GolfTravelReviews: The Reviews "Ocean City: All-Seasons Family Beach Resort"

A Toast to Rum Pointe

Situated on Maryland Route 611 on a point overlooking Sinepuxent Bay and Assateague Island off to the East, the golf course derives its name from local legend, according to which the notorious pirates, Blackbeard and Capt. Kidd, hid among the tall reeds and bullrushes of Sinepuxent Bay and behind Assateague Island, a barrier island, to escape detection for rum running and other nefarious trades.

Local lore also has it that in 1740 Capt. Charles Radcliffe built the stucco house that now stands to the left of the 6th hole. The house served as the main dwelling on a 2200-acre plantation that produced tobacco, corn and wheat and processed timber products and products made from hides of locally grown livestock.

According to the same legendary sources, British troops sailing along the coast during pre-Revolutionary days, frequently came ashore to recruit disenchanted colonials into their cause. When one of Radcliffe’s sons refused, he was hung from a tree and witnesses subsequently swore he came back to haunt the place.

As for the golf course, you might expect to be haunted by it, too. After all, Pete Dye and son P.B., the Blackbeard and Kidd of modern course architecture, collaborated on it. And since either one of them alone has ruined many a golfer’s day by their extremely demanding layouts, imagine what they could do together.

But thankfully, and joyfully for all those who have played it, father and son produced a fine links-style design with just enough hazards to keep things interesting but certainly not as nightmarish as some of their other creations. In fact, the course falls under the category of "definitely playable."

No less than 17 holes offer bay views on a course dotted with small lakes and sprinkled with largely-low-lipped bunkers that include pot bunkers fringed with rough of Kentucky bluegrass. The course measures from 5276 yards to 7001 yards all the way back and plays to par 72. The various hazards (the rough is kept fairly low) keep golfers on their toes but not on their backs.

Rum Pointe was laid out on largely flat ground. Mounds and grassy cavities around some greens—other Dye trademarks—work with the freshwater ponds and sand to provide a rich visual texture, all enhanced by marshland along the bay. The area is quite scenic and peaceful.

While players can easily miss shots, especially in the prevailing southeast winds, on the long par 4’s at #1, #7, #9 (which borders the large lake separating it from #18), those shots can be made up at several of the par 5’s which are short enough to give players a real shot at birdie. The 3rd is only 509 yards from the tips and 484 from the blues (456 from the whites). The 13th is a mere 501 yards from the back and considerably less from the forward markers.

Numbers 8 and 16 lie directly along the bay and are arguably the best two on the course. No. 8 is a 540-yard slight dogleg left with a bunker on the right set to grab a sliced or cut drive. The entire left side is flanked by marshland. Two bunkers on either side and 50 yards in front of the green guard the tight landing area of the second shot. The green is raised slightly and modestly bunkered and sloped, both typical features of this course.

No. 16 is a splendid 375-yard (425 from the blues, 463 from the blacks) straight-away beauty of a devil to a green flanked right by a waste bunker. Those playing the 175-yard fifth will immediately recognize THE major Dye trademark, railroad ties that support the banks of the pond to the left of this fine par 3. A trio of holes (10-12) are set in hardwoods at the farthest distance from the bay. No. 10 is a fine 510-yard par 5 that doglegs right around a marsh. The fairway here is fairly tight and the key to success is a safe landing off the tee. Any shot overly drawn or hooked will be swallowed by thick woods left. The 11th is a fine short par 4 of 369 yards that traverses through the scenic forest. The green is elevated and lies along a delightful creek.

The course finishes in typical Dye style with a 444-yarder with the large lake on the right and three bunkers near the green on the left side. If you manage to play well up to the finishing hole, don’t get complacent before you reach the clubhouse. This dogleg right can ruin many a fine round.

The very high end daily fee course with a quality practice area and private club quality clubhouse has very well maintained bent grass greens and fairways, and Kentucky bluegrass rough kept to manageable length. Before Lighthouse Sound opened, Rum Pointe was considered the top end of the Ocean City area courses. Since much of the site and surroundings are designated environmentally sensitive, housing has been kept to an absolute minimum. The small number of substantial homes all lie near the bay and are visible from only a couple of holes.

Opened in 1997, the course was started by P.B. and finished by his father when P.B. found he had cancer. (He has since recovered from his illness.) In a quaint and attractive touch, the course appropriately uses miniature rum barrels for tee markers.

For tee times, call 1-888-809-4653.

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