Formula 18 Golf

Formula 18 Golf

Courses / Best in state

Best Public Golf Courses in Virginia

Experts + Golfers + Story + Architect + Challenge + Access = the Total Score

Top 10Top 25Top 50
  1. 1Independence Golf ClubMidlothian · Public · Est. 2001Tom Fazio8.4Destination★ 4.4Online Golfer Rating
    201 reviews from GolfPass
  2. 2Pete Dye River Course of Virginia TechSemi-private · Est. 2005Pete Dye8.3Destination★ 4.6Online Golfer Rating
    159 reviews from GolfPass
  3. 3Golden Horseshoe Golf Club - Gold CourseWilliamsburg · Resort · Est. 1963Robert Trent Jones Sr. (restored by Rees Jones)8.3Destination★ 4.6Online Golfer Rating
    73 reviews from GolfPass
  4. 4Mattaponi Springs Golf ClubRuther Glen · Public · Est. 2004Bob Lohmann8.2Destination★ 4.7Online Golfer Rating
    231 reviews from GolfPass
  5. 5Primland ResortMeadows Of Dan · Resort · Est. 2006Donald Steel (with Tom Mackenzie and Martin Ebert)8.1Destination★ 4.8Online Golfer Rating
    20 reviews from GolfPass
  6. 6The CascadesHot Springs · Resort · Est. 1923William Flynn8.1Destination★ 4.4Online Golfer Rating
    20 reviews from GolfPass
  7. 7Poplar Grove Golf ClubAmherst · Public · Est. 2004Sam Snead and Ed Carton8.0Destination★ 4.5Online Golfer Rating
    23 reviews from GolfPass
  8. 8The Club At ViniterraNew Kent · PublicRees Jones (with Greg Muirhead)7.9Destination★ 4.5Online Golfer Rating
    999 reviews from GolfPass
  9. 9Kingsmill Resort - River CourseWilliamsburg · Resort · Est. 1975Pete Dye7.9Destination★ 4.7Online Golfer Rating
    20 reviews from GolfPass
  10. 10Royal New Kent Golf ClubProvidence Forge · Semi-private · Est. 1996Mike Strantz7.8Destination★ 4.5Online Golfer Rating
    843 reviews from GolfPass
  11. 11Keswick Golf ClubKeswick · Resort · Est. 2014Pete Dye7.6Destination★ 4.8Online Golfer Rating
    5 reviews from GolfPass
  12. 12Potomac Shores Golf ClubPublic · Est. 2014Jack Nicklaus7.5Destination★ 4.1Online Golfer Rating
    473 reviews from GolfPass
  13. 13Stonewall Golf ClubGainesville · Public · Est. 2001Tom Jackson7.4Memorable★ 4.4Online Golfer Rating
    1,166 reviews from GolfPass
  14. 14Old CourseHot Springs · Resort · Est. 18927.1Memorable★ 4.5Online Golfer Rating
    15 reviews from GolfPass
  15. 15Colonial Heritage ClubWilliamsburg · Public · Est. 2006Arthur Hills6.9Memorable★ 4.4Online Golfer Rating
    461 reviews from GolfPass
  16. 16Spring Creek Golf ClubGordonsville · Semi-private · Est. 2006Ed Carton6.7Memorable★ 4.9Online Golfer Rating
    103 reviews from GolfPass
  17. 17Birdwood Golf CourseCharlottesville · Resort · Est. 19846.7Memorable★ 4.2Online Golfer Rating
    49 reviews from GolfPass
  18. 18Cutalong at Tributer ResortMineral · Resort · Est. 2021Tom Clark with Ron Whitten6.6Memorable★ 5.0Online Golfer Rating
    3 reviews from GolfPass
  19. 19Golden Horseshoe Golf Club - Green CourseWilliamsburg · Resort · Est. 1991Rees Jones6.5Memorable★ 4.3Online Golfer Rating
    255 reviews from GolfPass
  20. 20Laurel Hill Golf ClubLorton · Municipal · Est. 2005Bill Love6.4Playable★ 4.4Online Golfer Rating
    653 reviews from GolfPass
  21. 21Lake Monticello Golf CoursePalmyra · PublicBuddy Loving6.4Playable★ 4.4Online Golfer Rating
    211 reviews from GolfPass
  22. 22Westfields Golf ClubClifton · Public · Est. 1998Fred Couples and Gene Bates6.4Playable★ 4.5Online Golfer Rating
    566 reviews from GolfPass
  23. 23Blue Ridge Shadows Golf ClubFront Royal · Public · Est. 2007Tom Clark6.4Playable★ 4.4Online Golfer Rating
    737 reviews from GolfPass
  24. 24Hat Creek Golf CourseBrookneal · Public · Est. 1975Bill Singleton6.4Playable★ 4.7Online Golfer Rating
    25 reviews from GolfPass
  25. 25Bryce ResortBasye · ResortEdmund B. Ault6.4Playable★ 4.6Online Golfer Rating
    191 reviews from GolfPass
  26. 26Lake Chesdin Golf ClubChesterfield · Semi-private · Est. 1999Barton Tuck with Ault, Clark & Associates6.3Playable★ 4.5Online Golfer Rating
    435 reviews from GolfPass
  27. 27Bull Run Golf ClubHaymarket · Public · Est. 1998Rick Jacobson6.3Playable★ 4.2Online Golfer Rating
    831 reviews from GolfPass
  28. 28Providence Golf ClubRichmond · Public · Est. 2002Lester George6.3Playable★ 4.2Online Golfer Rating
    374 reviews from GolfPass
  29. 29Belmont Golf Course & Recreation CenterLakeside · County · Est. 1917A.W. Tillinghast6.3Playable★ 4.1Online Golfer Rating
    118 reviews from GolfPass
  30. 30Stonehouse Golf ClubToano · Public · Est. 1996Mike Strantz6.2Playable★ 3.2Online Golfer Rating
    50 reviews from GolfPass
  31. 31Auburn Hills Golf ClubRiner · Semi-private · Est. 1999Algie Pulley6.2Playable★ 4.4Online Golfer Rating
    154 reviews from GolfPass
  32. 32Piankatank River Golf ClubHartfield · Semi-private · Est. 1996Algie Pulley6.2Playable★ 4.5Online Golfer Rating
    199 reviews from GolfPass
  33. 33Sleepy Hole Golf CourseSuffolk · PublicRussell Breeden6.2Playable★ 4.2Online Golfer Rating
    401 reviews from GolfPass
  34. 34Dogwood Trace Golf CoursePetersburg · Municipal · Est. 1978Tom Clark (2008 redesign); original Lee Park course 19786.2Playable★ 4.3Online Golfer Rating
    683 reviews from GolfPass
  35. 35Brickshire Golf ClubSemi-private · Est. 2001Tom Clark and Curtis Strange6.1Playable★ 4.3Online Golfer Rating
    521 reviews from GolfPass
  36. 36Magnolia Green Golf ClubMoseley · Semi-private · Est. 2015Nicklaus Design (with Tom Clark)6.1Playable★ 4.3Online Golfer Rating
    320 reviews from GolfPass
  37. 37Hobbs Hole Golf CourseTappahannock · Semi-private · Est. 1996Jeffrey C. Timmons6.1Playable★ 4.5Online Golfer Rating
    476 reviews from GolfPass
  38. 38Red Wing Lake Golf CourseVirginia Beach · Public · Est. 1971George W. Cobb6.1Playable★ 4.0Online Golfer Rating
    654 reviews from GolfPass
  39. 39Heritage Oaks Golf CourseHarrisonburg · Public · Est. 2001Bill Love6.0Playable★ 4.3Online Golfer Rating
    126 reviews from GolfPass
  40. 40Kiskiack Golf ClubWilliamsburg · Semi-private · Est. 1997John LaFoy6.0Playable★ 4.4Online Golfer Rating
    1,356 reviews from GolfPass
  41. 41Jefferson District Golf CourseFalls Church · MunicipalAlgie Pulley6.0Playable★ 4.5Online Golfer Rating
    271 reviews from GolfPass
  42. 42Rock Harbor Golf CourseWinchester · Public · Est. 2003Dennis W. Perry5.9Playable★ 4.2Online Golfer Rating
    66 reviews from GolfPass
  43. 43Bide-A-Wee Golf CoursePortsmouth · Municipal · Est. 1956Fred Findlay (original); Tom Clark with Curtis Strange (1999 renovation)5.9Playable★ 4.1Online Golfer Rating
    10 reviews from GolfPass
  44. 44Stumpy Lake Golf CourseVirginia Beach · PublicRobert Trent Jones Sr.5.9Playable★ 3.8Online Golfer Rating
    732 reviews from GolfPass
  45. 45Kingsmill Resort - Plantation CourseWilliamsburg · Resort · Est. 1986Arnold Palmer and Ed Seay5.8Playable★ 4.2Online Golfer Rating
    11 reviews from GolfPass
  46. 46The First Tee Chesterfield Golf ClubRichmond · Public · Est. 2000Lester George5.8Playable★ 4.0Online Golfer Rating
    208 reviews from GolfPass
  47. 47The Club of StauntonStaunton · Semi-private · Est. 1966William F. Gordon5.7Playable★ 4.2Online Golfer Rating
    77 reviews from GolfPass
  48. 48The Links at City parkPortsmouth · Municipal · Est. 1919Tom Clark (renovation, with Curtis Strange)5.7Playable★ 3.0Online Golfer Rating
    4 reviews from GolfPass
  49. 49The Golf Club at the HighlandsChesterfield · Semi-private · Est. 1995Barton Tuck5.6Playable★ 4.3Online Golfer Rating
    338 reviews from GolfPass
  50. 50Kempsville Greens Golf CourseVirginia Beach · Municipal · Est. 1957Russell Breeden5.5Playable★ 3.8Online Golfer Rating
    528 reviews from GolfPass

How we rank

Public courses only — anyone can book a tee time (public, municipal, resort, semi-private, university). Each course gets a Formula 18 Golf Total Score out of 10 with one word (Legendary, Destination, Memorable, Playable, Unsolved), cited on its page. Not enough to go on yet? It reads Uncharted. Expert lists, golfer stars, challenge, access and threads make the score. A notable architect and a real story add bonus points, and missing ones never count against a course. See the full formula →
Editor’s picks are placed by the Formula 18 Golf team. Played one that belongs higher? Tell us.