Founded on the grounds of an old Virginian farm by the banks of the James River, Willow Oaks was extensively modified by Lester George in 2007 who retained the old Gordon routing but added plenty of length and modern difficulty and improved drainage through the building of mounds and waterways through the lower riverside areas. This lower section is unfortunately a little confined, and made more problematic by the water and use of mounding. The 16^th and 17^th holes, for example, are essentially made up of five island landing areas, the par five 16^th particularly cruel on shorter hitters and the less accurate. The par three 15^th, which drops down into this area, is reasonably good, as are the closing holes on each nine, which rise back toward the clubhouse. Like a few other greens, the 9^th is a tad severe and one feels that George was perhaps a little too preoccupied here with making this course hard rather than fun for the membership.