the hillside on the right and plopped my approach shot short of the green into the water. I managed to pitch the ball from the drop zone within an easy one putt for a respectable bogey. I totaled 92 for the day...my first round under 100 in over a month.
At the pro shop I wanted to make a tee time for 3 for tomorrow morning. Unfortunately the only available tee time in the morning was for the Blackheath. I wanted to play all three courses during my three rounds, here. Since I enjoyed the track, I was not that disappointed to play Blackheath again.
