
Beau Rivage Course
Beau Rivage Golf & Resort


About this course
Beau Rivage is a Joe Gessner design located in Wilmington, North Carolina, part of a resort community along the Cape Fear River corridor. Gessner, a regional architect active primarily in the Carolinas during the late twentieth century, created a course that reflects the area's characteristic Lowcountry topography—relatively flat terrain punctuated by wetlands, natural water features, and stands of mature hardwoods and pines. The routing takes advantage of the property's natural drainage patterns and native vegetation, typical of courses built in this coastal plain region during its period of construction. The layout incorporates the water management challenges inherent to southeastern North Carolina golf, with several holes playing alongside or across marshland and ponds. The design emphasizes strategic shot placement rather than dramatic elevation change, asking players to navigate hazards and work with prevailing coastal winds. Greens and green complexes provide the primary defense, with subtle contouring that rewards accurate approach play. Wilmington's golf market expanded considerably in the 1980s and 1990s as the region became a popular destination for resort and residential golf development. Beau Rivage fits within this context as a course serving both resort guests and local membership, offering a playable design that reflects the natural character of the Cape Fear region. The course provides a representative example of the period's approach to golf development in coastal North Carolina, balancing accessibility with the environmental constraints of wetland-adjacent property.
Rankings
Ranked by CV ratings from golfers who've played this course. Positions are shown worldwide, by country, and by state; the Public column compares courses anyone can play.
Best in World
Best in USA
Best in NC
Quick facts
- Location
- Wilmington, NC, USA
- Access
- Public
- Year built
- 1988
- Holes
- 18
- Designer
- Joe Gessner
- Par
- 72
- Length
- 6,527 yards
- Difficulty
- 73.8/145
- Course Vaults score
- 7.1
Getting there
Most visitors arrive via Wilmington International Airport, a compact and efficient gateway just twenty minutes north of Beau Rivage Golf & Resort. The drive south traces the Cape Fear River corridor before slipping into the low country marshlands and tidal creeks that define this stretch of coastal Carolina. As Highway 17 gives way to quieter byways, the landscape softens into a mosaic of live oaks and wetland grasses, and the resort emerges along the riverbank - a serene compound where the Intracoastal Waterway becomes both boundary and backdrop.

FAQ
Common questions about Beau Rivage
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Beau Rivage has a Course Vaults score of 7.1 out of 10 based on 23 logged golfers.
Beau Rivage was designed by Joe Gessner.
Yes. Beau Rivage is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Beau Rivage is 72.
Beau Rivage plays 6,527 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Beau Rivage is 145.



