The Links at Lighthouse Sound
When it comes to golf along the coast, one of our favorite coastal destinations that has been hosting golfers for decades is Ocean City, Maryland.
Located along Maryland’s Eastern Shore situated between the Atlantic Ocean and several area bays and wetlands, the region offers a concentration of scenic courses within a short driving distance of beautiful beaches, delicious restaurants, and relaxing resort and vacation home accommodations.
And even better, the quality of the golf for the price that you will pay here is beyond exceptional.
Golf options abound in Ocean City
The foundation of golf in the area is its collection of 11 publicly accessible courses, many of which are built around the marshland which creates both a beautiful setting and an enhanced challenge during your round.
Among the most recognized courses in the area is Rum Pointe Seaside Golf Links, which plays along the coastline of Assateague Island. Throughout your round you will encounter windy conditions, ample fairways, and gorgeous unobstructed water views that reflect the natural coastal environment that defines the region.
Rum Pointe Seaside Golf Links
Another prominent course is the Links at Lighthouse Sound which is an Arthur Hills design that is known for its sweeping vistas across the bay toward the Ocean City skyline. Built across marshland with elevated tees and long, forced carries over the wetlands, the course demonstrates how golf architecture in the area often incorporates the surrounding tidal landscape rather than reshaping it.
A dynamic 36-hole destination in the area is GlenRiddle Golf Club that features the War Admiral and Man O’War courses. These two designs create a dichotomy of experience all under one roof as War Admiral is routed through a mature forest protecting you from some of the nearby ocean breezes that also weaves in and out of the tidal marsh to create a stunning backdrop on several holes. Conversely, Man O’War provides a links style design where coastal winds will greatly impact your round and elements from golf “across the pond” are prevalent including large greens, double fairways, and plenty of pot bunkers that you’ll want to be sure to avoid.
GlenRiddle Golf Club
Further inland, Nutter’s Crossing Golf Course adds another great option that isn’t overly long off the tee, but features more than 50 bunkers and plenty of water hazards placing a premium on accuracy over length here.
Rum Pointe, The Links at Lighthouse Sound, Nutter’s Crossing, War Admiral, and Man O’War are all part of the largest golf management company in the area known as Ruark Golf, and there are specials available if you steer your group towards multiple rounds from courses in their portfolio.
Like Glenriddle Golf Club, Ocean City Golf Club operates two championship public courses known as Newport Bay and Seaside. The Seaside course provides a classic parkland layout that has large greens and ample fairways making it the more playable course onsite here. And as you’ll see in our exclusive drone footage of Newport Bay, this course features some incredible holes with marsh and bay backdrops as it is widely recognized as one of the finest in the region.
Nearby River Run Golf Club offers a Gary Player designed layout that transitions between forested holes and marsh-edged fairways giving you a nice blend of the course features that are prevalent in Ocean City.
Another area favorite is Eagle’s Landing Golf Course where fairways run alongside the Sinepuxent Bay, and the course is known for its open views and strong connection to the surrounding coastal ecosystem which really kicks in when you cross the main road after the sixth hole and you get a totally different feel for your final twelve holes.
As you’ll see in our exclusive drone footage here, this course packs quite a punch and the value for what you get here is exceptional.
Ocean Resorts Golf Club provides a resort-friendly layout designed to be approachable for visiting golfers as it tips out at only 6,300 yards. This course fits in well into many itineraries as it offers an easier test than some of the previously mentioned courses, and many golfers would say sometimes they like the ability to take their foot off the gas for a day during their trip.
Ocean Pines Golf Club offers a classic parkland style course that is the only Robert Trent Jones, Sr. design in Ocean City. It’s a semi-private facility so it gives that “member for a day” feeling while you’re on property, and it provides a fair but demanding test of golf.
That leaves Heritage Shores to round out your golfing options in Ocean City as this semi-private layout managed by KemperSports features ample, undulating fairways and plenty of hazards throughout your round that will require you to play away from danger if you want to score here.
Overall, it’s a wonderful variety of golf with so many options to enjoy that we find many golfers cannot wait to come back so they can play them all.
Off the course
While golf will be at the heart of your trip, Ocean City’s identity as a beach destination is just as important.
The Atlantic shoreline that embodies this destination stretches for miles providing you with wide sandy beaches that are easily accessible from the collection of area hotels and vacation rentals that you will call home during your stay.
The coastal environment influences daily life in the town with everything from early morning fishing to midday sunbathing to a nice evening stroll along the water. With most golfers coming to Ocean City during the warmer months, you can enjoy long, sunny days that start with a tee time in the morning and plenty of time by the water in the afternoon, or vice versa if you’d like to focus on twilight golf.
The town’s social and cultural center is the historic Ocean City Boardwalk that runs along the oceanfront and connects entertainment, shopping, and dining all in one locale.
Restaurants throughout the Boardwalk district and surrounding bayside neighborhoods emphasize the regional seafood traditions with staples such as Maryland blue crabs, crab cakes, steamed shrimp, and fresh fish reflecting the town’s connection to the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic fisheries.
And we must say, if you’ve never had an authentic Maryland crab cake, you have been missing out and it’s an absolute must to enjoy it here!
In Ocean City, you’ll find a wonderful variety of some of the best value golf experiences in the U.S. to captivate your stay, while the beaches, boardwalk, and restaurants supply the social and cultural experiences that will fill your days with a lifetime of memories. What more could you want out of a golf vacation?!
Ocean City Boardwalk