Arnold Palmer at Bay Creek Resort & Golf Club

The Arnold Palmer Course at Bay Creek Resort & Golf Club occupies a distinctive waterfront setting on Virginia's Eastern Shore, where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. Designed by Arnold Palmer and opened in 2001, the course takes advantage of the peninsula's flat, coastal terrain and incorporates natural wetlands, tidal marshes, and maritime forest into its routing. The layout plays along the bay shoreline for several holes, offering views across the water and exposing players to prevailing winds that can significantly affect club selection and strategy.

Palmer's design emphasizes strategic options rather than forced carries, with wide fairways that reward positioning and thoughtful approach angles. The course features generous landing areas off the tee but defends itself with well-placed bunkers, water hazards that come into play on multiple holes, and greens that vary in size and contour. The closing stretch includes several holes that play near or along the bay, creating a memorable finish with both scenic and competitive interest.

Bay Creek Resort also features a second course designed by Jack Nicklaus, and together they anchor a residential and resort community that has attracted golfers seeking a quieter alternative to more crowded Mid-Atlantic destinations. The property's location on Cape Charles provides a relatively remote, small-town atmosphere while remaining accessible from the Norfolk area and other population centers via the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. The resort offers lodging and dining facilities that serve both destination visitors and regional golfers.