The Villages at The Crossings

Pros

• The layout is appealing and highly regarded on a modest budget.
• The greens and tee boxes are in good shape.
• The course is beautiful and well maintained.
• The greens were fantastic.
• The layout is nice and walkable.
• The Crossings is worth a return visit and could become a regular for players.
• Jenna's burgers are highly recommended.
• The bunkers have improved and show progress.
• The Crossings has an awesome layout with incredible potential.

Cons

• Reviewers criticized the course's customer service as poor and lamented that new management hasn't injected enough money to reach its potential.
• The greens were described as patchy and in poor condition, with areas that are bare or dead.
• The clubhouse and the course were labeled dated and in need of a large financial infusion.
• Bunkers were in poor shape, with grass growing in them or little to no sand, indicating poor maintenance.
• Greens were said to be in terrible condition, including at least one that couldn't be played.
• Charging $44 for nine holes while the course was in such bad shape was regarded as unreasonable and overpriced.
• The Crossings was described by a reviewer as potentially the worst golf course in the RVA area.
• Tee boxes and fairways were described as weed- and grass-mixed with bare dirt spots.
• Bunkers were called hard-packed and lacking sand, with no rakes available.
• Pace of play was criticized due to the lack of marshals and slow rounds.
• Players were upset by being told they would have to play the back nine twice because of construction.

Review

The Crossings presents itself as a course with a remarkably appealing layout - a design that many players immediately recognize as a standout in the area, even as the other elements around it lag behind. Several guests have remarked that the layout feels almost "five-star" in its potential, yet those same visitors repeatedly describe a budget-conscious experience that doesn't always live up to the promise of the greens. The most persistent refrain is that the course is not necessarily offering value proportional to the price, and that new management hasn't been able to infuse enough money to unlock the course's full potential. In short, the bones of a great round are there - the greens, some tee areas, and a backbone of interesting holes - but conditions and upkeep have often dragged the experience down.

The condition picture across reports is notably inconsistent. Greens have been praised at times for their clarity and pace, yet other days they've been derided as being in terrible shape, with damage toward the back of a green making play awkward or even unplayable in spots. Bunkers are a recurring sore point: several reviews indicate that many bunkers were either under repair, grassed over, or extremely hard-packed with little to no sand. There are mentions of patches where you'd be playing from dirt or thin sand rather than true bunker conditions, with some assessments suggesting that the course should consider filling in or reseeding rather than maintaining marginal sand. Fairways have drawn similar criticism - often described as weed-and-grass mixes, hard-packed, with bare dirt spots enough to roll a ball off turf to find a playable stance. The marshy origin of the land means water can be a factor after rain, and players have repeatedly noted that wet conditions or the course's moisture management drive choices like cart-path-only rules, sometimes even when the weather doesn't justify it.

Over the course of several visits, the tone shifts from outright disappointment to cautious optimism. A March 13 entry highlights good greens and good tee boxes, while also noting horrible conditions in the fairways and bunkers, alongside a cart-path-only policy that was perplexing given dry conditions. A May entry spoke of decent greens once the greens and tees are in good shape but lingering issues in fairways and bunkers, and the sense that the course's playable surface is inconsistent from hole to hole. By June, the sentiment hardened for many: the Crossings was described by one reviewer as possibly the worst course in the RVA area, with weeded tee boxes, hard-packed fairways, and bunkers that offered little relief. Yet a later note in June mentioned a marked improvement in bunkers - "almost 100% better" with soft sand in most of them - though the general opinion on value and other conditions remained mixed. Another reviewer acknowledged that greens could be in better shape in places, but still described a layout with "green complexes updated" in a recent Aug 2023 update and noted that progress is being made.

Pace of play, clubhouse experience, and price are consistently tied to perceived value. Several guests point out that the posted price doesn't align with the overall quality: 44 for nine holes, 64 for a mid-afternoon round, or seniors' rates around 43 - figures that some feel are steep given the state of fairways and bunkers. Pacing can swing in favor of the player when the course isn't crowded, with reports of 4-hour rounds and even one single-player finishing 18 holes in a solid time, but other days describe 30-minute waits to clear a green due to pace of play and a lack of marshal enforcement. There are persistent complaints about paying full price for rounds where the course feels unfinished or where maintenance items - like bunkers, fairways, or greens - aren't living up to expectations. That dichotomy - impressive layout and potential on one side, overpriced and inconsistent maintenance on the other - defines the overall sentiment about value.

The operational and experiential texture of a round at The Crossings is also colored by a few distinctive anecdotes. Some visitors praise friendly staff, a nice clubhouse, and convenient practice facilities, painting a picture of a course that remains welcoming despite its flaws. There are notes about the course's environment and use by community groups - Special Olympics uses the course after closing, a detail that's folded into discussions about after-hours access and crowd management. The landscape itself tells stories of ongoing work: tee boxes that show wear, greens that improve over time, and bunkers that shift from "under repair" to "improved but still uneven." The course's marshy construction, which makes it susceptible to standing water and wet fairways, is repeatedly cited as a key factor in why the course sometimes behaves differently from one week to the next. There's even a memorable moment about operational decisions mid-round - being told that tree work on hole 1 would require playing the back nine twice - reflecting a course that's actively trying to manage the land and the round in real time, even if it's not always easy for players to adapt on the fly.

Despite the turbulence in conditions and pricing, there remains a clear throughline: the Crossings is still recognized as a course with a compelling design that can offer a very enjoyable experience when conditions align. Some reviewers have come back after earlier dissatisfaction, noting that the greens and general layout have become more convincing and that improvements have occurred over the years. There's a sense that with more investment and consistent maintenance - perhaps under new management - the Crossings could fully realize its bright design potential. In the meantime, the course rewards those who are patient, flexible, and willing to check current conditions before teeing off, then adjust expectations accordingly.

If you're considering a round at The Crossings, you'll want to calibrate expectations to the day. The layout remains its strongest selling point, and when greens are behaving and bunkers aren't imperiled by repair work or erosion, the course can offer a satisfying, even memorable round. On financially tight days or when the course's maintenance schedule is pushing its limits, you may find yourself paying a premium for conditions that don't quite match the price tag. A practical approach is to call ahead to confirm bunker status, fairway conditions, and whether cart paths are required due to moisture. If you're chasing a high-quality, consistent experience, you might weigh the ride to see if the day's conditions justify the cost. But if you're drawn to a course with a thoughtful, strategic layout and a lot of potential beneath a slightly rough surface, The Crossings still has a lot to offer - and with a little more investment and care, the course could easily live up to the promise players sense when standing on the first tee.

Physicians

• Pediatric Center (0.2 miles)
• Hanover Family Physicians (2.3 miles)
• John E. Truitt, DDS (3.7 miles)
• Laburnum Medical Center (4.7 miles)
• Carl Barton Weiss, MD (4.7 miles)
• Ortho Virginia (4.7 miles)
• P&A Associates ENT, PC (4.8 miles)

Restaurants

• Chick-Fil-A (0.7 miles)
• McDonald's (0.8 miles)
• Sonic Drive-In (1.1 miles)
• Industrial Taphouse (1.4 miles)
• Chick-fil-A (3 miles)
• Pizza & Beer of Richmond (3.2 miles)
• McDonald's (4.3 miles)

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (0.9 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (1.2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.3 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (4.3 miles)
• Walgreens (4.3 miles)
• Walgreens (5.6 miles)
• Walgreens (5.9 miles)

Transportation

• Hanover County Airport (2.3 miles)
• Amtrak (4.8 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (2.9 miles)
• Panera Bread (4.4 miles)
• Starbucks (5.9 miles)
• Stir Crazy (6 miles)
• Panera Bread (6.9 miles)
• The Smoky Mug (7.2 miles)
• Blanchard’s Café (7.7 miles)

Places of Worship

• The Carson Building At New Hanover Presbyterian Church (3.9 miles)
• Staples Mill Road Baptist Church (4.2 miles)
• Richmond Virginia Temple (4.7 miles)

Parks

• Washington Lacy Park (7.1 miles)
• Battery Park (7.6 miles)

Hospitals

• St Marys South Building (7.3 miles)

Theaters

• Bow Tie Movieland at Boulevard Square (7.5 miles)