Five-Course Outer Banks North Carolina Coastal Craving

OUTER BANKS, NC - So your planned family vacation, social gathering, buddy trip or corporate event to the Outer Banks of North Carolina this year is in the need of a few menu suggestions - both on and off the short grass.

Sure, you can string together the traditional appetizer/soup/salad/entrée/dessert combo at one of the many fine dining establishments across OBX and dig into any number of savory five-course meals. In addition, you could summon up a recipe full of outstanding golfing layouts and enjoy an array of five-course deals.

To whatever extent you desire, the Outer Banks of North Carolina has all the components needed to fashion a five-star, five-course package full of food, fun and folic.

There truly isn't a better recreational activity (other than maybe hiking up and down the Kitty Hawk dunes which the Wright Brothers used for glider test flights) than an 18-hole round out on warm, windswept links to build up an appetite. And there isn't a better destination to quench your mounting hunger than along the Tar Heel Coast. So for those looking for the ultimate combination of both, look no further than the OBX - known for its great golf course offerings and collection of primarily locally-owned restaurants.

For decades, this far northeastern region of the state has been famous for dining more than enough to satisfy the foodie all the way to the casual diner. Whether you are in the mood for seafood, barbecue, traditional American fare or unique cuisines, you'll be able to find plenty of great places to dine up and down the barrier island. Names like Awful Arthur's, Sam and Omie's, Henry's Restaurant and Tortugas' Lie are just a few of the fascinating titles that evoke the exceptional character and flavor of this famed, seaside retreat.

But for those looking to really tee up and drive their taste buds to another level, a round of golf at no less than five area golf courses is at your beckoned call. Even better, string them all together over a course of days, and you come up with more than just a fulfilling five-course delight. While tastes may differ on which layout fits into which description, here is one vote for ...

The Ultimate Five-Course Menu For Golf Along The Outer Banks

First Course: The Appetizer

"Wow, am I hungry!" With that said, there's probably no better place to start your OBX golf consumption than at The Pointe Golf Club in Powells Point because it is arguably the area's most forgiving layout. This "wet-your-appetite" design located on the way into town features the best putting greens in the area and is a favorite among the locals.

Nestled along the Currituck Sound, this fairly-open design, which opened in the mid 1990s, is a unique blend of traditional and links-style design. With the wind being the great equalizer for scoring along its fairways and greens, The Pointe provides a never-ending challenge and though located on the mainland is closest to the beach just west of the Wright Memorial Bridge.

Second Course: The Soup

The Carolina Club, as the longest golf course in the region, receives this honor not due to its dimension, but merely by its being home to the only signature island green near the shore. The par-3, No. 7 hole highlights an outstanding 7,000-yard championship design featuring wetlands, water and bunkers galore.

Now in its 25th year, The Carolina Club in Grandy opened with its flow inspiration being drawn out of the minds of golf course legends Russell Breeden and Bob Moore. For those trying to finish with a low number on the scorecard, however, beware of the "soup" you have to hit over TWICE on the way to the 18th green.

Third Course: The Salad

Tree-lined and leafy green during the high season, Kilmarlic Golf Club is a mixing bowl of holes that will challenge all levels of golfers with its classic Tom Steele design located in Powells Point. As one of the more intricate layouts found anywhere across the state, Kilmarlic is continually looking to evolve its playing challenges and surfaces to keep up with golfer demand and intrigue.

This marvel plays through a maritime forest and across sprawling wetlands where golf and the environment exist in perfect harmony. Canopies of giant oak, pine and dogwood trees offer a unique setting for the game and several holes play in sight of the Albemarle Sound.

Fourth Course: The Entrée

As the OBX's top-ranked layout according to statewide lists, The Currituck Club in Corolla is perhaps the main course for many golfers visiting the region. Though now more than 20 years mature, it will always remain the newest talk of the town as the sprawling 600-acre golf-resort property gives true meaning to "social spacing." Its upscale ambiance situated between the Atlantic Ocean and the Currituck Sound is also appropriate for both the OBX gentry and visitors alike.

Designed by famed architect Rees Jones, this big-league design winds through a beautiful maritime forest and offers prime views along the nearby sound and even out towards the Atlantic Ocean.

Closing Course: The Dessert

As the last but certainly not least is what could be considered the sweetest flavor of all: The Nags Head Golf Links in Nags Head. Here you will be able to cap off your memorable five-course journey with a round of golf unlike any you will ever experience again.

As one of the area's earliest designs, this iconic open space welcomes golfers to a wind-swept, sound-side challenge and a "don't mess with Mother Nature" experience playing hard along the Roanoke Sound. The appropriately named "Links" features as true a Scottish links replica design as there is without a plane flight across the pond. And if you wait around long enough into the evening hours to finish your round, you may catch a summer sunset over the water from your perch off the perfectly situated clubhouse - making your OBX visit more than worth the wait for dessert.

Latest golf packages intel at www.PlayOBXGolf.com