COURSE
REVIEW
Nansemond River
is Hampton Roads'
unknown treasure
By Steve Rocca,
Staff Writer Photos by Rick Perez
SUFFOLK, Va. (Nov. 27, 2003) -- If you're a Civil War buff, do we have a course for you!
The Tidewater section of Virginia is loaded with Civil War museums, memorabilia and battlegrounds, but you don't often find historic sites on a golf course. Nansemond River Golf Club in Suffolk breaks that mold because of the nine archeological sites on the grounds.
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Back then, it was called the Battle at Fort Huge.
"It took a little more thinking to get the routing correct," says Steele, who also designed Kilmarlic Golf Club in Harbinger, N.C., on the Outer Banks. "I worked hard to preserve them all. There were Indian villages and Civil War aspects that all needed to be taken into account. I tried to fit the holes in with the landscape."
When
Steele finished his first work just three years ago, what was left was
one of the finer waterfront golf courses in the Middle Atlantic. The
club offers more than three miles of riverfront and 14 holes on the
water, including the natural island green on No. 17. There are five
natural greens on the course, which is spread along bluffs overlooking
the Nansemond River. It's a beautiful layout, but at 7,337 yards it
can be a killer.
Washington Golf Monthly has included it in its "Top 100 Courses in the Middle Atlantic" since the club opened in 1999.
"Steele used the land the way he found it, but that means the wind affects it a lot," head pro Mark Lambert says, "but it's a fair test of golf. The better the player, the more they will enjoy this course."
Steele wants golfers to be challenged, and he says there are 20 other courses in the area where good players can play driver, wedge and two putts.
"My
goal was to put together a facility where the top player must go through
the bag," Steele says. "They can start with the $500 driver and work
all the way through the bag, and be tested the whole way. I love the
challenges of different shot values."
To illustrate this, look no further than the par 3s, which play 248, 240, 175 and 132 yards.
The test is holding up, because the course record is just 68. What one man calls a test, another might call unfair.
"Good players don't think we have a bad hole here," says Lambert. "I think No. 5 is a great golf hole, but it will definitely test you. You have the river to the left and two marshes to navigate, and that can be very satisfying if you do it correctly."
The
17th is an intriguing, short par 4 played to a peninsula/island green.
The tee shot, played with a mid-iron, must be placed in the fairway
to avoid the punishing three-inch rough and to set up a good approach
to the green. Picking the correct club on the downhill approach is critical.
Depending on the wind, you could be hitting wedge from 150 yards out
or a 7 iron from just 100. Pick the correct one, and you'll love this
hole. But if you drown your second shot, or aren't in a good spot off
the tee, you'll be cussing it.
Once on the green, you still have to deal with interesting slopes. A right front pin placement can make the knees shake on the best golfers.
"A lot of the members think this is unfair, but it's not unfair if you are on the green," says Lambert.
"There was a little spit of land jutting into the lake," Steele says. "I wondered if I could make it a green surrounded by water. Some people really like how it turned out, and others think otherwise."
The
club, just 20 minutes from downtown Norfolk, is gaining notice as a
place the best golfers can be tested. It is not a high profile course,
but it has high profile shot values. Consider that in just three years
Nansemond River, which is being rated by Golf Digest for inclusion
in the 2004 top 100, has hosted the Virginia State Golf Association
Team Championship, the National AAU Championship and the Middle Atlantic
PGA Assistants Championship.
It is gaining notice, and it'll only get better with age.
"In the next three or four years, this will be one of the area's best courses," predicts Steele, who has 25 years' experience as a landscape architect.
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Where to dine
Ryan's Steak House
1202 N Main St.
Suffolk, Va.
(757) 934-0924
Applebee's Neighborhood Grill
1206 N Main Street
Suffolk, Va.
(757) 934-8676
Where to stay
Holiday Inn Suffolk
2864 Pruden Blvd.
Suffolk, Va.
(757) 934-2311
Best Western Suffolk
1503 Holland Rd.
Suffolk, Va.
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Off course: Be sure to visit the historical sites in the town
of Suffolk, which was established in 1608 as an English trading post
with the Nansemond Indians. Cedar Hill Cemetery has several interesting
Civil War monuments. The Greek Revival Riddick House, now a museum and
cultural center, once served as Union headquarters.
Any opinions expressed above are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the management. The information in this story was accurate at the time of publication. All contact information, directions and prices should be confirmed directly with the golf course or resort before making reservations and/or travel plans.
