Category: Top 40 Public Courses-North Carolina

Top 40 Public Courses-North Carolina

Rock Barn Golf & Spa, Conover NC

With Pinehurst, Pine Needles and Talamore, North Carolina golf resorts are among the finest in the country—but the Carolinas are the heartland of American golf, and there are a ton of fantastic public courses throughout N.C. that are not part of a resort property.

If you’re looking for great golf without breaking the bank at a high-end resort, take a look at the Top 40 courses below–keeping in mind there are plenty of nice hotels and restaurants to choose from throughout North Carolina.

While each of the Top 40 has a GolfDay Rating above 90, North Carolina offers 91 independent public courses with a rating of 85 or higher (premium) and 141 with a rating of 80 or more (well above average).

Dan Maples leads the list for premier public course design in North Carolina with original work or updating at 6 of the Top 40 public courses, including The Pearl Golf links in Calabash (No. 11), Keith Hills at Cambell University (with father Ellis—No. 23) and Longleaf Golf & Family Club in Southern Pines (No. 28).

Rees Jones is close behind with design at 4 of the leading public courses in N.C., including original work at Bryan Park (Champions) in Browns Summit (No. 13) and The Currituck Club in Carolla (No. 18). Rees also updated the wonderful Robert Trent Jones, Sr. design at Duke University (No. 4)

Mike Strantz: Tot Hill Farms

Although Mike Strantz passed away tragically at only fifty years of age, he left us with some of the greatest courses in the world, including two among the N.C. Top 40–Tobacco Road in Sanford (No.2), and Tot Hill Farm in Asheboro (No. 14). In 2000 Mike was named one of the “Top 10 Greatest Architects of All Time” by Golfweek Magazine.

The King made his presence felt in N.C with Palmer designs at Occano in Merry Hill (No. 9), Oak Valley (No. 22), and Lonnie Poole at N.C. State University (No. 24). 

The GolfDay rating is based on a variety of criteria, including the stature of the architect(s) who did the original design(s), updates that have been done on the course(s), USGA Course and Slope Ratings, the quality and diversity of practice facilities, general course conditioning and current reviews.

Select Top 40 North Carolina Public Courses for a map view of locations (click a flag for course name and details).   

Still thinking a resort is the best bet? Check Top N.C. Resorts for a listing by GolfDay Rating.  

Forest Oaks Country Club
  1. Forest Oaks Country Club/Greensboro
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Ellis Maples/Clyde Johnston/Fuzzy Zoeller/Davis Love III
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.0/142
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Expansive Putting Green, Chipping Green with Bunker and Indoor Golf Simulator.
    • Golf Academy
    • Indoor Golf
    • GolfDay Rating: 99.7
    • Location
Tobacco Road Golf Club
  1. Tobacco Road Golf Club/Sanford
  2. Troon Golf
Tanglewood Park
  1. Tanglewood Park/Clemmons
  2. Forsyth County/Brown Management
    • Holes: 54 (Two Eighteen-Hole Regulation Courses and Eighteen-Hole Par 3)
    • Course Architects: Robert Trent Jones, Sr./Roger Rulewich/Allan MacCurrach/Robert Trent Jones, Jr./Richard Mandell
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Championship:  74.5/139
    • Reynolds:           73.2/136     
    • Practice Facilities: Lighted Grass Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Photos
    • Junior Golf
    • GolfDay Rating: 97.8
    • Location
Duke University Golf Club
  1. Duke University Golf Club/Durham
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Robert Trent Jones, Sr./Rees Jones
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.2/145
    • Practice Facilities: Expansive Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker (Unlimited Callaway Balls included with Greens Fee).
    • Course Description
    • Junior Golf
    • GolfDay Rating: 96.7
    • Location
Monroe Country Club
  1. Monroe Country Club/Monroe
  2. City of Monroe
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Donald Ross/Tom Jackson/Richard Mandell/Tyler Rae
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 72.6/133
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Photos
    • GolfDay Rating: 96.0
    • Location
Rock Barn Golf and Spa
  1. Rock Barn Golf and Spa/Conover
    • Holes: 36 (Two Eighteen-Hole Regulation Courses)
    • Course Architects: Tom Jackson/Robert Trent Jones, Jr.
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Jones:              75.2/146
    • Jackson:          71.9/135
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Expansive Putting Green and Chipping Green with Bunker.
    • Course Description
    • Accommodations
    • GolfDay Rating: 95.6
    • Location
Mill Creek Golf Club
  1. Mill Creek Golf Club/Mebane
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Rick Robbins/Brian Lussier/Gary Koch
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.2/142
    • Practice Facilities: Two Tier Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers.
    • Photos
    • Junior Golf
    • GolfDay Rating: 94.7
    • Location
Riverwood Golf Club
  1. Riverwood Golf Club/ Clayton
  2. Fred Smith Company
    • Holes: 27 (Three Nine-Hole Regulation Courses)
    • Course Architects: David Postlethwait
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Deer Run:       37.6/138
    • Riverview:      36.2/133
    • Meadowlands: 36.8/135
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Photos
    • Golf Academy
    • GolfDay Rating: 94.6
    • Location
Occano
  1. Occano/Merry Hill
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Arnold Palmer
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 76.2/143
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Course Description
    • GolfDay Rating: 94.5
    • Location
Eagle Ridge Golf Club
  1. Eagle Ridge Golf Club/Raleigh
  2. Fred Smith Company
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Tom Kite/Bob Cupp  
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.2/138
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Course Description
    • Photos
    • GolfDay Rating: 94.4
    • Location
The Pearl Golf Links
  1. The Pearl Golf Links/Calabash
  2. Myrtle Beach Golf Trail
    • Holes: 27 (Three Nine-Hole Regulation Courses)
    • Course Architects: Dan Maples
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • East:    36.2/133
    • West:   37.0/141
    • North:  35.9/127
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Green.
    • Course Description
    • Myrtle Beach Golf Trail
    • GolfDay Rating: 94.3
    • Location
Southern Pines Golf Club
  1. Southern Pines Golf Club/Southern Pines
Bryan Park Golf Club
  1. Bryan Park Golf Club/Browns Summit
  2. City of Greensboro/Pinnacle Golf Management
Tot Hill Farm Golf Club
  1. Tot Hill Farm Golf Club/Asheboro
Thistle Golf Club
  1. Thistle Golf Club/Sunset Beach
    • Holes: 27 (Three Nine-Hole Regulation Courses)
    • Course Architect: Tim Cate
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Cameron:        37.0/142
    • MacKay:         37.4/140
    • Stewart:           36.6/140         
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Course Description
    • GolfDay Rating: 93.9
    • Location
Mooresville Golf Club
  1. Mooresville Golf Club/Mooresville
  2. Town of Mooresville
Skybrook Golf Club
  1. Skybrook Golf Club/Huntersville
  2. Pinnacle Golf Properties
The Currituck Club
  1. The Currituck Club/Corolla
  2. Invited Club Management
  • Holes: 18
  • Course Architects: Rees Jones
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.3/143
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
  • Course Description
  • GolfDay Rating: 93.5
  • Location
Brunswick Plantation
  1. Brunswick Plantation/Calabash
  2. Heritage Golf Group
  • Holes: 27 (3 Nine-Hole Regulation Courses)
  • Course Architects: Willard Byrd/Clyde Johnston
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
  • Magnolia:       36.4/133
  • Dogwood:       36.8/137
  • Azalea:           36.7/131
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
  • Course Description
  • Accommodations
  • GolfDay Rating: 93.3
  • Location
Salem Glen Country Club
  1. Salem Glen Country Club/Clemmons
The Preserve at Jordan Lake Golf Club
  1. The Preserve At Jordan Lake Golf Club/Chapel Hill
  2. GreatLife Golf
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Davis Love III/Paul Cowley
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.0/145
    • Practice Facilities: Two-Tiered Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Course Description
    • GolfDay Rating: 93.0
    • Location
Oak Valley Golf Club
  1. Oak Valley Golf Club/Advance
  • Holes: 18
  • Course Architects: Arnold Palmer/Ed Seay
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.5/139
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers (2).
  • Video Tour
  • Photos
  • GolfDay Rating: 93.0
  • Location
Keith Hills Golf Club
  1. Keith Hills Golf Club/Lillington
  2. Cambell University
    • Holes: 27 (3 Nine-Hole Regulation Courses)
    • Course Architects: Ellis Maples/Dan Maples
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Black:             36.1/136
    • Orange:           36.3/132
    • White:             34.5/128
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Course Description
    • Golf Academy/Junior Golf
    • GolfDay Rating: 92.9
    • Location
Lonnie Poole Golf Course
  1. Lonnie Poole Golf Course/Raleigh
  2. N.C. State University
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Arnold Palmer/Eric Larson/Brandon Johnson
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.7/142
    • Practice Facilities: Driving Range (Grass: Friday-Sunday/Mats: Monday-Thursday) and Putting Green. Short Game Facility with Bunker–Members and Golf Team Only.
    • Course Description
    • GolfDay Rating: 92.8
    • Location
Verdict Ridge Golf & Country Club
  1. Verdict Ridge Golf & Country Club/Denver
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Ed Schweitzer
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.8/149
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets and Fairway Bunker, Putting and Chipping Greens.
    • Video Tour
    • GolfDay Rating: 92.7
    • Location
Finley Golf Club
  1. Finley Golf Club/Chapel Hill
  2. University of North Carolina
      • Holes: 18
      • Course Architects: George Cobb/Tom Fazio/Tom Marzolf/Davis Love III
      • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.6/141
      • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets (Grass Open Friday-Sunday, Mats Monday-Thursday) and Putting Green.
      • Men’s Golf
      • Women’s Golf
      • GolfDay Rating: 92.5
      • Location
Stoney Creek
  1. Stoney Creek/Whitsett
  2. Pinnacle Golf Properties
Longleaf Golf & Family Club
  1. Longleaf Golf & Family Club/Southern Pines
  • Holes: 24 (Eighteen-Hole Regulation Course and Six-Hole Par 3)
  • Course Architects: Dan Maples/Bill Bergin
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 72.4/132
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Expansive Putting Green, Chipping Green with Bunker. Golf Academy with TrackMan Technology.
  • Photos
  • Junior Golf
  • GolfDay Rating: 92.4
  • Location
Cross Creek Country Club

29. Cross Creek Country Club/Mount Airy

    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Joe Lee/Rocky Roquemore/Kris Spence
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 72.3/136
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Course Description
    • Golf School
    • GolfDay Rating: 92.3
    • Location
The Emerald Golf Club
  1. The Emerald Golf Club/New Bern
Sandpiper Bay Golf & Country Club
  1. Sandpiper Bay Golf & Country Club/Sunset Beach
  2. Myrtle Beach Golf Trail
    • Holes: 27 (3 Nine-Hole Regulation Courses)
    • Course Architects: Dan Maples
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Sand:   34.8/131
    • Piper:  36.1/131
    • Bay:    36.4/142
    • Practice Facilities: Three Level Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens.
    • Photos
    • Myrtle Beach Golf Trail
    • GolfDay Rating: 92.0
    • Location
Rocky River Golf Club
  1. Rocky River Golf Club/Concord
  • Holes: 18
  • Course Architects: Dan Maples  
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.1/142
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Green.
  • Photos
  • GolfDay Rating: 91.8
  • Location
Legacy Golf Links
  1. Legacy Golf Links/Aberdeen
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Jack Nicklaus II
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.0/137
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Photos
    • GolfDay Rating: 91.8
    • Location
Pilot Knob Park Golf Course
  1. Pilot Knob Park Golf Course/Pilot Mountain
River Ridge Golf Club
  1. River Ridge Golf Club/Raleigh
Sound Golf Links
  1. Sound Golf Links/Hertford
  2. Albemarle Plantation
Carolina Trace Country Club
  1. Carolina Trace Country Club/Sanford
  2. Escalante Golf
    • Holes: 36 (Two Eighteen-Hole Regulation Courses)
    • Course Architects: Robert Trent Jones, Sr./Roger Rulewich/David Whelchel
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Lake:               76.0/143
    • Creek:             73.7/136
    • Practice Facilities: Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens.
    • Course Description/Lake
    • Course Description/Creek
    • GolfDay Rating: 91.3
    • Location
The Cardinal
  1. The Cardinal/Greensboro
  2. McConnell Golf
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Pete Dye/Rick Robbins
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.1/142
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Course Description
    • GolfDay Rating: 91.2
    • Location
Jefferson Landing
  1. Jefferson Landing/Jefferson
  2. Vannoy Properties
Lockwood Folly Country Club
  1. Lockwood Folly Country Club/Holden Beach
  2. Myrtle Beach Golf Trail
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