including pet-friendly Garden House
accommodations. The Tides Inn is also
a part of Virginia’s Oyster Trail, where
oyster lovers can sample eight different
varieties of this succulent shellfish year-
round and enjoy a variety of related events
(virginia.org/oysters). It is also where the
Oyster Trail meets the Chesapeake Bay
Wine Trail, guaranteeing the best of both
gastronomic experiences.
While visiting The Tides Inn, must-dine
destinations include Trick Dog Bar & Bis-
tro (804-438-6363) in the quaint village of
Irvington for oysters and crab cakes, or The
Local (804-438-9356), a coffee shop just a
short jaunt from The Tides Inn for break-
fast and lunch. For wood-grilled burgers,
creamy shakes and craft beers, head over to
Kilmarnock to NN Burger (804-577-4400).
Bay Creek Resort & Golf Club (757-331-
8620) features Jack Nicklaus and Arnold
Palmer signature courses on Virginia’s east-
ern shore in Cape Charles, just across the
Chesapeake Bay. Both courses offer ample
views of the bay and each tract is designed
for players of all ability levels.
Stay-and-play packages are available in
the Golf District at the Bay Creek Fairways
condominium village (888-422-9275),
which offers proximity to the golf club-
house, pool, tennis courts and private beach
at the Fairways Village. Package prices
include bag storage and cart rental. You
may also swap out a round of golf for a spa
treatment. All condos are three bedrooms
and two baths, fully furnished.
To take advantage of the abundance of
local seafood, you might also want to check
out The Shanty (757-695-3853) for dinner.
Located on the Bay in Cape Charles Town
Harbor, the focus is on fresh local seafood.
While you are on the eastern shore, don’t
pass up the opportunity to visit the Cape
Charles Natural Area Preserve (757-787-
ABOVE: Dramatic elevation changes are a hallmark
of The Golden Eagle Golf Club at The Tides Inn in
Irvington, Va. RIGHT: Bay Creek Resort & Golf Club
runs along Virginia’s eastern shore in Cape Charles.
BELOW: Primland Resort’s Highland Course in
Meadows of Dan takes golfers across ridge tops and
through rolling valleys.
34
V I R G I N I A G O L F E R | M AY / J U N E 2 0 1 7
5576), a 29-acre coastal habitat featur-
ing a coastal beach, dunes, and maritime
forestland. Owned and managed by the
Department of Conservation and Recre-
ation, guests may visit the area by using a
long boardwalk through a Maritime dune
woodland to reach a low-bluff view of the
Chesapeake Bay.
SOUTHERN VIRGINIA
Located near the North Carolina border in
Meadows of Dan, just west of Danville and
Martinsville, Primland Resort (276-222-
3827), offers a rolling 12,000-acre resort
with memorable views of the Dan River
Gorge. The Highland Course takes golfers
across ridge tops and over stunning valleys
in this design by Scotsman Donald Steel,
who says the layout reminds him of the high-
lands of his homeland. The course is ranked
No. 2 on GOLF Magazine’s Best Courses You
Can Play in Virginia, 2016–2017.
Accommodations include lodge and
suites, cottages, mountaintop chalets and
studio-size tree houses. While at Prim-
land, guests can also try their hand at
fly-fishing, sporting clays, hiking, horse-
back riding, kayaking and mountain biking
after their rounds.
About 40 minutes northwest of Prim-
land, the Olde Mill Resort in Laurel Fork
(800-753-5005) offers a championship
Ellis Maples Golf Course, along with ten-
nis, swimming and a fitness center. This
mountain getaway is in close proximity to
the New River Trail State Park and its 57
miles of biking trails. The on-resort Maples
Restaurant and Tavern has an updated
menu for 2017 featuring steaks, seafood and
an array of dinner salads.
To plan your next in-state golf excursion,
visit Virginia.org.
vsga.org