The Ace of the Coast – Beau Rivage Golf and Resort

Explore the many facets of Beau Rivage Golf & Resort and learn why it’s a champion resort in Wilmington.

Unlike the game of golf, when it comes to Beau Rivage Golf & Resort, it’s a good thing to say they are playing above par. The destination is a high-ranked, beautiful triple-threat: an award-winning 18-hole golf course, an elegant resort and an exceptional dining and catering facility.

Family-owned Beau Rivage first opened its greens in 1988. Several decades and owners later, Jake Walker, general manager, and his parents took over ownership in 2006.

Jake Walker, General Manager

“We’ve won Best Golf Club in Wilmington for the last six years,” Walker says. “We have unique selling points with whatever we do, such as the golf course and its unique layout – not flat like the rest of Wilmington – an onsite lodging hotel with large 900-square-foot rooms that make us stand out against other hotels, our membership and value events, and the dining. It’s the convenience, with everything under one roof. A lot of courses and country clubs are run by management companies, but this is our livelihood. We take care of our customers.”

Here are more details about each of Beau Rivage’s trifecta of amenities:

Golf

Unlike many other courses of this caliber, the semi-private Beau Rivage is open to the public. The layout features elevations that roll down and up to a height of 75 feet, with the highest elevation in Wilmington recorded at the 12^th hole. It’s pretty, but challenging, with many bunkers, water in play in 11 holes, tight doglegs and narrow Bermudagrass fairways. Bottom line, The Beau tests a golfer’s accuracy. The course also earns plenty of recognition, ranked four stars by Golf Digest for Best Places to Play.

Lodging

The resort’s guest accommodations redefine relaxation. Historic charm meets modern elegance within the majestic, plantation-style clubhouse and each of the 28 rooms, which include two-bedroom suites. These aren’t your typical hotel rooms, encompassing more than 900 square feet laid out with two beds, a sofa bed and a kitchenette equipped with a microwave and fridge. The suite surrounds are cozy and updated, featuring new furniture, mattresses, TVs, lighting and phones. Additional room amenities include a private balcony, free WiFi and a smart card locking system.

Photo by Will Page

If that’s not enough for a relaxing respite, The Beau also offers an outdoor Olympic-size swimming pool, complete with a 65-foot-long poolside tiki bar, two professional tennis courts, breakfast and lunch available at The Veranda Bar & Grill, a library, a snack bar/deli, a sunset balcony, a versatile 6,000-plus-square-foot conference room/banquet facility, a business center, and, of course, a championship golf course (as well as a driving range and large putting green) footsteps away from your room. This all adds up to why The Beau is the best golf club resort in North Carolina.

Dining

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served seven days a week on the 19^th hole at The Veranda Bar & Grill. But this isn’t the standard golf course snack joint. Originally named Peanuts Pub, after the family dog, the bar and grill operated as a snack counter with a menu filled mostly with fried foods.

“But now, we’ve transitioned over the last couple of years into an actual full, sit-down restaurant,” Walker says. “We’re finally becoming what that space was made for. We have front of house service and we’ve expanded the menu, with a lot of things prepared in-house from homemade recipes. It’s traditional pub food and a really good breakfast. It’s kind of got a Southern spin on it.”

For breakfast (7 to 11 am), there are a dozen omelet options, breakfast sandwiches and bowls as well as traditional offerings. For lunch and dinner, choose from a long list of burgers and sandwiches, like the Carolina Burger topped with cheddar and house-made slaw and chili, creative flatbreads and bunch starters, such as the Smoked Gouda Basket.

On the third floor is where The Beau’s full, in-house catering service is located, run by an outside vendor. The massive banquet area hosts weddings, rehearsal dinners, luncheons, meetings and special events.

“We’re doing a ton of holiday parties this year,” Walker says. “I don’t think we have any open weekends left in December. What’s nice is that the space breaks down into smaller-sized rooms, so if you have a smaller, more intimate event, you just book one individual room.”

To further explore Beau Rivage Golf & Resort, such as their membership rates (singles, couples and families) or their customized packages or to make a reservation to stay, eat and play, visit beaurivagegolf.com.