James River Country Club
Private1500 Country Club Rd, Newport News, VA 23606, USA
Tap a hole for its details · gold dots = bunkers, blue = water · the Wind and Elevation buttons color each hole by today’s wind and by climb · OpenStreetMap
The lay of the land.
How the course above sets up: its routing, character, and what to expect.
James River Country Club is an 18-hole golf course in Newport News, VA, playing 3,119–6,598 yards from 8 sets of tees (slope 100–130, course rating up to 71.7).
It's a flat walk, roughly 138 feet of total climb over 18 holes.
Expect 53 bunkers, with water on 2 holes; the front nine plays tougher.
The word on the course.
How golfers talk about it, summarized from public reviews. Their opinions, not our scoring.
A 1932 William Flynn design on the banks of the James River, with natural elevation, river views and restored Flynn bunker complexes that golf people treat as a quiet classic of Hampton Roads. The clubhouse also holds what is regularly called the oldest golf museum in the world, founded by shipyard owner Archer Huntington, which gives the round a sense of place no other course in the area can match.
Consistently praised
- A classic Flynn routing with restored bunkering and river views.
- Conditioning and pace of play singled out, and a clubhouse museum that elevates the visit beyond the round.
Worth knowing
- Strictly private; access is the real obstacle, not the course.
Golfers recommend
- If you get on, leave time before or after for the golf museum.
- Play the Flynn bunkers as designed; carrying them isn’t the play, position is.
Tee fit & expected score.
Set your handicap for the right tees, a realistic score, and the holes where you'll get a stroke.
Play the White tees, 6007 yds (or Blue)
How to play it
- Card-wreckers at #1, #9, #11. Bogey is fine here; don't compound mistakes.
Tagged scorecard.
Per-hole tags for hazards, length, and scoring chances from your selected tee.
| Hole | Par | Yds | SI | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1•• | 4 | 448 | 1 | Long 4Tough |
| 2• | 4 | 400 | 5 | |
| 3• | 3 | 207 | 9 | Long 3 |
| 4• | 4 | 375 | 15 | Birdie |
| 5• | 4 | 374 | 11 | |
| 6• | 5 | 525 | 13 | |
| 7• | 3 | 228 | 7 | Long 3 |
| 8• | 4 | 372 | 17 | Birdie |
| 9• | 4 | 452 | 3 | Long 4Tough |
| Out | 35 | 3381 | ||
| 10• | 5 | 517 | 12 | Reachable |
| 11• | 4 | 428 | 2 | Tough |
| 12• | 4 | 398 | 4 | |
| 13• | 3 | 219 | 14 | Long 3 |
| 14• | 4 | 389 | 8 | |
| 15• | 3 | 146 | 18 | |
| 16• | 4 | 411 | 6 | |
| 17• | 3 | 163 | 16 | |
| 18• | 5 | 546 | 10 | |
| In | 35 | 3217 | ||
All tees & ratings
| Tee | Yards | Rating | Slope | Par |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 6598 | 71.7 | 130 | 70 |
| Blue | 6340 | 70.5 | 128 | 70 |
| White | 6007 | 69.1 | 125 | 70 |
| White/Yellow | 5730 | 67.8 | 123 | 70 |
| Yellow | 5463 | 66.5 | 119 | 70 |
| Green | 5014 | 64.5 | 116 | 70 |
| Medallion | 3972 | 60.6 | 105 | 70 |
| JRCC Short Course | 3119 | 58 | 100 | 70 |
Conditions & terrain.
Today's wind by hole, the climbs and drops, and a seven-day playability outlook.
Wind today
7-day outlook
Best window this week: Fri 06-05 · 93/100
Where the trouble is.
Sand and water by hole, plotted from OpenStreetMap.
Most bunkered: #8 (5) · #14 (5) · #9 (4) · #11 (4). Water on 2 holes: #2, #15.
Frequently asked.
- How long is James River Country Club?
- James River Country Club plays 3,119–6,598 yards across 8 sets of tees, to a par of 70 from the back tees.
- How difficult is James River Country Club?
- Its slope rating ranges 100–130, with a course rating up to 71.7. The front nine plays tougher.
- Which tees should I play at James River Country Club?
- A mid-handicap golfer (around 15) best fits the White tees at 6,007 yards. Match your own driver distance or handicap with the tee selector on this page.
- Is James River Country Club walkable?
- It's a flat walk, with roughly 138 feet of total elevation change over 18 holes.
- How many bunkers does James River Country Club have?
- James River Country Club has 53 bunkers, and water comes into play on 2 holes.
Nearby & similar.
Other courses within reach, and the closest matches by difficulty and length.