701 Club Drive,
Keswick, Virginia 22947
Office
+1 (434) 979 3440Pro shop
+1 (434) 923 4363Fax
+1 (434) 923 4377Website
Visit websiteGolf pro
Eric McGraw (PGA, Head Professional)The Course:
18 holes. Tree-lined & open parkland. Undulating terrain - a few slopes to climb.
Surroundings:
Woodland and limited residential.
Designer:
Original nine-hole design by Fred Findlay (1948); extended to 18-holes in the 1950s. Modified by Arnold Palmer (1992); complete redesign by Pete Dye (2013).
38.017060
-78.367066
7.5 mi E of Charlottesville / 62 mi NW of Richmond.
Keswick, VA
Keswick Golf Club's "Full Cry" course is laid out in full view of the sumptuous Keswick Hall, which looks down on proceedings from its slightly elevated platform. You are unlikely to see the historic Keswick Hunt Club "in full cry", but you will be attempting to "run your ball to ground" (or at least into the hole) on this fabulous course. Taking its cue from the open links of Britain and Ireland, the layout represents a "toned-down" version of some of Dye's earlier and more dramatic designs. The accent here is on both style and golfing challenge.
The immaculately maintained layout, never unnecessarily penal or "tricked-up", offers many stylish holes. Deft touches of Pete Dye's consummate design skills are very much in evidence. Like an old-style links, there's not far to walk from green to next tee, and the terrain is pleasantly rolling rather than excessively undulating.
Wooden flag sticks, square cut tees, and an abundant use of elongated pot bunkers, as well as a few classic Dye-style "trench" bunkers, complement the layout's open linksy feel. Well-sculpted rolling mounds often define the good-width fairways, while the greens are stylishly defended by mounds, bunkers and slick run-off areas.
Pick of the holes: The use of red-stone facings on some tees and around a few water hazards, adds another old-world touch to the layout. This is most clearly expressed at the long-par 4 18th, where a stone-lined pond must be crossed from the elevated tee. The panoramic view from the tee includes the Hall in all its splendour, set against the Blue Ridge Mountains. If Dye's intent was to sign-off with a hole to savour, then he succeeded admirably .... the icing on the cake of a superb golf course.
Stay&Play at Keswick Hall: luxury onsite accommodation available, see Where2Stay section below.
Visitors welcome on weekdays and weekends.
Must book in advance.
Non-metal spike facility. Walking permitted.
Excellent
Keswick (the British say it with a silent "w") is laid out in front of the impressive Keswick Hall, the historic wing of which was known as "Villa Crawford". The original mansion house was built for Mr. & Mrs. Robert B. Crawford in 1912. Following Robert Crawford's death in 1919, the luxury private residence (and later clubhouse of Keswick Country Club) had several different owners, but gradually slid into a period of decline from around 1970.
The dilapidated villa was rescued in 1990 by Sir Bernard Ashley (widower of fabric designer Laura Ashley). "B.A." as he was known, started the process of transforming Villa Crawford into a top-end luxury hotel and golf facility, where guests would feel they were visiting a grand country estate. He spent over $25 million to expand the number of guest rooms to 48, naturally incorporating Laura Ashley's signature style within the renovation.
Virginia's 25th best course (Golf Digest, 2025/26).
701 Club Drive, Keswick, VA 22947
+1 (434) 979 3440
Visit websiteLocated adjacent to the Keswick Club, beautiful Keswick Hall was built in 1912 as the original manor house of the estate (known as Villa Crawford). It now offers 48 luxuriously appointed rooms and a host of enjoyable activities including fine dining, tennis, fitness centre and three pools, extensive biking and running trails, archery, croquet, badminton, walking with the hounds and garden tours. The house has been restored and extended to create a unique and intimate luxury hotel. A member of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts collection.
Keswick Club
No
Spring Creek; Birdwood at Boar's Head
Sony Open in Hawaii: played at Waialae Country Club near Honolulu, the Sony Open takes over the spotlight from The Sentry as the PGA Tour’s calendar-year opening event (Jan 15-18). The Sentry (not being played in 2026) was formerly known as the Tournament of Champions, with a field typically restricted to golfers who won a PGA Tour event in the previous calendar year.
Dubai Desert Classic: the DP World Tour’s first Rolex Series event of 2026, is contested for the 37th time (Jan 22-25). First won by Englishman Mark James in 1989, it now boasts a four-time winner, Rory McIlroy. Played on the Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis course, this once desert-surrounded course is the long-time flagship for Golf in Dubai.
Our visit last month included two rounds at Golf de Chantilly, one of France’s most prestigious clubs.
It offers two superb layouts: Le Vineuil, a five-star championship course with a rich history, and Longères, an excellent four-star course that provides a strong and enjoyable test.
The wider Paris region offers plenty more. Courses such as Fontainebleau, Golf de Saint-Germain, and several other top-rated layouts make this area one of Europe’s most rewarding golf destinations, offering a mix of woodland, heathland, and parkland designs.
The Dutch: "It's no' just a game", as they say in Scotland, and that's certainly true at The Dutch. With 5-star services throughout, a lavishly comfortable Loch Lomond-inspired clubhouse, and a superbly designed and presented golf course, one could not ask for more from this top-end private club.
Join us at The Dutch from August 21–24 for the Festival of Golf, featuring the HotelPlanner Tour. Experience four days of top-tier sport, live music, incredible food, and unexpected surprises. Explore the grounds, connect with others, embrace new challenges, and dive into an unforgettable celebration. Click here to buy tickets.
Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.
Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available
You can subscribe to the Where2Golf channel on YT if you like to see more video content. You'll find a "Subscribe" button on any of our YouTube videos. Or if you want a quick and direct access subscribe here. Once done, any new published videos will show up in your Subscriptions feed.
