Sound Golf Links at Albemarle Plantation

Sound Golf Links at Albemarle Plantation occupies a distinctive setting along the Albemarle Sound in northeastern North Carolina, near the historic town of Hertford. Dan Maples designed the course in the late 1990s as part of a residential community, working with naturally varied terrain that includes wetlands, maritime forests, and elevated ground offering views across the sound. The routing takes advantage of this coastal plain topography, with holes moving through different landscape zones and several playing along or near the water's edge. Maples, known for his work throughout the Carolinas including courses at Hilton Head and in the Outer Banks region, incorporated the site's natural features into a layout that emphasizes strategic options rather than forced carries. The course features generous fairway corridors in places but asks players to navigate around wetland areas and manage wind that comes off the sound. Several holes play through tree-lined corridors of loblolly pine and hardwoods, while others open to broader vistas where the coastal environment becomes more prominent. The course serves as the centerpiece amenity for Albemarle Plantation, a residential community that draws members from the surrounding region and seasonal residents attracted to the area's waterfront character. The setting provides a quieter alternative to busier coastal golf destinations, with the Albemarle Sound's brackish waters and the nearby Albemarle-Pamlico estuary system creating a landscape distinct from oceanfront courses further east.