Virginia Tourism Office....

GOLF VIRGINIA BEACH

GOOD. CLEAN. FUN. . .AND GREAT GOLF

Virginia Beach makes for a great golf getaway. A convenient mid-Atlantic location, mild weather conditions, legendary beach resort amenities, and a large variety of golf courses have put Virginia Beach on every golfer's map.

Virginia is for lovers of great golf and the Old Dominion's beach resort of choice has become the new hot spot for players in the know. Virginia Beach is an ideal destination for golf vacationers in search of good, clean fun on and off the fairway.

Virginia Beach means a simple golf vacation for everyone. A golf vacation today doesn't need to be full of tee time hassles, crowded accommodations, and high prices. Golf in Virginia Beach means uncrowded greens, a large selection of resort hotels, and value-packed packages. It's become golfer heaven for many people during all seasons.

A great golf vacation starts with a great destination and Virginia Beach has been a beach resort of choice for more than 100 years. The first hotel in Virginia Beach opened in 1883 with 75 rooms. There are now more than 11,000 rooms in the area and much more to do than there was in the last century.

Virginia Beach offers a complete beach vacation. The expanded beach, renovated boardwalk, and incredibly lively beachfront beckon vacationers to the beach that made Virginia famous. Away from the beach, Virginia Beach lovers enjoy super shopping, delectable dining, a wide range of museums, and many activities for the entire family.

In 1994 and the years to follow, Virginia Beach offers new and returning golfers some real surprises. The excitement centers around a $60 million facelift to the oceanfront area, upgrading the boardwalk, public areas, and infrastructure of the world-renowned resort. The resort Area Capital Improvement Program has been underway since 1987 and is part of the $138.5 million Tourist Growth Investment Fund, a funding source for a dozen projects related to tourism and economic development.

Mayor Meyera Oberndorf speaks for the City: "Survey results indicate that the very nature of a vacation experience in Virginia Beach is improving. Long-term investment in Atlantic Avenue improvements and efforts to organize activities along the boardwalk means visitors are viewing the resort as cleaner and more visually appealing."

"The resort area improvements program is one facet of our city-wide commitment to position Virginia Beach as a major national tourist and convention destination," says Jim Ricketts, director, Department of Convention and Visitor Development. "In 1993, when tourism numbers were flat in many areas elsewhere, our visitation rose significantly and our visitors stayed longer."

Local merchants agree. According to John Perros, president, Virginia Beach Restaurant Association, "The comments from visitors last summer were extremely positive. They were actually quite surprised at what they found here and many said that Virginia Beach was one of the most beautiful resorts they had visited."

Those surprised visitors now enjoy resting on teak benches in lush parks that connect the boardwalk to Atlantic Avenue, the resort's century-old thoroughfare, and its array of colorful shops and restaurants (which have undergone their own beautification in recent years).

For more information about the new Virginia Beach, call 1-800-VA BEACH (1-800-822-3224). If that isn't enough to entice visitors to Virginia Beach, the golf certainly will do it. Virginia Beach offers good, clean fun. . .and great golf.

Fore!. . .The Courses

Long-known as a great family destination, the golf courses in Virginia Beach have made it a great golf destination as well. The city features mild playing conditions virtually year-round, superb course maintenance, and many choices for duffers. It's enough to keep golfers busy for an entire vacation (or more).

The golf season runs longer than the beach season by several months. Golfers will find great playing conditions long before Memorial Day and well after Labor Day. They'll also find even lower prices during the "off-season" in Virginia Beach.

A free copy of the "Virginia Beach Golf Guide," published by the city and the Department of Convention and Visitor Development, is available by calling 1-800-VA BEACH (1-800-822-3224).

BOW CREEK GOLF COURSE, 3425 Clubhouse Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23452, 804-431-3763--This course demands accuracy, with narrow fairways, 84 bunkers, sharp doglegs, and small greens. Bow Creek is a 5,917-yard shotmaker's challenge. BROAD BAY GOLF COURSE, 2120 Lords Landing, Virginia Beach, VA 23454, 804-496-9092--This 6,135-yard course offers tree-lined fairways, lakes, streams, and bunkered greens and fairways. Each hole is unique and beautifully landscaped.

CYPRESS POINT GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB, 5340 Club Head Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, 804-490-8822--This Alt and Clark course features Bermuda grass fairways and rough, with lush bent grass greens.

DEER RUN GOLF COURSE, 13564 Jefferson Avenue, Newport News, VA 23603, 804-886-7925--Located in nearby Newport News, Deer Run features two 18-hole courses, including a 7,006-yard championship layout.

HELL'S POINT GOLF COURSE, 2700 Atwoodtown Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23456, 804-721-3400--This devilish Rees Jones design has earned accolades throughout the region. Hell's Point offers interesting fairway angles, several lakes, 61 sculptured sandtraps, and challenging greens.

HONEY BEE GOLF COURSE, 5016 South Independence Boulevard, Virginia Beach, VA 23456, 804-471-2768--Another Rees Jones creation, Honey Bee is anything but sweet to inaccurate golfers. There are ten holes with water, elevated tees, and immense sand bunkers.

KEMPSVILLE GREENS GOLF COURSE, 4840 Princess Anne Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23462, 804-474-8441--Russell Breeden designed this pretty course through lush wooded surroundings. The well-manicured fairways lead to the well-known greens of Kempsville Greens.

KILN CREEK GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB, 1003 Brick Kiln Boulevard, Newport News, VA 23602, 804-988-3220--This Newport News golf resort features two 18-hole courses. Designed by Tom Clark, Kiln Creek's golf is getting regional recognition.

LAKE WRIGHT GOLF COURSE, 6280 Northampton Boulevard, Norfolk, VA 23502, 804-461-6251--Al Jamison brought the lake into play at tough moments on this Norfolk-area, with many picturesque par 3 holes.

OWL'S CREEK GOLF CENTER, 411 S. Birdneck Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23451, 804-428-2800--The area's only executive course was designed by Brook Parker. It makes for a great quick round, with a lighted driving range as an added amenity.

RED WING GOLF COURSE, 1080 Prosperity Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23451, 804-437-4845--George Cobb designed Red Wing with large sloping greens and wide fairways, but water comes into play on more than half of the holes. Red Wing plans to expand to 36 holes soon.

SLEEPY HOLE GOLF COURSE, 4700 Sleepy Hole Road, Suffolk, VA 23435, 804-393-5050--Situated in nearby Suffolk, this course is anything but sleepy. This Russell Breeden offering was once a stop on the LPGA tour.

STUMPY LAKE GOLF COURSE, 4797 East Indian River Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23456, 804-467-6119--Robert Trent Jones carved this course out of the woods, with surrounding water, plenty of natural hazards, and well-placed bunkers.

The Great Eighteen

Virginia Beach is golf heaven. We've devised a divine round of some of the best holes in the resort area. See if you can play all of them in par.

Hell's Point #2--This 462-year, par 4 is a tight dogleg left, with trees lining both sides of the fairway leading up to the two-tiered green.

Lake Wright #5--This shot across the namesake Lake Wright will take you 214 yards to a sloping, bunkered green. The prevailing winds will press to make par 3.

Stumpy Lake #5--Tight trees on a sharp dogleg right make this 390-yard, par 4 Stumpy Lake's number one handicap hole.

Cypress Point #7--The number one handicap hole at Cypress Point, this 390-year, par 4 demands an accurate tee shot to a well-bunkered landing area, followed by a long iron or fairway wood to the elevated, trap-encircled green.

Kempsville Greens #11--A precise tee shot is called for from the 387-yard blue markers and this par 4. Water awaits 160 yards out on the right and continues all the way to the green. Trees and bunkers guard the left side of the fairway.

Hell's Point #12--A multi-tiered green awaits you at the end of this 412-yard, par 4 dogleg right. Players who dare to cut the dogleg must contend with a large bunker and trees on the right.

Red Wing #14--This 407-yard, par 4 doglegs left from the teeing area and requires an accurate approach to a small green. Simple enough, except that this hole bagged the most bogies on the course when the State Open was last here.

Honey Bee #15--A 446-yard, par 4 dog-leg left with both the landing area off the tee and green heavily bunkered.

Stumpy Lake #15--If you can draw it on demand, you'll do well on this 398-yard, par 4 dogleg. If not, you'll find your ball in a fairway bunker or trees and maybe even in Stumpy Lake.

Cypress Point #16--A 320-yard, par 4 dogleg right that requires a well-positioned tee shot to avoid the water hazard and bunkers. With all this and a green that slopes to the water, a birdie or double-bogie on this hole is equally likely.

Hell's Point #16--A good test of accuracy. Six bunkers keep you company along this long, tight 582-yard, par 5 with a slight dogleg left. As always on Hell's Point, watch out for the trees.

Kempsville Greens #17--It's all carry across the pond to a severely sloping green on this 180-yard, par 3. Block is out to the right and it's OB or in the trees.

Owls Creek #17--At 560 yards, this par 5 dogleg left is tight and treacherous. Golfers who go for it in two will be met with a green heavily bunkered on the left.

Cypress Point #17--The course's 170-yard, par 3 signature hole on Lake Smith features a bulk-headed peninsula green that's well trapped front and left.

Honey Bee #17--You'll need your best tee shot to carry a canal and make the green in two on this 446-yard, par 4 dogleg left that finishes with an elevated green.

Lake Wright #18--This 232-yard, par 3 is known for its spacious green that permits a variety of challenging pin placements. Prevailing winds sometimes require you to hit your driver from the tee.

Red Wing #18--Players trying to get home in two from the blue tees on the 567-yard, par 5 must gamble with the pond guarding the approach to a small, elevated green that's well-protected by bunkers.

Honey Bee #18--Bunker is the operative word on this 500-yard par 5 that has plenty of traps along the fairway and around the green. Throw in a canal for good measure and those who make the green in two can justifiably feel like heroes.

The 19th Hole--Virginia Beach has so much more to do after a round of golf, whether you're heading out for a meal, back to your accommodations, or enjoying the beach life.

Where to Stay. . .and Play

Virginia Beach is also for lovers of great golf packages. More than 30 area hotels make it easy to stay (and play) in Virginia Beach.

Golf packages are a bargain at the beach. Most of the packages include a combination of lodging, greens fees, carts, some meals, gifts, and much more. It's just a matter of contacting the properties to find the perfect package. Another option is to check with golf courses to see which hotels they've teamed up with for packages.

The following Virginia Beach properties currently offer golf packages:

-Alamar Resort Motel, 804-428-7582 or 800-346-5681

-Atrium, 804-491-1400 or 800-96-SUITE

-Boardwalk Inn, 804-425-5971 or 800-777-6070

-Bow Creek Motel, 804-340-1222

-Breakers Resort Hotel, 804-428-1821 or 800-237-7532

-Captain's Quarters Resort Hotel, 804-491-1700 or 800-333-6020

-Colonial Inn, 804-428-5370 or 800-428-3342

-Comfort Inn (Pacific Avenue)--804-428-2203, 800-852-2203, or 800-441-0084 (Canada only)

-Dunes Motor Inn--804-428-7731 or 800-634-0709

-Econo Lodge at the Ocean--804-425-7730 or 800-677-4500

-The Founders Inn & Conference Center--804-424-5511 or 800-926-4466

-Hilton Inn, 804-428-8935 or 800-HILTONS

-Holiday Inn Airport, 804-464-9351 or 800-HOLIDAY

-Holiday Inn Oceanside, 804-491-1500, 800-88BEACH, or 800-HOLIDAY

-Holiday Inn on the Ocean, 804-428-1711, 800-84BEACH, or 800-HOLIDAY

-Ocean Holiday, 804-425-6920, 800-26BEACH, or 800-345-SAND (Virginia only)

-Ocean One Hotel, 804-437-9100 or 800-258-1878

-Omni Hotel, 804-473-1700 or 800-THE-OCEAN

-Park Inn International, 804-425-2200, 800-955-9300, or 800-437-PARK

-Princess Anne Inn, 804-428-5611 or 800-468-1111

-Quality Inn Oceanfront, 804-428-5141 or 800-874-8661

-Quality Inn Pavilion, 804-422-3617 or 800-221-2222

-Ramada Inn on the Beach, 804-???-???? or 800-???-????

-Ramada Oceanfront Tower, 804-428-7025 or 800-365-3032

-Rodeway Inn Oceanfront, 804-428-3970 or 800-228-3970

-Schooner Inn, 804-425-5222 or 800-283-SAND

-Sea Gull Motel on the Beach, 804-425-5711 or 800-426-4855

-Sea Hawk Resort Motel, 804-428-1296 or 800-333-6921

-Seashire Inn, 804-428-5511

-Sheraton Inn Virginia Beach, 804-425-9000, 800-521-5635, or 800-325-3535

-Thunderbird Motor Lodge, 804-428-3024 or 800-633-6669

-Trade Winds Resort Hotel, 804-491-8334 or 800-344-3342

-Virginia Beach Resort & Conference Center-- 804-468-2722 or 800-422-4747