Golf in Virginia Beach
The mid Atlantic coast quietly stacks great golf behind its three miles of boardwalk. Pete Dye and Curtis Strange built a former tour course here, Rees Jones and Fred Couples left their mark, and across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel Arnold Palmer routed one of the best public courses in the state. Played around the beach and the seafood, it is one of America's most underrated golf weekends.
Photo: Virginia Beach National Golf Club via Google, by Courtney J.
Why golf here
Virginia Beach is a beach town first and a golf town second, which is exactly why it is such good value. The resort crowds come for the oceanfront, leaving a deep bench of well built daily fee courses for the golfers who know to look. The marquee name is Virginia Beach National, the Pete Dye and Curtis Strange design that spent years as TPC Virginia Beach and hosted what was then the Nationwide Tour, now open to anyone who books a tee time.
Around it sits a genuinely strong rotation. Hell's Point is a Rees Jones design from the early 1980s that was named one of Golf Digest's best new courses of its day, cut through dense Tidewater pine and water. Heron Ridge carries a Fred Couples signature and threads wetlands and lakes past fourteen of its eighteen holes. Cypress Point Country Club and Stumpy Lake, a classic Robert Trent Jones layout from 1953, round out the in town options, while the city courses at Red Wing Lake keep the green fees honest.
The trophy round, though, is a short drive north. Cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel to Cape Charles and Bay Creek Resort, where Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus both built courses for the same club, a first for the two great rivals. The Palmer course runs along the Chesapeake Bay and has featured among America's greatest public courses. For the wider region, see our hub on golf in Virginia.
The courses that matter
| Rank | Course | Why it makes the trip |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bay Creek, Palmer Course | Arnold Palmer, 2001, par 72, about 7,250 yards. Big, scenic golf along the Chesapeake Bay at Cape Charles, 30 to 40 minutes north across the bridge tunnel. Has ranked among America's greatest public courses. Premium resort fee, 2026, indicative. |
| 2 | Virginia Beach National | Pete Dye and Curtis Strange. The former TPC Virginia Beach and host of a developmental tour event, now fully public. Dye's bunkering and water make it the toughest test in town. |
| 3 | Hell's Point Golf Club | Rees Jones, 1982. A Golf Digest best new course in its day, carved through Tidewater pine with water in play. About $65 on weekends, 2026, indicative. |
| 4 | Heron Ridge Golf Club | A Fred Couples signature design with wetlands and lakes bordering fourteen of the eighteen holes. Generous off the tee, punishing if you stray. Roughly $75 to $120, 2026, indicative. |
| 5 | Cypress Point Country Club | Tom Clark of Ault Clark, opened 1987, par 72 of about 6,612 yards. A well regarded semi private layout and a popular package course. |
| 6 | Stumpy Lake Golf Course | Robert Trent Jones, 1953, par 72 of about 6,741 yards. A classic, tree lined city course and the best value round in Virginia Beach. From about $40, 2026, indicative. |
Designers, opening years and indicative 2026 green fees gathered from the clubs and their booking partners in June 2026. Rates move by season, day and demand; always confirm directly before booking. Check tee time availability.
When to go
| Months | What to expect |
|---|---|
| April to June | The best window. Warm, settled days in the 60s to 80s Fahrenheit, the turf firming up and the courses quieter before the summer holidaymakers arrive. May is ideal. |
| July and August | Hot, humid and busy, with afternoon thunderstorms common. Book early morning tee times, and expect the oceanfront to be at its liveliest. Twilight golf comes into its own. |
| September and October | The connoisseur's choice. Warm sea breezes, fewer crowds once the season ends, and reliable conditions into early November. Pair golf with the quiet, post summer beach. |
| November to March | Mild on its day and playable through much of winter, with the lowest green fees of the year. Cold snaps and rain close in, and conditions soften, so it is a value rather than a peak season. |
What it costs
This is one of the better value golf destinations on the eastern seaboard. Indicative 2026 green fees run from about $35 to $50 at the city courses such as Stumpy Lake and Red Wing Lake, around $65 on weekends at Hell's Point, and roughly $75 to $120 at the premium daily fee layouts like Heron Ridge in high season. Twilight rates, after about 1pm, and Tidewater resident discounts cut those numbers further.
Bay Creek's resort courses sit at the top of the local range, in line with their setting and pedigree, and stay and play packages there bring the per round cost down. Budget roughly $150 to $300 a night for good oceanfront or resort hotels in peak season, less in spring and autumn. All figures are indicative and you should always confirm directly before booking.
For the wider picture across the state, see our guide to green fees in Virginia.
Getting there and around
Norfolk International Airport is the gateway, about 25 minutes from the Virginia Beach oceanfront, with direct flights from across the eastern and central United States. Richmond and Newport News are alternative arrival points within easy reach, and the area is an easy drive from Washington and the Carolinas.
Rent a car. The courses are spread across Virginia Beach and neighbouring Chesapeake, and Bay Creek at Cape Charles is a 30 to 40 minute run north across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, one of the great drives in American golf in its own right. Williamsburg and its resort courses are about an hour northwest if you want to extend the trip.
Where to stay
For most golfers the oceanfront is the natural base, a long strip of hotels and resorts within minutes of the beach and a short drive from the in town courses. It puts the boardwalk, the restaurants and the nightlife on your doorstep after the round, which suits a buddies trip well.
For a quieter, more golf focused stay, the resort at Bay Creek in Cape Charles is the standout, with two championship courses and Chesapeake Bay views, ideal for a couple of nights at the start or end of the trip. The town of Cape Charles itself is a charming, low key alternative to the bustle of the beach.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts in and around Virginia Beach.
Build a Virginia Beach golf trip
A round at Virginia Beach National, a Rees Jones day at Hell's Point, the Palmer course out at Bay Creek and the right oceanfront base in between. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs the whole thing to the head, with no obligation.
Virginia Beach golf questions
Is Virginia Beach a good base for a golf trip?
Yes. Within about 40 minutes you can play Pete Dye and Curtis Strange's Virginia Beach National, Rees Jones at Hell's Point, Fred Couples at Heron Ridge and, across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, Arnold Palmer's bayfront course at Bay Creek. Add a long beach, easy flying into Norfolk and a season that runs most of the year, and it is one of the most underrated golf bases on the mid Atlantic coast.
What does golf cost around Virginia Beach?
It is good value. Indicative 2026 green fees run from about $35 to $50 at the city courses such as Stumpy Lake and Red Wing Lake, around $65 weekend at Hell's Point, roughly $75 to $120 at the premium daily fee layouts like Heron Ridge, and toward the top end at Bay Creek's resort courses. Twilight and resident rates cut the headline numbers. Always confirm directly before booking.
When is the best time to play golf in Virginia Beach?
Spring and autumn are ideal. April, May, October and early November bring warm, settled days, firmer turf and lighter crowds. Summer is hot and humid with afternoon storms, and winter golf is playable on milder days though many courses run reduced rates and conditions soften.
How do I get to Virginia Beach?
Norfolk International Airport is about 25 minutes from the oceanfront with direct flights from across the eastern United States. The courses are spread across Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, with Bay Creek about 30 to 40 minutes north across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. A rental car is essential to link them.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course designers, opening years and indicative green fees verified June 2026 against the clubs and their booking partners. Last reviewed June 2026.