Location » Virginia Beach, Va.
Phone » 757-721-2900
Fees » $80
Par/Yardage/Rating/Slope
72/7010/74.1/141
Course rating
Conditions » 4
Layout » 4
Facilities » 5
Value » 3
* Out of a possible five
Description
Modern, 9-year-old course winds through two of the ritziest neighborhoods in Virginia Beach, traversing woodlands and wetlands on a rolling piece of property. Thirteen lakes present a daunting challenge. Water is in play on 14 holes, but this still is a playable course for high handicappers with wide landing areas and five sets of tees.
Reasons to play
Though in slight decline, this is still the best-conditioned and most amenity-laden of the area’s four upscale courses — the others being Heron Ridge, TPC Virginia Beach and Hell’s Point. Superior dining and clubhouse areas include oil paintings of course designer Arnold Palmer.
Garden party
Full of flowers (15,000 roses) and lush greenery rimming holes and cart paths, this is one of the most meticulously landscaped public courses in the region. Virginia Beach golf expert Jim Ducibella wrote that the name should be changed to “The Signature Botanical Gardens.”
King’s touch
Palmer worked on two Tidewater-area projects simultaneously, Signature at West Neck, and magnificent Bay Creek in Cape Charles, which opened in 2001. Most of Palmer’s designs in the region are private, including Fawn Lake (Spotsylvania), Dominion Valley (Haymarket), Woodmore (Mitchellville), Belmont (Ashburn) and Keswick (Charlottesville).
Doink!
The magnificent homes that line some of the fairways at Signature are nice to look at, but many are too close to the course. It’s a theme at another Palmer design, Dominion Valley in Haymarket.
Toughest hole
No. 3, Par 4, 455 Yards
“Deadman’s Curve” is an L-shaped dogleg right, the No. 1 handicap hole on the course. Many shots on this hole have finished out-of-bounds as players try to cut yardage from the longest par?4 at Signature. As if that’s not enough, there’s a significant pond to carry off the tee and the hole usually plays into the wind. Whew!
Scary hole
No. 16, Par 4, 418 Yards
Appropriately named “Intimidation,” but this hole isn’t as tough as it looks, at least from the tee as an ample landing area awaits over water. The approach, however, with water running up the left side and behind the green, is demanding. The green is large and raised, but with no surrounding bunkers, off-target shots can tumble down the slopes and to a watery grave.
Signature hole
No. 11, Par 3, 155 Yards
Water figures prominently on all four par-3 holes at Signature. “Stonewall” is the shortest hole on the course, fronted by a retaining wall of boulders. It’s very tough when the pin is set up front with downhill putts toward the water.
