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A Birdie by the Beachby Dina GanI'd been curious about Virginia Beach ever since I found out it was the hometown of Chad Hugo, the Filipino American counterpart of the hit-making producer duo, the Neptunes. My husband was wary, since he had visited Virginia Beach as a teen, and remembered it as being a little "rough around the edges." 
But all that seems to have changed. After more than $100 million in renovations, Virginia Beach has a brand new boardwalk with three miles of wide, smooth concrete and dedicated lanes for bikes and pedestrians. Colorful streamers waving from the plentiful street lamps made it feel festive and safe, even after dark. The beach faces due east, so although you won't see a sunset, you'll get a moonrise after nightfall. And on a cloudless night, the sparkle of the moon on the gently lapping waves can be mesmerizing.
It was the first weekend of October when I visited, and the beach was uncrowded, though not yet deserted. My husband and I stayed at the Comfort Inn & Suites (2015 Atlantic Ave., 757-425-8200), which I liked for the free breakfast, the powerful Speakman double shower heads and, of course, the unobstructed ocean front view. From the balcony we could see the famous statue of Neptune ten blocks north on the boardwalk. And even from nine stories up, I got a multiethnic vibe from the passersby. Later I discovered that Virginia Beach has a higher than average racial diversity index, perhaps because there's a U.S. naval base nearby, which attracts people from many cultural backgrounds.
The boardwalk is closed to motor traffic, and the beachfront is mainly occupied by hotels along Atlantic Avenue. Pacific is the next street over, and that's where you'll find all the saltwater taffy joints, tacky souvenir shops, funnel cake stands, and other classic beachside amusements. But since it was off-season, many of these businesses were closed. Further north, after the boardwalk ends, the beachfront real estate turns into quaint houses and upscale condos, so if you're bringing the family for a week, you might want to rent a place there. But we were here for the golf. Aside from the soothing sounds of the ocean, Virginia Beach offers plenty of golf within an hour's drive. With our beachfront suite as home base, we tried out three courses over three days: 
Bay Creek was definitely worth the hour's drive on and under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. As a resort and residential golf community in the posh bayside town of Cape Charles, Bay Creek offers 18 scenic holes lined by tall pines, hardwood trees, and feathery switch grass swaying in the breeze.
 At one point, as we drove our carts along a wooden bridge adorned with a series of vine-covered arches, I had that dreamy feeling like I was headed for the great golf course in the sky. The Bermuda grass brought me back to reality. But once I got used to how the trim fairways had a tendency to grab my club head, I fared just fine. Despite one or two forced carries over water, I managed not to lose any balls.
The Signature at West Neck is also a residential golf community, but only about 20 minutes from the beach. Most of the golfers were older retirees, and while the Bermuda grass had some tricky weeds to navigate, the course was still fun to play for a beginner like me. I will always remember this golf course with great fondness because it's where I made my first birdie. On the 13th hole, I hit a 9-wood on a par 3 and sunk an 18-foot putt that even I couldn't believe. 
But my favorite was the Virginia Beach National Golf Club, which offers unadulterated golf in a natural setting, without a house in sight other than the clubhouse. The wide open vistas, towering trees, and rolling meadows gave me enough inspiration to really swing with abandon. Unique to this course are the sandy waste areas, which are sort of like shallow bunkers speckled with scrub and rocks. But the hole layouts seemed well-suited to my driving distances from the forward tees, and I shot my lowest score of the weekend. Returning to the clubhouse, I saw that the patio was outfitted with a white, flower-covered arch. You know a golf course is pretty when it's good enough for weddings.
It was hard to leave Virginia Beach, but I know I'll be back. With 19 golf courses in the area, I have plenty of reasons to return. |
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