While golf might not be the primary focus, the Outer Banks offers a great variety of beach courses open to public play in a setting far more relaxed than those in Myrtle Beach, Charleston and Hilton Head Island and the Brunswick islands.
From links style courses along Currituck Sound to wetlands-filled layouts reminiscent of the South Carolina Lowcountry, the Outer Banks region features courses of varying difficulties and price ranges, too.
In addition, the demographics of visitors is slightly different with many players coming from the Interstate 95 corridor including Virginia, the Washington, Philadelphia and southern New Jersey markets.
The courses stretch from Kilmarlic, The Pointe, The Carolina Club and Holly Ridge Golf Course just west of the Wright Memorial Bridge over the Currituck Sound to Currituck Club, Sea Scape Golf Club, Duck Woods Country Club and Nags Head Golf Club (pictured above) stretching along 30 miles on the actual Outer Banks.
Though summer is the peak season, spring and fall may be the best times to play due to milder weather, easier availability and lower rates.
For true links golf, the easy choices are Currituck Club in the north and Nags Head Golf Club in the south, the toughest challenge may be Kilmarlic just a few minutes across the Wright Bridge.
Currituck Club, designed by Rees Jones and opened in 1996, stretches to almost 6,900 yards from the pro tees with generous fairways, a straight-forward layout and numerous scenic vistas the along Currituck Sound. Wetlands and ponds must be crossed from several tees, though the carries are rarely intimidating.
Native grasses and sand dunes add beauty and difficulty. Bunkers guard fairways and greens, but bailouts are almost always available.
Breezes from the sound play a major factor in club selection and shot choice. From the tees to the greens, conditions are immaculate. The bent greens, smooth with distinctive undulations, often slope down on the edges into swales require skilled chips and pitches.
Fees vary, but rates ranged from $169 to $203 during mid-week in July. The rates were more than $200 on weekends.
Down at the south end is Nags Head, where Roanoke Sound is the centerpiece. Designed by Bob Moore and opened in 1986, Nags Head offers a simpler, old-style links layout. First, the distance of the par-71 course from the tips is only 6,126 yards. So, accuracy — there are some blind shots — is more important than length. Some of the fairways are tight against the Sound, dunes and coastal vegetation. Bunkering is limited, but carries over ponds, lagoons and wetlands are frequent.
Several holes run directly along the shore. The most memorable include No. 15, a 221-yard behemoth from the tips with a lagoon stretching along the left and the Sound with its steady breezes pinching in from the right.
At 18, a par-5 topping out at 583 yards, the Sound lines the entire right side of the dogleg, including the green.
Fees started at $135 for a mid-week July tee time. Weekend times started at $145.
Kilmarlic, designed by architect Tom Steele, opened in 2002, offering a challenging, layout winding through wetlands off U.S. 158 about 10 minutes from the Wright Bridge. Only 6,643 yards from the pro tees, the layout has a 71.4 rating and 140 slope. The bent grass greens are fast and have significant slopes.
Several of the holes require forced carries over water or wetlands. The par-3s are especially tough — three have forced carries all the way to the green. The toughest, the 171-yard 11th is surrounded by water except for of a small strip of land behind the green allowing access.
West of the Outer Banks, Kilmarlic may be the most golf-centric location in the region. In addition to housing, the 605-acre property includes 18 two-story cottages, each with three bedrooms and six twin beds. The cottages have full kitchens and back decks with a grill. Guests have privileges at a fitness center with a pool, a four-hole short course and a lighted putting green all within a few-minute walk.
The fees were $145 for a morning time in July and $115 in the afternoon.
The Pointe, less than a mile from Kilmarlic, is a favorite, enjoying a reputation for mint conditions and high playability. Summer fees were $120 until 11 a.m. and $95 at mid-day in July.
The back tees for the par-71 course are 6,276 yards with a rating of 70.0 and 126. The next set of tees is less than 5,900 yards with 68.2 rating and 121 slope, making a tee time at The Pointe a popular way to begin a visit before tackling the likes of Kilmarlic or Currituck Club.
Carolina Club, The Pointe’s nearby sister course, is a step up in difficulty. The course measures 6,697 from the back markers with a 72.7 rating and a 126 slope. The course is known for good conditioning with water hazards on several holes. The signature hole, the 166-yard No. 7 from the tips, features an island green. Prices are similar to those at The Pointe, and early morning players are expected to play in less than four hours.
Duck Woods, an Ellis Maples design, is private. Holly Ridge is a straight-ahead, affordable layout with few frills and a large driving range.
Sea Scape, an Art Wall design just across the bridge in Kitty Hawk, is priced at $145 in the mornings and about $116 at mid-day. Though the par-70 layout stretches to less than 6,200 yards, water hazards and coastal breezes provide stiff challenges.
