The Woodlands golf course is a fun little course located near downtown Hampton right off the interstate. It is very short at 5000 yards from the white tees and several holes are much shorter than the proclaimed yardage (for example a hole might claim 287 yards but I have a 10 yard chip after a regular drive with my 4 wood). Unlike the traditional 4 par 3s and par 5s per 18, this course has 6 par 3s and only 3 par 5s for a total par of 69. One of the par 5s is only 404 yards and one par 3 is only 137 yards (both white tees). Though the course is near downtown and off the highway it is not too noisy, thought at times you will be playing adjacent to a city street with houses on the other side, and only a chain link fence to stop any nasty hooks. The course is maintained with decent fairways and greens. There is some water that keeps things interesting but mostly you just have to avoid the trees and bunkers. The greens have some good curvature to them that adds difficulty and helps improve your green reading ability (especially if you’re a typical 3 putter like myself). The rates are reasonable at $15 weekday/$17 weekend to walk 18, add $10 more for a cart. The staff inside are friendly as is the starter/marshal who is also helpful. There is no driving range at this course, but there is one not too far away on Mercury Blvd near LaSalle (across from K-Mart). The snack bar provides a good place to get your grub on and the pro-shop will provide you with your basic golfing needs. Overall I highly recommend this course as a fun place to play. Poor players like myself can use this course to build confidence (low par makes for lower scores, closer to breaking 100) and it is a great place to practice on the course without breaking the bank. Better players can still enjoy this course where the greens will keep them involved, and long players can use irons off the tee box to increase the difficulty to the green (or drive up to it and focus on improved chipping).

One of this course's main strengths is the greens fees. To play 18 holes without renting a cart, it's $12 per person. If you want to rent a cart, it's $20 to play. Cheap prices are always a plus, especially considering the fact that I'm currently going to college (and we all know that college students aren't exactly known for our overflowing bank accounts). Also, the design of the course is nice; there's enough variety in each hole that playing doesn't really get old. Water hazards are pretty abundant on this course, so low hitters may have a rough time clearing some hazards of the tee (particularly on the par 4 13th if you hit from the back tees). This is a course that caters both to the experienced player (water hazards, well-placed bunkers) and the newcomer/novice (short par 4's, wide fairways). A nice balance, to be sure.

The only weakness to speak of would be the length of the par 4's. While this makes them playable for short hitters, those of us who hit 250 or more off the tee may find these holes a bit constricting. And trust me, you'll love those par 5's, when you finally get to rip a 300-yard drive (of course, if you play anything like me, it'll be a 300-yard hook). Other than the short par 4's, though, there isn't a whole lot bad to say about the Woodlands.

One of the few golf courses in the Hampton Roads area that I can afford, the Woodlands offers a pleasurable golfing experience. Yes, it may prove to be a little too easy for experienced golfers (those who normally shoot in the 70's or lower), and some of the par 4's may seem too short, but for the rest of us, this golf course provides a nice round of golf. The course is maintained very well; the fairways and greens are cut frequently, and the greens look good. Spike marks and ball dents are never really an issue, so more often than not, if you miss a putt, it's your fault. Or the putter's (I've cursed my putter so many times, it's not even funny). While I'm on the subject of putting, let me warn you; the greens have a good bit of break in them. Straight putts are a rarity at this golf course, so you might wanna brush up on your green-reading skills before teeing off at this place. Four tee boxes are utilized, catering to female players, young golfers, and even the Tiger Woods-wannabes. Well, I guess we all wanna be Tiger Woods, but these guys are the closest any of us are gonna get to his level. Anyway, this is a quality 18-hole golf course that you're likely to enjoy.

Customer Service

Tee times are generally very easy to make; you call the number, tell how many people are playing, and ask for a time. Can't get much simpler than that.

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Generally, food was very good here. Also, the staff was very nice and helpful; they did the best they could to cater to everyone's needs.