Duck Woods was decent, although it may have been the bloody marys that my mixologist neighbor brewed in his cauldron. Nags Head is easily the narrowest course I've seen (I paced one fairway at 6 yards wide...really?) I think that both DW and NH were shoehorned in to places that really didn't have the width available to create a viable course. Staff at both courses were remarkably courteous.
Currituck...I don't get the lack of love...this was a really neat place. Both nines are out and back halves and offered really interesting golf. There was not a boring hole on the course and there is much strategy in demand from the tee.
My thought process goes like this: there is little of the fairway rumple and crinkle that GCA guys love, so that's strike one. Strike two would be the appearance of water hazards but, hey, I don't know what the land looked like before, so I cannot speak to the necessity of having those water courses for irrigation versus aesthetics. That would be strike two, as GCA folks seem to believe water should be covert and one of two major oceans. Strike three for GCA brethren would be the lack of turbulence in the internal putting portions. I imagine that Rees was given a mandate by the developers. Certainly the faves of this forum were available, but the crew knew what it wanted and told Rees in so many words.
There are two huge gaps between holes on the back nine, which make walking the course a bit more challenging, albeit not insurmountable. I would guess that rates drop in the fall and early winter, making the course more viable. In fact, here they are:
Sep 26 – Oct 23 $125 $95 $95 $70
Oct 24 – Nov 27 $95 $70 $70 $60
Nov 28 – Dec 31 $65 $45 N/A $45
Oddly, I hit 14 or 15 greens and made zero birdie putts...I think that I had 75 from the tips, a totally unexpected score. Easily my best ball striking round of the year.
I would say that Currituck is worth a play or six and would return there over the other two courses. I have heard so many good things about Kilmarlic that I would add it to my list. I realize that these are quite a hall from (nights in) Rodanthe, but it is a great drive and there is a Five Guys in the interim!!
As I promised, I will break them all down later this year in hole by hole threads.