Your Guide to Cape Charles Golf Course Highlights and Nearby Fairways

Cape Charles is a renowned coastal community and golf gateway on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, offering players a mix of championship courses and relaxed local clubs. The standout is Bay Creek, with its two nationally recognized signature courses by Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus — a rare pairing in one community.

Beyond Bay Creek, golfers can find additional courses within an easy drive. Cape Charles is perfect for those who seek scenic courses and a more relaxed vibe than what you’ll find at golf resorts in bigger cities.

Easy access to premium golfing is just one of the many benefits available to those who buy a home on Virginia’s cape.

Read on for our comprehensive guide to Cape Charles golf course experiences and other desirable fairways on the Eastern Shore of VA.

Bay Creek: Cape Charles’s Best Golfing

Spending time at Bay Creek’s nationally acclaimed golf resort is a highlight of any visit to Cape Charles.

Golf Digest and Virginia Living Magazine have consistently recognized the community’s golf as among the best in Virginia. Golf World ranked Bay Creek 12th on its list of America’s top golf resorts.

Built on more than 1,700 acres of stunning coastal land, this resort features two signature courses by legends Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, affording golfers beauty and challenge across 27 holes. This pedigree matters: it means great routing, visual interest, and strategic design.

The courses are set among woodlands, dunes, shoreline, and waterways. You get holes with views of Chesapeake Bay, holes along Old Plantation Creek, and several with oceanic/coastal wind exposure. Maintenance and agronomy are consistently of a high standard.

Regardless of your age, skill, or experience level, you can find enjoyable golfing at Bay Creek. Private lessons and group clinics are available with PGA Professionals on the breathtaking grounds.

Bay Creek residents can play at these extraordinary courses year round.

The Arnold Palmer Signature Course

Since 2001, the Arnold Palmer Signature Course has been a scenic dream that regularly places on national award lists. It spans 7,250 yards and offers sweeping views of the Chesapeake Bay, holes lining Old Plantation Creek, and dramatic dunes and beach-bunkers. The greens on the Palmer are A-4 bentgrass; fairways are Bermuda (Tifway 419) or similar high-quality grass.

Five sets of tees on the Palmer course help make the course playable for a wide range of golfers. Watch Zach Pfingst, PGA Head Golf Pro explain how to play each hole here.

The Jack Nicklaus Signature Course

The Jack Nicklaus Signature Course layout delivers smaller, protected greens with mature trees. The grounds include more than 100 bunkers, water hazards, dunes, and 7,417 yards from the back tees. The Nicklaus course still offers multiple tee boxes so golfers of varying ability can enjoy it.

It’s a more technical/strategic test intended for better players, but it’s also very rewarding.

Learn how to play each hole here with guidance from PGA professional Zach Pfingst.

Golf Shop and Other Amenities

Visit Bay Creek’s well-stocked Golf Shop to pick up high-quality apparel and other merchandise. Try putters on an indoor putting green. The Middle Atlantic Section of the PGA has recognized the Golf Shop at Bay Creek for two years in a row for excellence in merchandising.

Inclement weather doesn’t have to get in the way of your golf game, thanks to the Bay Creek Golf Shop’s state-of-the-art Trackman Golf Simulator. With its vivid screen images, you can play on some of the world’s top golf courses virtually, compete in international matches, and even practice with in-person guidance from a PGA Professional. Download the user-friendly Trackman App to get the most out of your experience.

Golf is not the only draw; Bay Creek offers a full complement of amenities that enhance the overall value of a visit:

• Expanded food and beverage facilities, including the Coach House Tavern, fine dining, and event spaces.
• Practice facilities, fitness centers, and pools.
• A nature preserve, trails, and private beach access.

If you’re staying at Bay Creek, be sure to check out one of the highly sought after Bay Creek golf packages with flexible play options.

Bay Creek is more than just a place to play golf; it’s a memorable golf destination. It combines design, scenery, variety, and quality in ways that, for most golfers, make it the top course in the area.

Other Golf Courses Near Cape Charles

Eastern Shore Yacht & Country Club

Eastern Shore Yacht & Country Club (ESYCC) sits on about 125 acres where Taylor Creek meets Pungoteague Creek, in Melfa near Chesapeake Bay.

Its centerpiece is an 18-hole, par-70 golf course opened in the early 1960s. The layout features bentgrass greens, Bermuda fairways, and several holes that cross over creek and marsh vistas, favoring precision shots over raw distance. It’s open to golfers of every skill level.

Though private, the club allows public rounds, and uses a tiered fee model (social, associate, public) plus cart, rental, and storage charges.

Beyond golf, ESYCC provides robust amenities: a modern clubhouse, marina slips, tennis and pickleball courts, a swimming pool, fitness center, and dining in the Mariner’s Pub and Blue Heron Room. The club also hosts youth camps (golf, sailing, swimming, and other sports) and a full tournament calendar.

Captain’s Cove Golf & Yacht Club

Captain’s Cove is a residential and recreational community on the west shore of Chincoteague Bay in Accomack County, bordering Maryland.

The community offers waterfront access—ideal for boating, fishing, and kayaking—and proximity to the Atlantic via connecting waters. Lauded as “one of the finest golfing experiences on the Eastern Shore,” the golf course at Captain’s Cove was redesigned in 2005 by Lester George. It’s a nine-hole layout measuring about 3,500 yards. The course’s grounds are always immaculate, and its greens of A-4 bentgrass and sand bunkers will challenge players of varying skill levels.

Amenities are extensive: indoor and outdoor pools, a fitness center, tennis and basketball courts, walking trails, a boat ramp and slips, and a banquet room. The Marina Club Restaurant, open year-round and to the public, features indoor/outdoor dining with views over the water.

Members or those interested in access can become part of the community via amenity-lot purchases (lots that confer access to facilities) or standard home/lot purchases.

Captain’s Cove blends resort-style amenities, waterfront lifestyle, and a compact golf course within a planned community setting.

Eaglewood Golf Course

On the other side of the bay, you’ll find several other reputable golf courses.

One of these is Eaglewood, an 18-hole championship course located at Langley AFB. It offers views of the Hampton River and frequent aerial activity.

Originally opened in 1965 (as the “Blue Course”) and designed by Ed Ault, it was entirely redesigned and rebuilt in 2008 after Hurricane Isabel. Arnold Palmer and Lester George provided input.

The course offers a full complement of practice facilities: a 24-hour driving range, putting, chipping, and pitching greens. It hosts tournaments, community events like “Dog Days,” and programs like PGA HOPE, which offers 9-hole rounds for veterans and active duty personnel.

Greens fees vary; for example, nine holes start around $9–$16, and 18 holes around $13–$28, depending on time and whether rental clubs/cart are needed. Membership is tiered by rank; service members E-1 to E-4 may receive free club rentals.

The course and pro shop are open daily. Eaglewood emphasizes community and accessibility, with programs for beginners, junior golfers, and family play.

Woodlands Golf Course

The Woodlands is an 18-hole, par-69 public course measuring about 5,400 yards, located at 9 Woodland Road near Hampton University. It offers a classic, well-maintained, and accessible test for all skill levels in the Hampton area.

Its greens are bentgrass, and its fairways and rough are Bermuda grass. The Hampton River threads through the layout, bringing water into play on 11 holes, while 52 sand bunkers add challenge.

Originally built in 1916, the course was designed by Donald Ross, with a redesign by Ed Ault in 1973. It’s a favorite with locals, known for being “always in great shape, no matter the season.” The facility supports tournaments like the Hampton Amateur.

Green fees are affordable. Tee times open three days ahead, and a dress code (collared shirts, soft spikes, appropriate bottoms) is enforced.

The clubhouse features a pro shop, snack bar, meeting room, and access to a practice putting green.

Eagle Haven Golf Course

Eagle Haven is an 18-hole military golf course located on Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek–Fort Story in Virginia Beach (NAB Little Creek). It’s close to Norfolk and Virginia Beach.

The original layout was built in 1955 by Navy Seabees. It was redesigned by Russell Breeden in 1986.

The course plays as a par 71, stretching about 6,265 yards from the back tees. It features bentgrass greens, Bermuda fairways, and incorporates water hazards on 14 of the 18 holes to add variety and challenge.

Amenities include a clubhouse with the Pub 19 restaurant/pub, locker rooms, practice facilities (driving range, putting/chipping areas), and a sheltered range for inclement weather. You can pick up any needed golf equipment or apparel at the on-site golf shop. The course hosts tournaments, leagues, instruction clinics, and junior programming.

Rates are tiered depending on military or civilian status and time of play. Access to the course generally requires valid military ID or base sponsorship.

Eagle Haven offers a well-maintained, interesting layout closely integrated with the base’s recreation system, blending natural challenges with full golf amenities.

Enjoy Virginia’s Cape Charles at the Bay Creek Coastal Community

Cape Charles is a peaceful place with fewer crowds and a more scenic coastal atmosphere than many other destinations. It’s a great place to live and explore for those who value rich historic charm and architecture, a beautiful setting on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, and a friendly small-town community feel.

These features help make Cape Charles a place you’ll want to stay (and return to), not just play. And for this, Bay Creek stands out by offering far more than award-winning courses designed by golf legends for players of all skill levels. The community’s location and amenities elevate the experience. Golfers here enjoy smooth bentgrass greens, Bermuda fairways, a top-notch pro shop, and a well-appointed clubhouse. All of this is available against a backdrop of bayshore views, beach access, and nature trails that you can walk or bike.

Take a look at our website to learn more about life as a homeowner at Bay Creek.

Book a Bay Creek discovery visit to experience firsthand the incredible lifestyle and charm that Bay Creek, Cape Charles, has to offer.