Golf in Portsmouth

Located at the oceanfront, Jungle Golf's aptly named mini-golf course pits putters against a slew of jungle-themed obstacles. As golfers traverse the 18-hole labyrinth, they must contend with breaking putts, keep their distance from the silverback gorilla statue guarding the second hole, stay dry underneath the misting waters of the fifth hole's rocky waterfall, and bribe a life-sized zebra statue to neigh during their opponent’s backswing. In-between rounds, golfers can refuel with treats from the Food Hut or head to the game room for more shrinked-down activities, such as air hockey, skee-ball, and crane-games' simulations of loading 2-ton plush rabbits onto freighter ships.

As the annual host of the Eastern Amateur Golf Championship since 1957, Elizabeth Manor Golf & Country Club's championship course has attracted some of the country's greatest players on their journey to the PGA Tour. As golfers traverse each hole from tee to green, they can imagine themselves tracing the footsteps of Ben Crenshaw and Curtis Strange, both of whom played in the Eastern Amateur before illustrious PGA careers, during which they won a combined four major victories without ever corking a driver. Today, the 6,642-yard, par-70 course still hugs the Elizabeth River, utilizing the natural landscape with a challenging layout originally envisioned by course designer Dick Wilson in 1948. The course also benefits from more recent refurbishments that made the greens and bermuda-grass fairways more resilient.

A private establishment, Elizabeth Manor Golf & Country Club complements its golf course with a six-court tennis complex and an Olympic-size, outdoor swimming pool. The club also boasts two restaurants with two patios, where guests can enjoy views of the Elizabeth River and attempt to count the leaves on every tree in the vicinity.

Anchored by a trio of experienced aces—including PGA-certified director of instruction Ed Collins and owner Dave Williams—Hampton Roads Golf Academy travels to courses throughout the greater Hampton Roads area to spread the pastime of golf. The pros wake each morning to the sound of humming lawnmowers and giggling 9-irons to keep alive their golf enthusiasm, which they impart in private, group, and on-course lessons. The academy’s V1 video analysis software helps instructors shed light on the murky abyss of pupils’ swings, playing back each shot in slow motion to pinpoint the root cause of each unsightly slice and snap hook. Hampton Roads Golf Academy holds lessons at four area courses, two of which boast covered and heated ranges to allow for lessons during chilly winters or divot hailstorms.

Famed course architect Tom Doak may be the mastermind behind Riverfront Golf Club's 18-hole layout, but Mother Nature should be credited with an assist. Tom took full advantage of the existing topography when shaping each meticulously crafted fairway and green, sculpting a layout that utilizes natural features, including tidal marshes, knee-high native grasses, and ancient pines, oaks, and sycamores. The Nansemond and James Rivers come into play on 14 holes, forcing golfers to face the omnipresent threat of a lost ball and an extra stroke or a ship full of club-stealing pirates. Though the landscape showcases a daunting supply of treacherous hazards, the course offers relatively wide fairways, offering large landing zones for tee shots and aerial caddies flying in mid-round to help read putts on large, undulating greens.

Resting on the site of several Civil War battles, the course at Nansemond River Golf Club drapes over the bluffs lining the titular river and follows a winding path for more than three miles through the riverfront marshland. In total, 14 holes encounter the water's route, forcing players to take special care when striking golf balls off the hybrid bermuda fairways and onto the bentgrass greens.

A relatively lengthy endeavor at 7,241 yards from the back tees, the course's overall difficulty and inherent pressure builds steadily over the 18-hole trial. The 476-yard, par 4 fifth hole leaves little room for error, calling for two long carries over marshy wasteland—one off the tee and one on the approach. And the intensity comes to a head on the famous 17th hole, a par 4 measuring just 365 yards from the back tees. Here the smart play is a careful 250-yard shot off the tee, leaving players with a 100-yard approach onto an island green that could cause the hips of any hula dancer or PGA professional to sway with awe.

The practice facilities provide ample space for warm-ups and concentrated game improvement, from the 1-acre driving range to the 12,000-square-foot putting green. The range's tees are also covered in hybrid bermuda grass, just like the course's fairways, giving players a chance to practice iron approaches and celebratory break dances in real-world conditions.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Total length of 7,241 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 75.3 from the back tees
• Course slope of 141 from the back tees
• Five sets of tees per hole
• Scorecard