Castle Bay Country Club is a challenging, links-style course built on marshland about a half hour from both Topsail Beach and Wilmington, North Carolina. Local and traveling golfers alike have been enjoying this course, located just off of US-17 in Hampstead, even since it opened in 1999. Castle Bay Country Club is a coastal Carolina version of a Scottish-style links thanks to its protected wetlands and abundant wildlife. Keep an eye out for snakes and alligators. The playing field at Castle Bay Country Club is nearly devoid of trees and fully exposed to the coastal breezes. Several holes play alongside wetlands and a few ponds also come into play. You ll also find natural waste areas, thick grass and vegetation, and tall-faced bunkers. Despite all of these hazards, Castle Bay Country Club is a test players of wide ranging abilities can handle and enjoy. With five sets of tee markers well-spaced between 4,717 yards to 6,698 yards, everyone can select an appropriately challenging distance to play from. Castle Bay Country Club s fairways are ample and its bailout areas enable conservative players to avoid the hazards. One of the strengths of the layout is its excellent bentgrass greens. The round concludes with a risk/reward par 4 that is just 266 yards from the tips. It s a drivable birdie hole that yields its share of eagles. Of course, all bets are off when the wind is especially strong. Castle Bay Country Club is a pretty course with stretches where houses are prevalent and other sections where the holes ramble with no distractions in sight. Practice facilities at the club include a driving range, a short game area with a sand bunker, and chipping and putting greens. The clubhouse boasts a well-stocked pro shop and a restaurant that is open for lunch and dinner. For a fun links-style game on a course with nice variety, reserve a tee time to play Castle Bay Country Club in Hampstead.