Virginia Golfer Jan / Feb 2019 | Page 34

BANKING ON SOMETHING NEW The five courses that tend to draw most of the golf traffic along North Carolina’s Outer Banks—The Carolina Club, The Currituck Club, Kilmarlic Golf Club, Nags Head Golf Links and The Pointe Golf Club—feature 90 combined fantastic holes, several of which several of which provide views of the Atlantic. One of those five has now taken the lead in targeting even more family and group style play, while still catering to the spring and fall golf travelers. The first three Cottages at Kilmar- lic opened in March 2018, nine more are expected to be completed by the time spring 2019 arrives and 18 in total will eventually be available. The two-bedroom, two-bath mini- homes are perfect for four to six people, each unit featuring a kitchen and living room. They are a far cry from the pre-existing norm of those who visited the area prior to last year. “There are 5,000-6,000 houses on the rental market. They are amongst the hus- tle and bustle. It’s just row after row, street after street,” said Impact Golf ’s Robbie Wooten, a spokesperson for the cottages. “Kilmarlic is across the bridge, it’s quiet. It’s going to be peaceful. You’re not going to have all that craziness of all that tradition- al beach community. It’s a great getaway.” The units themselves are a draw, but so, too, are their surrounding amenities. Around the outskirts of the cottage property is a four-hole pitch-and-putt course (the holes measure between 27-40 yards). There is also a lit putting green and a pond, perfect for a late-night cocktail or lemonade amid some work with the flat stick. “The nice thing is once you drive here, you never have to get in your car again...” Those are all great for the family that golfs together. And the one that swims together will find the cottages have a prox- imity benefit. Just three minutes away is the H20 OBX waterpark, the mega facility that opened in 2017. And then there’s the golf. There are the pair of Russell Breed- en designs at The Pointe Golf Club and The Carolina Club, of which have been attracting players since the mid-late- 1990s. Kilmarlic features forest and wet- lands, while Rees Jones’ Currituck Club is a wildlife enthusiast and photographer’s dream. Lastly, Nags Head Golf Links gives players a Scottish-style option next to the Roanoke Sound. All five courses have at least four sets of active tees from spring through fall, allow- ing players of all skill levels an appropriate way to play the game. 32 V I R G I N I A G O L F E R | J A N UA R Y / F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 9 vsga.org ABOVE AND LEFT: The new Cottages at Kilmarlic feature two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a full kitchen, making it an ideal resting place between rounds and other fun activities. Beautiful beaches are just 10 minutes away. BELOW: The risk-reward par 5 on Kilmarlic’s 18th hole gives golfers a worthy test before they can relax and imbibe at the clubhouse’s Black Tartan Tap Room.