Work is also underway in the resort area on Heron Ridge Golf Club, a collaboration between Fred Couples and designer Gene Bates. If the course has grass in May, a club opening can be expected in the fall. The Hamptons Golf Club in Hampton is the work of Michael Hurdzan. An admirable example of land reclamation, the 27-hole layout was once a landfill site. Now its lakes harbor waterfowl, and its elevation changes and dazzling par-3s give golfers something to talk about.
None can complain about the generous fairways and unassuming rough.
Just west of Kiln Creek is an Ed Ault duo built for the Newport News Golf Club. The Deer Run layout, a long test at 7,206 yards from the back tees, encompasses a large lake and deep woods. The 6,645-yard Cardinal course is easier on the scorecard and owns bragging rights for some of the area's best greens. Both of these public courses are easy on the pocketbook. The Hobbs Hole Golf Course made its debut in the Tidewater area last year.