Honestly, if you're driving through Chocowinity, you might miss it. Most people do. They’re usually too busy heading toward the coast or navigating the bypass to realize that one of the most meticulously maintained pieces of turf in the South is tucked away just a few miles off the main drag. Cypress Landing Golf Course isn’t just another neighborhood track. It’s a Bill Love design that manages to be both infuriatingly tight and remarkably fair, all while sitting on the edge of the Pamlico River.
It’s quiet. Really quiet.
When you pull into the parking lot, you don't get that stuffy, country-club-vibe where people stare at your socks. It’s different. It feels like a place where people actually like playing golf, rather than just using it as a backdrop for business deals. The course itself is a par-72 layout that stretches just under 7,000 yards from the tips, but don’t let the yardage fool you into thinking you can just grip it and rip it. This place has teeth.
The Architecture of Cypress Landing Golf Course
Bill Love knew what he was doing here. He didn't just bulldoze a bunch of pines and call it a day. He worked with the natural undulation of the Inner Banks, which, if you’re from around here, you know isn't exactly mountainous, but it isn't a pancake either. The routing takes you through some pretty dense hardwoods and then spits you out near the water.
The greens are the star of the show. Seriously.
They use A-1/A-4 Bentgrass. In the heat of a North Carolina July, keeping Bentgrass alive is basically a full-time scientific experiment, yet the greens at Cypress Landing Golf Course are consistently some of the fastest and truest in the region. Most courses in this climate cave in and switch to Bermuda because it's easier to maintain, but the superintendent here—currently maintaining a 4.5-star rating on most major review platforms—clearly has a vendetta against slow putts.
If you miss on the wrong side of these tiers, you’re looking at a three-putt. Maybe a four-putt if you’re having a particularly rough Tuesday.
The layout demands a specific kind of respect. Take the par-4 15th, for example. It’s not the longest hole you’ll ever play, but it forces a decision. You can try to bomb it over the corner, or you can play it safe and leave yourself a mid-iron into a green that feels like it’s floating. Most people choose wrong. That's the beauty of the design; it baits you into being a hero when you should probably just be a pragmatist.
Why the Inner Banks Setting Actually Matters
People talk about "coastal golf" all the time, but usually, they’re talking about the Outer Banks where the wind kills your soul and you lose three sleeves of balls to the marsh. Cypress Landing is different because it’s protected. You get the breezes off Chocowinity Bay, but you’re shielded by a massive canopy of trees.
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It creates this weird microclimate.
You’ll be standing on the 13th tee, and even though it’s 90 degrees out, the air moving through the corridor makes it feel manageable. Sorta. It’s still North Carolina, so you’re still going to sweat, but the scenery makes you care less about the humidity. You’ll see ospreys. You’ll see bald eagles. You’ll definitely see a few turtles sunning themselves on the logs in the lateral hazards.
The Five-Star Certification Thing
A lot of courses claim they are "eco-friendly" because they stopped using plastic straws in the snack bar. Cypress Landing Golf Course actually put in the work. They are an Audubon Certified Cooperative Sanctuary. To get that, you have to prove you’re actually managing wildlife habitats, reducing chemical use, and protecting water quality. It’s not just a plaque on the wall; it changes the way the course feels. It feels like a park that happens to have flagsticks in it.
The Reality of the Membership and Public Play
Let’s clear something up. People think because it’s a "Landing" community, it’s gated and off-limits. Wrong.
While it is the centerpiece of a luxury primary-residence community, the course is open to the public. You can book a tee time online right now. However, there is a very loyal membership base. These are folks who live in the 600+ homes surrounding the course. It’s a mix of retirees who moved down from Virginia or Maryland and locals from Washington and Greenville who want a better pace of play than you get at the muni courses.
The pace of play is a big deal here.
You aren't going to get stuck behind a six-some of guys in denim shorts. The pro shop staff—who are incredibly laid back for how nice the facility is—keep things moving. If you’re a solo golfer, you can often zip through in under three hours. If you’re out with a group, four hours is the standard. It’s civilized.
Navigating the Signature Holes
If you’re playing here for the first time, you need a plan for the back nine. The front nine is a great warmup—it's got some room to breathe. But the back nine is where the scoring happens, or where your scorecard goes to die.
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- Hole 13: A par 3 that looks simple on the card. It isn't. The wind coming off the water can turn a 7-iron into a 5-iron in a heartbeat.
- Hole 18: This is one of the better finishing holes in the state. It’s a long par 4 that requires a precise drive to give you any look at the green, which is guarded by water and bunkers. It’s the kind of hole that settles bets.
Most golfers get caught up in the beauty of the marsh views and forget that the bunkers are deep. Like, "I need a ladder to get out of this" deep. The sand is soft, which is a luxury, but if you don't have a solid explosion shot, you're going to have a long day in the beach.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Course
There's this myth that Cypress Landing is a "short" course.
Sure, if you look at the white tees, it seems manageable. But the slope rating tells a different story. Because the fairways are framed by dense woods and water, a "short" hole becomes a nightmare if you can't hit a straight line. You can't just spray it and find your ball in the next fairway over. If you're off the short grass, you're usually dropping a ball.
The "hidden" difficulty is in the transition areas.
Love designed the course with "collection areas" around the greens. Instead of heavy rough, he used short-grass swales. This sounds easier, right? Wrong. It means instead of a simple chip out of the thick grass, you’re standing 20 feet below the hole on a tight lie, trying to figure out if you should putt it, chip it, or flop it. Most amateurs blade it across the green. It’s a subtle, professional-grade challenge that you don't find at your average local course.
The "After-Golf" Scene
You can't talk about Cypress Landing without the Iris Lounge. It’s not a massive, cavernous ballroom. It’s a comfortable spot where the bartenders actually remember what you drink. The food isn't just "hot dogs and chips" either. They do a legitimate job with the menu, and the view from the deck overlooking the course and the water is arguably the best in Beaufort County.
It's the kind of place where you actually want to hang out after the 18th.
You’ll see boaters who just docked at the 222-slip marina nearby coming in for a burger. It’s a weird, cool crossover of golf culture and sailing culture.
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Practical Insights for Your Visit
If you're planning to head out there, keep a few things in mind. First, check the aeration schedule. Because they have Bentgrass greens, they have to be aggressive with maintenance in the shoulder seasons to keep them healthy for the summer. Playing on freshly punched greens is a bummer, so call the pro shop first.
Second, bring bug spray.
You’re in Eastern North Carolina. You’re near the water. You’re in the woods. The gnats and mosquitoes don't care about your handicap. If there’s no wind, they will find you.
Third, take advantage of the practice facility. Unlike a lot of courses where the range is an afterthought with beat-up balls and uneven turf, Cypress Landing has a massive grass teeing area, a dedicated chipping green, and a practice bunker. It’s worth showing up 45 minutes early just to use it.
How to Actually Play This Course Well
To walk away with a decent score at Cypress Landing Golf Course, you have to swallow your ego.
Leave the driver in the bag on at least four of the par 4s. The fairway narrows significantly at the 240-yard mark on several holes. A 200-yard hybrid into the center of the fairway is infinitely better than a 270-yard drive that’s currently being inspected by a squirrel in the woods.
Focus on your lag putting. Because the greens are large and multi-tiered, you will inevitably have a 40-foot putt at some point. If you can't get those within a three-foot circle, you'll rack up bogeys fast.
Actionable Next Steps
- Book Mid-Week: If you want the best rates and the quietest experience, Tuesday through Thursday is the sweet spot. You can often find "hot deals" on booking sites during these times.
- Download a GPS App: The course has some blind shots and hidden hazards. Unless you have a laser rangefinder with slope, a GPS app like 18Birdies or Hole19 is essential for navigating the yardages to the hazards, not just the pin.
- Check the Wind: Before you head out, look at the forecast for Chocowinity Bay. If the wind is gusting over 15 mph, add at least one club to every shot heading toward the water.
- Explore the Marina: If you have time after your round, take the five-minute drive down to the Cypress Landing Marina. It’s a floating dock system and quite a sight, especially at sunset.
- Watch Your Alignment: Many of the tee boxes are subtly aimed toward the trouble. Don't just trust your feet; look at your target and pick a spot two feet in front of your ball to aim over.
Cypress Landing is a gem. It’s not flashy, it’s not hosting the PGA Tour, and it doesn’t have a billion-dollar marketing budget. But it has character, it has one of the best maintenance crews in the state, and it offers a genuine "Inner Banks" experience that you just can't find in Pinehurst or Wilmington. Pack an extra sleeve of balls, respect the Bentgrass, and don't be afraid to lay up. You'll thank me when you're sitting on the deck with a cold drink afterward.