The Genesis of an OBX Golf “Celebration”

I had been warned in a text from Blair Smith: “It might get a bit sentimental, but I appreciate you covering it and putting light to a great trip.”

I guess that’s what you get when so many potent themes collide: a father, a son, high school buddies, college basketball, and the game of golf … all with a splash of sea spray. In honoring a former tradition, a new one was born. All it took was the perfect coastal North Carolina setting to allow it to flourish.

This particular annual Outer Banks golf gathering, comprised of a group of up to a dozen Northern Virginia friends, actually got its start from an NCAA Final Four basketball championship trip which began in 2004 when Ryan “Slope” Sloper – fresh out of Randolph Macon College – hit the “Road” with some college buddies and their basketball coach. Two years later, Tim Carroll and Smith joined their high school pal in Indianapolis. That was the year Northern Virginia’s George Mason University, under coach Jim Larranaga, made its historic run to the Final Four. But the tradition wasn’t cemented until 2009 in Detroit when Smith’s father, Doug “Dougie” Smith, joined the troupe.

“You see, Tim, Slope and I became friends our freshman year at Hylton High School [located in Woodbridge] on the freshman basketball team,” Smith says. “We were inseparable and many people on my street thought my mom had three boys because they were always at my house on the weekends. My dad became a second father to them.”

According to Smith, his dad ‘Do-gee’ (phonetic) made the Final Four trip every year from 2009 to 2019 when the University of Virginia won the title.

“The sentimental part about 2018 is that my oldest nephew was able to make that trip along with my dad,” Smith adds. “This was a journey we always looked forward to … we have stories after stories that were [eventually] told at Dougie’s celebration of life. We made shirts and we made friends from across the country that would ask ‘is your dad coming next year?’ It was iconic.”

Then came the Pandemic and around that time the elder Smith’s health started to decline.

“So in 2021 we made our own [makeshift] Final Four trip and rented an AirBnB in Shepherdstown, West Virginia [Dougie graduated from Shepherd University located in town]. We played a round of golf two consecutive days and switched off riding in the cart with my dad as he wasn’t able to walk very well. We also hit the Charlestown Casino. This gave us the idea that maybe we could change the trip up [in the future].”

And they would, because as the inevitable would have it, Dougie passed away – perhaps symbolically– on July 22, 2022 at 5:22.

Smith reflects, “People say 2’s mean balance, relationships and connections. Those words truly are what my dad was to many, especially Slope, Tim and myself.”

Thus, with the addition of other neighborhood friends, the inaugural Smith OBX golf trip was launched in 2023 to help keep the memory of Dougie alive. Like the Wright Brothers’ first flight across the dunes at Kill Devil Hills in Kitty Hawk, the takeoff was a huge success.

“We wanted to honor my dad with those who knew him well in my friends’ group and coordinate it with March Madness,” adds Smith. “It allowed more people to come along and gave Tim, Slope and myself an opportunity to share his legacy and stories.”

One of those who joined the pilgrimage was Mike Payne, a fellow Northern Virginia high school athletic director to Smith (Mike at Gar-Field in Woodbridge and Blair at Carter G. Woodson in Fairfax).

“Now it’s a new tradition … one to honor Blair’s father,” says Payne, who stays at his parent’s house in the Corolla Light Resort. “He felt it would be a trip his dad would enjoy: hanging out with the guys, sharing some good camaraderie, playing some golf. For a high school AD, it’s early enough in the spring for us to get away because navigating the sports schedule is hard once our ‘Spring Madness’ gets going. We take a long weekend, one that works best for the group.”

In the past, [from their base just north of the Duck Donuts landmark], the group has played the Currituck Club (it is closest to their accommodations), travelled to Nags Head Golf Links, Sea Scape, The Pointe, Duck Woods, The Carolina Club and Kilmarlic – pretty much all the great venues in the region.

“We don’t play them all on the same trip, but we try to get in two rounds on Thursday, two on Friday, one on Saturday and one on the way out of town early on Sunday,” Payne adds. “I’ve been going to OBX since 1986, I had played there, but just not as often… or annually. I can say I have grown into the golf trip the last few years and really enjoy it. It’s fun. I am an average golfer but it’s always a good time. Golf in the Outer Banks is awesome, we love it.”

Of course, Smith has his own share of favorite golf memories that continue to pile up likes strokes on a windy day.

“Duck Woods is always the second course on Thursday,” he says. “Those who come in that morning meet us and after a great dinner everyone is here. My favorite hole in OBX is No. 18 at Duck Woods because it’s got water to the left and it inevitably makes or breaks who wins.”

As for his only requirements?

He replies: “Love golf, love basketball, enjoy great food and take a Sambuca or fire ball shot one time per trip for Dougie!”

Hot Times, (Really) Cool Escapes in OBX

Things are heating up across the land of North Carolina in 2024 – especially in terms of golf. This year all eyes will be on Pinehurst No. 2 in the state’s midsection where the world’s best male players will gather to compete in the U.S. Open in June. The competition will be fierce. Splash shots out of sand will be prominent. Short games will be rewarded. Putting prowess will be on big-time display.

All great news for all the “Majors of Golf” lovers, as well as devotees to classical Donald Ross golf course design.

But for diehard golfers (those who would just as soon launch shots of their own as they would spend time traipsing around after the professionals), there is still nothing better than the excitement of teeing it up in the presence of cooling summer breezes. Of course in North Carolina, promised pleasures of comfortable air are perhaps more often attributed to the state’s western Mountains. But for those in the know, refreshing breezes are just as invigorating along the sandy shores of its Outer Banks.

From Jockey’s Ridge in Nags Head to the land of wild horses along Currituck, open spaces abound along the Outer Banks’ seaside sanctuaries. And there may be no better settings to enjoy the fresh air and majestic landscapes than across the region’s great golf courses – a trio of which is recognized among the best in all of golf-crazed North Carolina again in 2024.

This year, as in several ones past, the Outer Banks has proven itself once again to be a supplier of some of the game’s most highly-coveted courses in the Tar Heel State. According to the esteemed North Carolina Golf Panel – now in its 29th year – three courses remained among the Top 50 You Can Play in North Carolina: Featured at No. 17 is The Currituck Club, followed closely by Kilmarlic Golf Club at No. 28 and Nags Head Golf Links at No. 35.

Golf around the storied Outer Banks represents an outstanding selection of enjoyable and affordable yet quality golf courses. Lists like the North Carolina Golf Panel’s are intended to tempt you with some sort of understanding of North Carolina’s golfing mentality and thus add to your golfing pleasure. These headliners, along with a handful of others, have helped transform the Outer Banks into an outdoor sportsman’s paradise. Throw in spacious accommodations and a plethora of off-course activities and you have a destination unlike any other.

From true barrier island links courses to modern parkland marvels located inland, the region is chock full of variety. The challenges at The Pointe Golf Club, The Carolina Club, Nags Head, Kilmarlic and Currituck Club are as spectacular as the coastal views they possess. There may be no better location for a true golf vacation than the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Afternoon drives take on a whole new meaning along the coast just minutes north of Rees Jones’s 18-hole gem known as The Currituck Club, now No. 61 in North Carolina’s Top 100 and the No. 7 Coastal Course. The Corolla keeper is the grandest design along the coast “sculpted on the type of land where golf began” among 600 acres of dunes, wetlands, maritime forests, and sound seascapes.

 

In addition to being a 100-best comprehensive venue in the state, The Currituck Club has pierced the ranks as a top-tier design in a new category that panelists were asked to assemble. As it were, it now stands at No. 5 among the state’s newest classification … “Most Aesthetically Pleasing Courses.” This latest honor essentially credits golf courses that provide not only great golf, but tremendous views, landscaping and flora.

Every time golfers tackle historic Nags Head – touted as North Carolina’s No. 5 Best Short(er) Course two years ago – they find themselves facing a different challenge. Crafted by Bob Moore, Nags Head plays hard along the inner waterway on the southern end of the Outer Banks, where capricious breezes off sound-side waters create a unique golfing experience each and every day. With its coastal winds, rugged shoreline, island holes, seaside vistas, and tees and greens separated by rolling dunes and wild sea grass, Nags Head bears far more than a passing resemblance to the famed Scottish golf links.

Home to various golf cottages located near its entrance, Kilmarlic is a popular Tom Steele design nestled along the marshland of the Albemarle Sound. North Carolina’s No. 89 course in the Top 100 is a wonderful mainland design amidst 605 beautiful acres of maritime forest providing a pure OBX layout with water and wetlands virtually in play at all times.

Located just across the Wright Memorial Bridge, The Pointe is the first in a sequence of championship golf courses — layouts close to the sounds and ocean but more parkland in settings. The course is also said to be the first in the country to have the A-1 bent grass — a dense, disease-resistant strain — installed across its corridors. Meanwhile, The Carolina Club’s positioning as the first design heading into town from the north and last one on the way out makes it the ideal play on either side of your OBX golf getaway. 

For the complete list of the Top 100 Courses for 2024, Top 50 Courses You Can Play and other rankings, visit NCGolfPanel.com.

OBX Golf Lore on the Shore

It has been said that over time natural forces like wind, rain and the power of ocean currents reigned along the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Safe habitats, in their more primitive states, were hard to come by. Perhaps that is why, prior to World War II, few people visited the region.

But as with anything rich in wonder eventually comes discovery. And so the bridges and paved roads that were constructed to help protect the area from foreign invasion opened up avenues for visitors to pour in after it. And with population growth and settlement inevitably came the desire for fun and recreation.

Of course plenty of OBX development has naturally taken place over the years since the war, but so have preservation efforts. From Jockey’s Ridge in Nags Head to the land of wild horses along Currituck, open spaces remain. But there may be no better settings to enjoy the fresh air and majestic landscapes along the Outer Banks than across its golf courses – a trio of which is recognized among the best in all of golf-crazed North Carolina again in 2023.

This year, as in several ones past, the Outer Banks has proven itself once again to be a supplier of some of the game’s most highly-coveted courses in the Tar Heel State. According to the esteemed North Carolina Golf Panel – now in its 28 th year – three courses remained among the Top 50 You Can Play in North Carolina: Featured at No. 15 is The Currituck Club, followed closely by Kilmarlic Golf Club at No. 27 and Nags Head Golf Links at No. 34.

Golf around the storied Outer Banks represents an outstanding selection of enjoyable and affordable yet quality golf courses. Lists like the North Carolina Golf Panel’s are intended to tempt you with some sort of understanding of North Carolina’s golfing mentality and thus add to your golfing pleasure. These headliners, along with a handful of others, have helped transform the Outer Banks into an outdoor sportsman’s paradise. Throw in spacious accommodations and a plethora of off-course activities and you have a destination unlike any other.

From true barrier island links courses to modern parkland marvels located inland, the region is chock full of variety. The challenges at The Pointe Golf Club, The Carolina Club, Nags Head, Kilmarlic and Currituck Club are as spectacular as the coastal views they possess. There may be no better location for a true golf vacation than the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

 

The Currituck Club - North Carolina Outer Banks Golf

The Currituck Club

Afternoon drives take on a whole new meaning along the coast just minutes north of Rees Jones’s 18-hole gem known as The Currituck Club, now No. 59 in North Carolina’s Top 100 and the No. 6 Coastal Course. The Corolla keeper is the grandest design along the coast “sculpted on the type of land where golf began” among 600 acres of dunes, wetlands, maritime forests, and sound seascapes.

 

Nags Head Golf Links - North Carolina Outer Banks Golf

Nags Head Golf Links

Every time golfers tackle historic Nags Head – touted as North Carolina’s No. 5 Best Short(er) Course a year ago – they find themselves facing a different challenge. Crafted by Bob Moore, Nags Head plays hard along the inner waterway on the southern end of the Outer Banks, where capricious breezes off sound-side waters create a unique golfing experience each and every day. With its coastal winds, rugged shoreline, island holes, seaside vistas, and tees and greens separated by rolling dunes and wild sea grass, Nags Head bears far more than a passing resemblance to the famed Scottish golf links.

 

Kilmarlic Golf Club

Home to various golf cottages located near its entrance, Kilmarlic is a popular Tom Steele design nestled along the marshland of the Albemarle Sound. North Carolina’s No. 88 course in the Top 100 is a wonderful mainland design amidst 605 beautiful acres of maritime forest providing a pure OBX layout with water and wetlands virtually in play at all times.

Located just across the Wright Memorial Bridge, The Pointe is the first in a sequence of championship golf courses — layouts close to the sounds and ocean but more parkland in settings. The course is also said to be the first in the country to have the A-1 bent grass — a dense, disease-resistant strain — installed across its corridors. Meanwhile, The Carolina Club’s positioning as the first design heading into town from the north and last one on the way out makes it the ideal play on either side of your OBX golf getaway.

For the complete list of the Top 100 Courses for 2023, Top 50 Courses You Can Play and other rankings, visit NCGolfPanel.com.

OBX 5 Course Meal

Five-Course Outer Banks Coastal Craving

So, your planned family vacation, social gathering, buddy trip or corporate event to the Outer Banks of North Carolina this year is in the need of a few menu suggestions – both on and off the short grass.

Sure, you can string together the traditional appetizer/soup/salad/entrée/dessert combo at one of the many fine dining establishments across OBX and dig into any number of savory five-course meals. In addition, you could summon up a recipe full of outstanding golfing layouts and enjoy an array of five-course deals.

To whatever extent you desire, the Outer Banks of North Carolina has all the components needed to fashion a five-star, five-course package full of food, fun and folic.

There truly isn’t a better recreational activity (other than maybe hiking up and down the Kitty Hawk dunes that the Wright Brothers used for glider test flights) than an 18-hole round out on warm, windswept links to build up an appetite. And there isn’t a better destination to quench your mounting hunger than along the Tar Heel Coast. So for those looking for the ultimate combination of both, look no farther than the OBX – known for its outstanding golf course offerings and collection of primarily locally-owned restaurants.

For decades, this far northeastern region of the state has been famous for eats more than good enough to satisfy the foodie all the way to the casual diner. Whether you are in the mood for seafood, barbecue, traditional American fare or unique cuisines, you’ll be able to find plenty of great places to dine up and down the barrier island. Names like Awful Arthur’s, Sam and Omie’s, Henry’s Restaurant and Tortugas’ Lie are just a few of the fascinating titles that evoke the exceptional character and tastes of this famed, seaside retreat.

But for those looking to really tee up and drive their taste buds to another level, a round of golf at no less than five area golf courses is at your beck and call. Even better, string them all together during a course of days, and you come up with a more than just a fulfilling five-course delight. While tastes may differ on which layout fits into which description, here is one vote for …

The Ultimate Five-Course Menu For Golf Along The Outer Banks

 

The Pointe Golf Club

First Course: The Appetizer

“Wow, am I hungry!” With that said, there’s probably no better place to start your OBX golf consumption than at The Pointe Golf Club in Powells Point because it is arguably the area’s most forgiving layout. This “wet-your-appetite” design located on the way into town features the best putting greens in the area and is a favorite among the locals.

Nestled along the Currituck Sound, this fairly-open design, which opened in the mid 1990s, is a unique blend of traditional and links-style design. With the wind being the great equalizer for scoring along its fairways and greens, The Pointe provides a never-ending challenge and though located on the mainland is closest to the beach just west of the Wright Memorial Bridge.

 

The Carolina Club

Second Course: The Soup

The Carolina Club, as the longest golf course in the region, receives this honor not due to its dimension, but merely by its being home to the only signature island green near the shore. The par-3, No. 7 hole highlights an outstanding 7,000-yard championship design featuring wetlands, water and bunkers galore.

Now in its 25th year, The Carolina Club in Grandy opened with its flow inspiration being drawn out of the minds of golf course legends Russell Breeden and Bob Moore. For those trying to finish with a low number on the scorecard, however, beware of the “soup” you have to hit over TWICE on the way to the 18th green.

 

Kilmarlic Golf Club

Third Course: The Salad

Tree-lined and leafy green during the high season, Kilmarlic Golf Club is a mixing bowl of holes that will challenge all levels of golfers with its classic Tom Steele design located in Powells Point. As one of the more intricate layouts found anywhere across the state, Kilmarlic is continually looking to evolve its playing challenges and surfaces to keep up with golfer demand and intrigue.

This marvel plays through a maritime forest and across sprawling wetlands where golf and the environment exist in perfect harmony. Canopies of giant oak, pine and dogwood trees offer a unique setting for the game and several holes play in sight of the Albemarle Sound.

 

The Currituck Club

Fourth Course: The Entrée

As the OBX’s top-ranked layout according to statewide lists, The Currituck Club in Corolla is perhaps the main course for many golfers visiting the region. Though now more than 20 years mature, it will always remain the newest talk of the town as the sprawling 600-acre golf-resort property gives true meaning to “social spacing.” Its upscale ambiance situated between the Atlantic Ocean and the Currituck Sound is also appropriate for both the OBX gentry and visitors alike.

Designed by famed architect Rees Jones, this big-league layout winds through a beautiful maritime forest and offers prime views along the nearby sound and even out towards the Atlantic Ocean.

 

Nags Head Golf Links

Closing Course: The Dessert

As the last but certainly not least is what could be considered the sweetest flavor of all: The Nags Head Golf Links in Nags Head. Here you will be able to cap off your memorable five-course journey with a round of golf unlike any you will ever experience again.

As one of the area’s earliest designs, this iconic open space welcomes golfers to a wind-swept, sound-side challenge and a “don’t mess with Mother Nature” experience playing hard along the Roanoke Sound. The appropriately named “Links” features as true a Scottish links replica design as there is without a plane flight across the pond. And if you wait around long enough into the evening hours to finish your round, you may catch a summer sunset over the water from your perch off the perfectly situated clubhouse – making your OBX visit more than worth the wait for dessert.

9 Best 19th Holes on the OBX

Tapping into OBX Golf

In the beginning, golf courses were inclined to copycat the principles of the Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland. This trend ultimately established 18 as the magic number of holes for a regulation layout. And NO, that total wasn’t gleaned from the number of shots it took for a few hearty Scots to empty a bottle of Scotch (as a certain golf commentator – hmm, Sir Nick Faldo – may have led you to believe).

 

So imagine if the Old Course had remained 22 holes as it was at one point early in its manifestation? The 19th hole at any one of the enduring golf venues located throughout the Outer Banks these days could be anything from a wind-swept par 3 coursing alongside a North Carolina Sound to a par five playing near the crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean. Instead, today’s 19th holes located within the coastal resort are somewhat cozier environments – ones where a group of golfers actually could make a case for Faldo’s mythical assertion. These are places to gather, quench your thirst and reflect on the group’s activities out on the links.

 

So if you are looking for such a spot to grab some grub or a round of drinks to celebrate (or drown out) recent memories, take a look here at some local OBX 19th-hole recommendations:

 

Back Bar at The Blue Point … After a round at the Currituck Club, head to the place in the town of Duck that overlooks the Currituck Sound and is a hotspot for amazing sunsets. The food is limited on the Back Bar but the drink offerings will help soothe the thoughts of any missed fairways or greens from a day on the Rees Jones designed classic. https://www.thebluepoint.com/thebackbar

 

Black Tartan Tap Room at Kilmarlic … Just steps away from the 18th green at Kilmarlic Golf Club is the venue’s outstanding clubhouse restaurant offering something for everyone. The tap room and accompanying patio are perfectly secluded spots for enjoyable food, beverage and a chance to replay your most recent round from first tee shot to final hole-out.  https://kilmarlic.com/black-tartan-tap-room/

 

Tuckers at The Carolina Club … If you are looking for some great food choices (check to see if they have their amazing bbq chicken sandwich on the day’s menu) after a round of golf, Tuckers has it. But more than that, this mainland mainstay sports a fully stocked bar and serves lunch and dinner for both early and late finishers. Tucker’s has wine and a half dozen beers from which to choose and for the adventurous, there’s a specialty drink known as the Orange Crush to be tried… https://www.thecarolinaclub.com/dining

 

Lost Colony Brewery’s Waterfront Beer Garden … And now for a place made in Faldo Golf Heaven located closest to but less than eight miles from Nags Head Golf Links. This establishment specializes in British and Irish-style ales using imported hops, grains, and yeast. It even claims to have water that is the exact match to what you’ll find across the pond in the British Isles. Food is not served but feel free to BYOF. https://www.facebook.com/lostcolonybrewery/

 

Off the Wall Taphouse at Currituck Club … With the latest in do-it-yourself beer technology, this 19th hole’s self-serve beer wall featuring more than 20 craft beers is the ultimate 18 hole/19th hole/20 brew after-golf destination. Located in Corolla at the Currituck Club, this establishment also provides a fresh blend of technology, community and great dining pleasures for all post-round golfers to enjoy.  http://offthewalltaphouse.com

 

Outer Banks Brewing Station … A staple of the OBX restaurant landscape, this 19th hole destination is centrally located to all golf courses along the strip as it operates in Kill Devil Hills. In the spirit of the Wright Brothers, the gathering place holds the distinction of being America’s first wind-powered brew pub and restaurant offering year-round events and handcrafted beers. https://www.obbrewing.com/

 

Sway Bar above Art’s Place … Another centrally located hotspot for 19th hole activity is atop Art’s Place in Kitty Hawk. The Sway Bar is considered a favorite among golfers as they can enjoy a beer along with great ocean views over the Atlantic. This “awesome” beach bar is one of kind among the OBX mile markers.  https://obxguides.com/listings/arts-place

 

The Tap Shack in Duck … Located behind Coastal Cravings and just down the road from the Currituck Club, this establishment is actually a backyard bar featuring special events like Beer Yoga and Sunday Bluegrass Jams. The Tap Shack’s fun-and-friendly atmosphere is ideal for golfers who want to keep the energy going if their day on the fairways hasn’t worn them out. https://www.facebook.com/cravingsinduck

 

TRIO Restaurant & Market … At milepost 4.5 you’ll find Trio, a place to quench your post-round golf passion if it includes wine, beer, cheese and other inventive food offerings. A “simple” setting, this establishment features and comfortable lounge perfect for seating group gatherings looking to keep their rounds going. https://obxtrio.com

Pros in the Know: A 20 Year Annual Journey

Shaking off winter, the members of the foursome admittedly haven’t ‘played a lot of golf’ by the time they reach the windswept fairways of North Carolina’s Outer Banks every fourth week in March. But it’s a routine from which they refuse to deviate … and a streak now approaching 20 consecutive years.

“So there are always a good few rounds when all of us hit some stupid shots,” says Bob Croll, the PGA head golf professional at the highly-acclaimed Eagle’s Landing Golf Course located near Ocean City, Maryland.

Yet after four days of exacting 36-holes-in-a day golf across the wide variety of golf courses OBX has to offer, “There are usually a few good rounds mixed in there somewhere.”

Ahh, Ain’t This the Life

Some folks believe that club professionals have the life. Well, maybe that’s true. But carding rounds on the grounds they oversee – contrary to popular belief – is not always the major perk one might think.

Just ask any one of these experts of their craft.

“Things get so busy [at their home courses], there’s rarely enough time in the day to get out and actually play golf even though we have that opportunity right outside our pro shop window,” many golf course pros have been known to echo. They insist there is a constant flow of members, guests and clients to attend to. There’s paperwork to be done. There are carts to stage and put away. There are pro shop items to stock and a grill to sustain. When they finally do get a break from the perpetual action, there’s always something to distract them from their games out on the tee boxes, fairways and greens. And that’s not ideal for skilled players trying to maintain their own games.

So what do many of them do? They take some well-deserved time off. They hit the road. Somewhere, anywhere they can relax and focus. Someplace where they are blissfully welcomed … only now as guests.

Croll and his PGA assistant Mike Tritapoe are two champions of the pro shop treadmill. Despite running the show at Eagle’s Landing, their preferred golf getaway is actually to a destination not that much dissimilar from where they hail from. They merely hop into a few pickups and head down the coast to the state of North Carolina’s Outer Banks situated less than four hours away.

When these two decide to leave behind their saltwater marshes, their smooth-rolling greens, their stunning views over the Sinepuxent Bay [toward famed Assateague Island] and their Dr. Michael Hurdzan designed masterpiece, it is to OBX where they religiously travel.

“We’ve been going there for so long, it has gotten into our blood,” says Croll, who is joined annually by Tritapoe, Baywood Greens [Long Neck, Delaware] PGA head pro Tony Hollerback and PGA Life Member Rob Bailey on each of these March migrations. “We find a different place to stay each year, play a lot of golf over four days, then head home before settling into our own season back north.”

Which begs the question: why not the Sandhills of Pinehurst, the mountains to the west, the swamps of Florida or possibly a trip out west for some desert golf … something, anything completely different?

“We just like going to the Outer Banks,” adds Tritapoe. “It’s close, it’s cool and we love coastal courses – that’s obvious since we live here [along Maryland’s Eastern Shore]. Plus the people down there are just extremely nice and we’ve become friends with them all [OBX’s PGA pros].”

As for Croll, “I love going south. And it’s especially nice to go there before the start of the busy season. Plus it gives us a chance to grind. I’ll tell you what, probably half of the golf I play each year is across those four days in the Outer Banks.”

The itinerary for each of their trips is kept pretty simple: 1. Breakfast at Henry’s Restaurant in Kill Devil Hills at least three of the four days; 2. 18 holes of golf at the course of choice in the morning; 3. A “Bud Light” lunch at the club; 4. 18 more holes in the afternoon; 5. Apres golf in the way of fine dining at one of OBX’s exclusive eating establishments; 6. Pass out; 7. Wake up with a 20-minute shower next morning; 8. Rinse and repeat.

“We go at a time when we don’t deal with a lot of traffic so we get to where we want to go with ease,” Croll adds. “Another part of what makes it fun is that it is just the four of us, we all get along so the chance for arguments is virtually zero. By the time we leave, it’s been pretty much all golf. We don’t ever see the ocean – that’s why we go back with family, to see the beach – except for when we catch a glimpse of it from a tee box on one of the barrier island’s courses [Currituck Club and Nags Head Golf Links].”

Tritapoe summarizes his experiences as being the ‘epitome’ of a group golf trip: “It’s fun. It’s a great time.”

Pros Preferences

From their winter quarters at Eagle’s Landing, the pros are asked about some of their favorite places to play and eat while on excursion to OBX each March.

Favorite Course: Although they truly “Like them all,” Tritapoe tends to rank Kilmarlic Golf Club atop his list, probably because it reminds him most closely of his home course at Eagle’s Landing. Croll, meanwhile, points towards a sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean ranking the Currituck Club No. 1 “because it’s so different” from what he has in his backyard. Hmm.

Tritapoe goes on to say, “In truth, each one has its own different characteristics.”

Croll adds: “They are all unique. I like everything about all of them. The Pointe’s and the Carolina Club’s greens are unreal. The courses on the island (the Currituck Club and Nags Head) are all so different than anything you’ll find anywhere because they are hidden among the dunes. Kilmarlic is similar to what you find around here.”

Favorite Food Stops: Breakfasts at Henry’s is a no brainer as are the grab-and-goes (otherwise known as ‘Bud Light lunches’) at the various clubhouses along the way. Dinners, however, can be a rock/paper/scissors contest among Tortuga’s Lie, Barefoot Bernie’s Tropical Grill & Bar, La Fogata Mexican Restaurant and Mama Kwan’s Tiki Bar & Grill.

Favorite Thing to Do if Not for the Great Golf: The fellas actually enjoy fishing, something they do regularly in the way of the surf variety on Assateague Island located just five miles from Eagle’s Landing and have been doing during a winter trip to nearby Ocracoke Island for longer (nearly 25 years) even than golfing along the Outer Banks.

Favorite Ice Cream Joint: “We went to one once years ago, can’t remember the name though,” concludes Croll.
Naturally.

Fraternal Fairways – 35 Years of OBX Golf Trips

Their annual golf getaway to the Outer Banks certainly wouldn’t be on par with the 1978 classic comedy “Animal House,” but then again, isn’t having a little fun a big part of what it’s all about?

Here you have it, a group of fraternity brothers and friends – nearly two dozen in number – heckling each other as players depart the 18th green at Duck Woods Country Club in Southern Shores, North Carolina. The scene shifts to another game at The Pointe Golf Course located on the mainland across the other side of the Currituck Sound. Here is where trip originator Kirk Salpini can’t contain his giddiness on one of the layout’s Augusta National-quality greens and promptly putts it past the hole down the slope into the water. Throw a bachelor party into the script … a Cinco De Mayo celebration … some group wagering on the Kentucky Derby … maybe a cameo from Salpini’s fraternity brother Carl Klingenberg hitting a ball “on the screws” from his persimmon-wood driver. The shot lands about three feet from the pin on No. 15 at Nags Heads Golf Links with a 30 mph Roanoke Sound wind whipping into his face. Add it all up, and you do get the feeling that somewhere beyond the camera phones John Belushi’s ghost just might be lurking about in a patch of tall sea grass.

There’s a good reason why for the past 35 years members and friends from James Madison University’s Pi Kappa Phi fraternity (most of whom have settled in the Virginia/North Carolina region) gather each spring along the Outer Banks to play golf.

“I decided to start the trip in 1987 when a co-worker who owned a home in the Outer Banks agreed to rent it out to me for the weekend,” says Salpini, a resident of Northern Virginia in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. “I thought it would be fun to get some of my fraternity brothers and friends together. Eight of us squeezed into a three-bedroom house at Mile Post 12 in Nags Head. We began the trip in March, adjusted it to April after the first few years and [eventually] settled on early May.”

Over time, even more enthusiasm developed for the trip as attendees built up more vacation and discretionary income. The event was expanded with the potential duration stretching to a full week ending on the first Sunday in May.

For the past decade and a half, Salpini’s fraternity brother Malcolm Perkins has taken the lead on organizing the trip. Perkins, now settled in the Richmond, Virginia suburbs, feels the key to maintaining ongoing success is picking a date “same time every year and sticking to it.”

“Sometimes folks can make it; sometimes they can’t,” he says. “But one can never say they didn’t know when it is. Beyond that, enjoying the company of our friends has always been the highest priority. Some of these friendships were developed in elementary school, others while at JMU. The bond that we have is further enhanced by this annual event. As long as we have at least four people interested in participating, we’ll continue this annual tradition until we can’t!”

For many years, Salpini and company tried their best to create foursomes or groupings based on handicaps so they could have daily, friendly wagering based on skill – or lack thereof.

“As we’ve gotten more experienced,” he adds, “that approach has gone by the wayside as we focus on camaraderie, friendship and enjoyment of each other’s company.”

With a core group of eight to 12 players having made the excursion 90 percent of the time, the get-together has taken place every year since the beginning except for 2020 when the Outer Banks was closed to non-residents during those early May dates. Still, the group has stuck by their destination of choice as it resumed play in 2021.

“The Outer Banks works well for this gathering,” Salpini says. “A generous selection of large, affordable houses, reasonable golf prices and an array of interesting, nearby golf courses add to the attributes that make the Outer Banks popular with our group. A portion of our group only play golf a handful of times per year – some don’t play golf at all – while others play throughout the year and consistently shoot between 80-90. We have learned to play from the correct tees and to modify the rules to insure that play moves along.”

While golf is the main attraction, it is not the primary reason for the trip.

“We get together to reinforce our sense of community, which happens organically over several days,” Salpini continues. “There were plenty of times that I thought of the hassle of driving down in traffic prior to the trip. Yet when the weekend was over, I more often was grateful for the unique bonds forged and how close I felt to each attendee.”

The JMU group initially played at Sea Scape, Duck Woods and Nags Head Golf Links. Over time, it added Currituck Club, The Pointe, Kilmarlic and The Carolina Club to the rotation. It actually began playing Nags Head Golf Links when it first opened.

“There were no hole layout signs at the tees and the sea grass was so tall that it was difficult to determine where to aim,” Salipini says. “Add the typical cross winds and our initial rounds there took about five-plus hours and included double digit ball losses with the predictable words of praise for the course architect. The [Nags Head Golf] Links, although challenging, holds the undisputed title within our group of the most loved and hated course in the Outer Banks.”

With the date moving to where it now stands, the Kentucky Derby wagering has become a big part of the ritual.

“We’ve bowled for beers when the weather required it and each year, with gusto, we’ve embraced the Kentucky Derby on Saturday evening,” Salpini reports. “Few things galvanize a group of 12-20 people’s enthusiasm like a nominal wager on a random horse for a full two minutes.”

According to the organizers, the group’s itinerary has evolved. It began with a Thursday evening through Sunday format and expanded to the full week.

“We try to rent on the oceanfront, seven to 10 bedrooms, and are willing to stay anywhere along the Outer Banks,” adds Salipini. “We rent from Sunday to Sunday with each attendee invited to bring wives, partners, kids, etc., from Sunday through Wednesday, though all guests must depart by Wednesday evening. We used to play golf four straight days but have dialed it back to three over the past few years in acknowledgement of our physical limitations. We now play Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings leaving on Sunday. Our rotation is flexible but almost always includes the [Nags Head] Links.”

As for dining, meals are left up to the individuals.

“Some in our group frequent Awful Arthur’s Oyster Bar while others prefer Owens’ Restaurant,” adds Salpini. “Last year two of our group took the day off from golfing, shopped, and cooked dinner for the group. We enjoyed this meal so much that we are planning to incorporate it into the annual routine.”

As for other activities, the group used to have a miniature golf night in the early years but that was abandoned and replaced with a cornhole tournament, various billiard and poker nights. In addition, having the beach readily available for fishing, lacrosse toss, off-roading and an occasional artic swim adds to the recreation value of the trip.

Says Caleb Miles, a resident North Carolinian from the Pinehurst region and fellow member of the fraternity, “The group has remained remarkably close since James Madison University’s graduation years [ranging from 1979 to 1983] due in large part to having an annual gathering at a great golf destination that keeps the strong bonds in place.”

Salpini’s Six Keys to a Successful Annual Golf Get-Together:

  1. Be consistent – pick the same date every year.
  2. Keep the price affordable (we typically try to ensure that we cover the cost of the rental and have some funds left over just in case).
  3. Meet each person where they are in life (i.e. if they want to attend, but don’t have the funds, then help them out. You won’t miss the money, but you will miss the time to build your friendship.).
  4. Bend your rules. Let them come late or leave early.
  5. Delegate and let others carry some of the load.
  6. Remain flexible and don’t take whatever happens personally.

OBX’s Dream 18: Holes 16-18

OBX’s Dream 18, Holes Nos. 16-18

The Carolina Club, Grandy

The longest course on the Outer Banks and also the northern most, the Carolina Club is a meticulously manicured, nearly 7,000-yard, par-72 championship golf course that may well be the highlight of your stay (especially if you play it all warmed up and finally in the groove on your way out of OBX as I did). Designed by Russell Breeden in 1998 and tweaked by Bob Moore a few years later, the golf course was built on flat terrain though the fairways do feature some slight mounding and contour. The layout winds through wetlands and wooded areas. It plays tighter than it looks, with strong winds periodically coming into play.

“Although it’s the most inland course, there always seems to be a breeze here,” Director of Golf Doug Kinser said. “It’s so bizarre, because it can even be windier here than at The Pointe [which is right next to the Sound]. I don’t know why.”

Upon development, Breeden was asked to transform a former potato farm into arguably the most popular layout in town. It is often thought of as “a hidden treasure” because of its world-class feel and its location in Currituck County means it is often less crowded than some of the beach golf courses during high tourist season.

16. The Carolina Club’s Hole No. 7, 166-yard par 3

Ah, what is a barrier-island destination without a true island green? Well, I got my wish here. What I hadn’t counted on while stepping up to the tee box on No. 7 were a few words in my head from a player hitting out of a bunker on nearby hole No. 14.

“These are nice bunkers,” he said after a good recovery. “It’s nice to play out of good bunkers.”

Strangely, the words I overheard while staring at the island green had a comforting effect. The image of nice white sand (some 30 bunkers had been recently removed from the golf course while all the remaining ones had been newly replenished) overpowered the thought of the surrounding water danger ahead.

With the true, bulk-headed island green looming in the distance and only one small bunker to be conscious of, I struck a nice shot onto the back of the awaiting carpet to set up a two-putt par. While the green at No. 7 is plentiful, hitting it is obviously at a premium – though there is a little more room to the rear than left, front and short. Taking the extra club here was not a bad decision as it enabled my ball to avoid the watery grave.

17. The Carolina Club’s Hole No. 17, 219-yard par 3

This one-shotter over a pond and a rock embankment requires a precise shot to hit the putting surface. First of all, the green complex is guarded by a pine tree overhanging on the right side. There are also two bunkers to contend with both front left and front right. There’s a lot to think about on this offering, so I choose to ignore the pin and shoot for the middle of the green. Turned out to be a good decision as it propelled me to a par.

The Carolina Club - North Carolina Outer Banks Golf18. The Carolina Club’s Hole No. 9, 504-yard par 5

(Note: Although a bit out of order, I have saved this hole for last on purpose. It truly is one for the memory banks and was actually The Carolina Club’s No. 18 finishing hole in the original Breeden design.)

I was warned by several folks beforehand that No. 9 (during the Moore renovation, the 9th and 18th holes, both par 5s, were reversed to help accommodate eventual development) would be challenging.

“People come off that hole shaking their heads wishing they could do it over,” a Carolina Club starter said.

Fortunately, I didn’t have to because my fear of disaster prevented me from playing it aggressively. After birdieing No. 8 with my longest and best putt of the week, I begin my adventure on No. 9. Raved about by the manager, the starter, the superintendent and the cart boy, I am on my guard with a good round going.

With water front and left off the tee, I play it safe (but too short) down the right side. From there I am faced with one of two options: lay up in front of not one but two ponds or go for a bold shot to a virtual “barrier island” fairway in between. I chose the double layup to the 100-yard marker, leaving me with another shot over water to a tight pin standing just beyond rocks and a wooden bulkhead. Managing that, a two-putt leaves me with a – all in all – satisfying bogey six and a sigh of relief.

In the end, I got to polish off my trip playing The Carolina Club as the first player off, on a non-windy morning, across freshly mown greens featuring subtle breaks at breakneck speeds and around 30 less but freshly replenished bunkers (of course, still managing to find a few). What an experience The OBX Great 18 was.

And so, in the words of Dave Kindred from Around the World in 18 Holes, “How unfair for the trip to be over just when we were loving/hating [the latter only in their case] it the most.”

I hope to do our Outer Banks version again soon.

 

Rest of the Dream 18:

Holes 1-3

Holes 4-7

Hole 8

Holes 9-12

Holes 13-15

Holes 16-18

OBX’s Dream 18: Holes 13-15

OBX’s Dream 18, Holes Nos. 13-15

Currituck Club, Corolla

Getting to the Rees Jones designed classic is half the adventure. You have to drive (slowly) up the coast along two-laned Highway 12 through quaint outposts like Southern Shores and Duck, past the expansive Sanderling Resort and through other seaside communities. The scenery is constantly shifting. Occasionally you might feel even more crammed in by walls of thick maritime forest. If you run into the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, you’ve gone too far. Backtracking to the club, you’ll find a clubhouse built high on a hill supporting a golf layout built on land that was historically used as a shooting club. The overall facility over the years, to say the least, has changed the meaning of “chasing birdies” in the region.

Opened in 1996, the Rees Jones-designed layout is nestled quietly between the Atlantic Ocean and the Currituck Sound. As a big-name designer course with instant star quality, it fits perfectly on the last undeveloped chunk of prime coastal real estate. Jones was captivated by the site, calling it one of the East Coast’s “best pieces of golf course property.” He also fell in love with the setting because of its resemblance to the rugged Scottish links land for which he had become a fan.

Of course, the Currituck Club may be a bit more wooded than traditional Scottish links courses, but a changing breeze is standard fare. So is water, which comes into play on three holes on the front side, especially the Nos. 4 and 5 holes, where hazards lurk in the fairways. If the terrain is fairly calm on the front nine, it cranks up a few decibels on the backside, where rolling fairways can elevate as high as 80 feet above sea level.

The breathtaking layout, in all, stretches across 6,885 yards of remarkably diverse coastal terrain, including sand dunes, wetlands, maritime forests and Sound-side shoreline. With that in mind, my goal was to find a selection of holes that provided a true representation of what Jones was trying to achieve from his first step onto the property to his creation’s opening day.

13. Currituck’s Hole No. 7, 523-yard par 5

Sticking with the theme conjured up back at Nags Head Golf Links, I decided to look for holes with Sound views (all the while listening for ocean sounds) you’ll rarely find anywhere else across the golf universe. While the first six holes provide a wonderful romp at Currituck, it’s the seventh that brings you side-by-side with its full grandeur.

Hard along the high grasses, reeds, natural foliage and Currituck Sound to the left, this “bird paradise” of a hole also features native oak trees lined up on both sides of the fairway. The natural, scenic beauty is shared by its sister challenge one head at No. 8, but this offering tasks you with one additional swipe at least (though No. 8 does feature a forced carry over wetlands off the tee).

After a nice drive, I played my approach safely ahead to a final shot into a green featuring four bunkers, three of which dig in close to the putting surface. The fourth bunker is a large one about 30 feet in front, used more for visual deception than actual hazard. The smallish green is tricky and funnels towards the middle allowing for a wide variety of pin positions. Holes 7-8 at Currituck truly set the table for what is to come ahead.

The Currituck Club - North Carolina Outer Banks Golf14. Currituck’s Hole No. 11, 182-yard par 3

In truth, you start to hear and feel the pounding of the Atlantic Ocean surf on the elevated green at No. 10, a par-4, but it’s the subsequent hole at truly brings the barrier island’s beauty into focus.

This uphill wonder is famed high on a dune by large beach homes, but it’s what is in front that makes it so magical. The green is protected front right and front left by bunkers and a colorful array of wild flowers and tufts of high grass that help accentuate the setting. The wind off the ocean in the distance to the right sends my ball scampering just left of the green, having taken two extra clubs to reach pin high.

As I replace the flag after my bogey, the view back down over the coastal landscape is sure to provide a memory of total recall for a long time to come.

15. Currituck’s Hole No. 15, 175-yard par 3

Returning once more to classic Sound-side views, No. 15 is another Currituck beauty with a view over the adjacent water. The slightly downhill one-shotter over an intruding arm of marsh is particularly memorable later in the day with the sun setting over the Currituck Sound.

Although sailing one into the marsh off to the right or short presents the greatest danger here, there is also a small bunker on the front right of the green to avoid. But with plenty of bail out to the left, anything on that side is safe. A little bit of weariness and going for one more tucked pin had me just off the green just over the marsh but left of the bunker. An up and down later and it was off to a long trio of fine finishing holes that lead back to the clubhouse.

 

Rest of the Dream 18:

Holes 1-3

Holes 4-7

Hole 8

Holes 9-12

Holes 13-15

Holes 16-18

OBX’s Dream 18: Holes 9-12

OBX’s Dream 18, Holes Nos. 9-12

Kilmarlic Golf Club, Powells Point

Despite it being the newest golf course on the OBX menu having debuted in 2002, Kilmarlic’s management doesn’t rest on its laurels. That makes it a hot bed for really good-looking golf holes. A pure Outer Banks layout with water and wetlands almost constantly in play, Kilmarlic has seen some recent renovation work to the playing grounds as well as expansion of its popular on-site lodging.

“We took out 25 acres of Bermuda grass and turned them into natural areas,” Director of Golf Bryan Sullivan reported. “This gave it a really cool contrasting look and it doesn’t affect the playability of the course. In essence, it frames it better and gives it a better aesthetic look. In the end, it saves on the carbon footprint.”

For years, the folks at Kilmarlic have concentrated on the area’s golfer deem the most important: tees, fairways, greens. But progress never stops at the highly acclaimed design, so other parts of the routing have been addressed.

“It is really looking good,” added Sullivan. “People like the contrast and it’s mostly aesthetic. We took out of few bunkers and added a few new ones and we have tried to stretch the course out a bit (with a few new back tees) for college players. We picked up some yardage with new championship tees, with the layout now playing close to 6,700 yards.”

Of course, for stay and play, there’s no better golf course choice in the region than Kilmarlic located on the Albemarle Sound. A vacation in one of its many golf cottages on property is an exceptional experience.

9. Kilmarlic’s Hole No. 5, 163-yard par 3

In a region known for its par 3s, this one is interesting in that it features a forced carry over a pond and bulkhead with no room short, not even a bunker. The extremely wide (but narrow front to back) green is surrounded, however, both on the right and across the entire back by bunkers. This requires precise distancing and a soft bounce to get your shot to finish close to the hole not to mention stay on the green.

With the day’s pin placed well over on the extreme right, my tee shot cleared the water but due to some natural over-clubbing and some greed to go at the pin, my ball bounced into a bunker to the right. It was no bargain hitting back at the pin from there, as anything long could end up rolling back across the green, trundle across a small spit of grass and over the bulkhead back into the drink on front.

10. Kilmarlic’s Hole No. 12, 495-yard par 5

Framed by fairway bunkers right, left and a long ways right down the middle, this dogleg right requires a tee shot over the tall grasses of an environmental area. If you pull your tee shot left like I did, it turns a shortish par-5 into a long one. Avoiding the bunker on the left, I am left with a long second shot with the fairway wrapping its way around more native vegetation, but providing me with a view towards the green that is worth the price of admission. Somewhere way out in the distance over the marsh is the Albemarle Sound.

On the final approach, I had to avoid three large greenside bunkers on the left, right and behind. You can stay a little left here to be safe or go for it in two if you are a big bomber.

11. Kilmarlic’s Hole No. 15, 420-yard par 4

After playing a local’s favorite risk/reward 308-yard par-4 at No. 14, it’s back to real work on the subsequent two holes. Stepping up to the tee on No. 15, I began to look down the right side out across possibly the longest expanse of marsh-lined golf course property in America. Dubbed the “Monster Mile” of marsh by yours truly after playing down both Nos. 15 and 16 (each flanked by the high stuff), it was a walk through the wilds I will not soon forget.

Back to No. 15, a fairway bunker left makes your drive even tighter and the approach shot gets pinched even more the closer you get to the green. More bunkers intrude on the right nearer the putting surface, so I played it down the left side to be safe.

Outer Banks Golf Course - Kilmarlic Golf Club12. Kilmarlic’s Hole No. 17, 209-yard par 3

Perhaps it being a picturesque hole ideal for marketing across all the OBX, this offering is the one from Kilmarlic that seems to stay with me the most after arriving back home.

With colorful native fall flowering adorning a bulk-headed front tee box and a bulk-head-bordered green beckoning you to hit it or cringe, No. 17 is a wonder. It’s everything you want in a natural-setting par 3. Hit it long, left or short and you are done. The bailout right is where I land. Since short and right is not bad, and up and down from there even better, I get another burst of the OBX experience I have been searching for.

 

Rest of the Dream 18:

Holes 1-3

Holes 4-7

Hole 8

Holes 9-12

Holes 13-15

Holes 16-18