Tag: South Carolina Golf

Top 35 Public Courses-South Carolina 2023/2024

True Blue Golf Club, Pawleys Island SC

When it’s time to start formulating a plan for the Spring golf trip, South Carolina should come immediately to mind. In addition to great resorts like Kiawah Island, Sea Pines and Barefoot, SC boasts more than 30 non-resort public courses that received a GolfDay rating of 90 or higher (premium)—and over 100 that are rated above 80 (very good).

And of course, Myrtle Beach is the centerpiece to this golfing wonderland. Golf Trails can make it a lot easier to choose courses that are not too far apart, and MB has a couple of teriffic Trails to look at—the Myrtle Beach Golf Trail and the Hammock Coast Golf Trail.

If you looking for golf packages and deals, take a look at Myrtle Beach Golf and Myrtle Beach Golf Trips.

Keep in mind there are plenty of nice hotels and fantastic restaurants to choose from throughout South Carolina (and particularly in the Myrtle Beach area), so you can also reference GolfDay to build your own trip.

Course Architecture

Tom Jackson is #1 for laying out premier public courses in South Carolina with original designs at 5 of the Top 35, including Mount Vintage in North Augusta (No. 7) and River Hills in Little River (No. 8).

Clyde Johnston  is close behind with original design at Springfield Golf Club (No. 25) in Fort Mill, Glen Dornoch, Little River (No. 26) and Old South in Bluffton (No. 27) as well as updates to the Donald Ross design at Lancaster Golf Club (No. 9).

Rees Jones, always among the prominent names when listing great golf courses, contributed 2 original designs among the Top 35 (Oyster Reef, No. 10) and Arcadian Shores, No. 14) as well updates to the great Robert Trent Jones, Sr. design at The Dunes (No. 1).  

Mike Strantz: Caledonia Golf & Fish Club

Mike Strantz left us 2 wonderful layouts in Pawleys Island before his tragic passing at only fifty years of age—Caledonia (No. 2) and True Blue (No. 4). In 2000 Mike was named one of the “Top 10 Greatest Architects of All Time” by Golfweek Magazine.

Pete Dye added his brush to the Myrtle Beach golf panorama at Prestwick Country Club (No. 3, with P. B. Dye) and Jack Nicklaus recently completed updates to his terrific layout at Pawleys Plantation.

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 35 South Carolina Public Courses for a map view of locations (click a flag for course name and details).   

Want to see all of the public courses in South Carolina listed by GolfDay rating? Click S.C. Public Courses.

The Dunes Golf & Beach Club
  1. The Dunes Golf & Beach Club/Myrtle Beach
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Robert Trent Jones, Sr./Rees Jones/Roger Rulewich
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 76.3/149
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Course Description
    • Junior Golf
    • GolfDay Rating: 99.6
    • Location
Caledonia Golf & Fish Club
  1. Caledonia Golf & Fish Club/Pawleys Island
  2. Hammock Coast Golf Trail/Ponderosa Inc.
Prestwick Country Club
  1. Prestwick Country Club/Myrtle Beach
  2. Myrtle Beach Golf Trail/East Coast Golf Management
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Pete Dye/P. B. Dye
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.3/150
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Photos
    • Golf Packages
    • GolfDay Rating: 98.5
    • Location
True Blue Golf Club
  1. True Blue Golf Club/Pawleys Island
  2. Hammock Coast Golf Trail/Ponderosa Inc.
Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club
  1. Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club/Pawleys Island
  2. Hammock Coast Golf Trail/Founders Group International
Wild Wing Golf Course
  1. Wild Wing Golf Course/Conway
  2. Founders Group International
    • Holes: 27 Eighteen Hole Course (Avocet) and Nine Hole Course (Hummingbird)
    • Course Architects: Willard Byrd/Jeffrey Brauer/Larry Nelson  
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.5/137
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens.
    • Course Description
    • Junior Golf
    • GolfDay Rating: 97.2
    • Location
Mount Vintage Golf Club
  1. Mount Vintage Golf Club/North Augusta
    • Holes: 27 (3-Nine Hole Courses: Independent/Vintage/Chester)  
    • Course Architect: Tom Jackson  
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Independent: 37.9/150
    • Vintage:             37.7/154
    • Chester:            37.4/145
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Course Descriptions
    • Photos
    • GolfDay Rating: 96.9
    • Location
River Hills Golf & Country Club
  1. River Hills Golf & Country Club/Little River
  2. Founders Group International
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architect: Tom Jackson  
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.2/147
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Course Description
    • Photos
    • GolfDay Rating: 95.9
    • Location
Lancaster Golf Club
  1. Lancaster Golf Club/Lancaster
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Donald Ross/Russell Breeden/Clyde Johnston  
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 71.7/137
    • Practice Facilities: Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Course Description
    • Video Tour
    • GolfDay Rating: 95.5
    • Location
Oyster Reef Golf Club
  1. Oyster Reef Golf Club/Hilton Head Island
  2. Heritage Golf Group
TPC Myrtle Beach
  1. TPC Myrtle Beach/Murrells Inlet
  2. Hammock Coast Golf Trail/Founders Group International
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architect: Tom Fazio  
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.3/154
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker and Dustin Johnson Golf School.
    • Course Description
    • Golf School
    • GolfDay Rating: 95.4
    • Location
Wedgefield Country Club
  1. Wedgefield Country Club/Georgetown
  2. Hammock Coast Golf Trail
Fort Mill Golf Club
  1. Fort Mill Golf Club/Fort Mill
Arcadian Shores Golf Club
  1. Arcadian Shores Golf Club/Myrtle Beach
  2. Myrtle Beach Golf Trail/East Coast Golf Management
Pine Ridge Country Club
  1. Pine Ridge Country Club/Edgefield
Edgewater Golf Club
  1. Edgewater Golf Club/Lancaster
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Bruce Brodsky  
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.6/150
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Wedge Range with Targets and Bunkers, Putting and Chipping Greens.
    • Course Description
    • Photos
    • GolfDay Rating: 93.4
    • Location
Palmetto Hall Golf & Country Club
  1. Palmetto Hall Golf & Country Club/Hilton Head Island
  2. Heritage Golf Group
    • Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses: Cupp/Hills)
    • Course Architects: Bob Cupp/Arthur Hills  
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Cupp:              74.6/141
    • Hills:                74.3/147
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Course Descriptions
    • Golf Packages
    • GolfDay Rating: 93.3
    • Location
Founders Club at Pawley Island
  1. Founders Club at Pawley Island/Pawley Island
  2. Hammock Coast Golf Trail/Founders Group International
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Gene Hamm/Thomas Walker  
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.5/148
    • Practice Facilities: Warm Up Bays with Net, Expansive Putting and Chipping Green with Bunkers.
    • Course Description
    • Specials
    • GolfDay Rating: 93.2
    • Location
Tidewater Golf Club
  1. Tidewater Golf Club/North Myrtle Beach
  2. KemperSports
Tradition Golf Club
  1. Tradition Golf Club/Pawleys Island
  2. Hammock Coast Golf Trail/Founders Group International
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architect: Ron Garl  
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.5/147
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers.
    • Photos
    • Video Tour
    • GolfDay Rating: 92.8
    • Location
The Golf Club at Hilton Head Lakes
  1. The Golf Club at Hilton Head Lakes/Hardeeville
    • Holes: 24 (Eighteen Hole Course and 6 Hole Par 3)
    • Course Architects: Tom Fazio  
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 75.7/140
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers.
    • Course Description
    • Golf Academy
    • GolfDay Rating: 92.7
    • Location
Waterford Golf Club
  1. Waterford Golf Club/Rock Hill
  2. Pinnacle Golf Properties
Cheraw State Park
  1. Cheraw State Park/Cheraw
  2. South Carolina Parks
Heritage Club
  1. Heritage Club/Pawleys Island
  2. Legends Golf/Arnold Palmer Golf
Springfield Golf Club
  1. Springfield Golf Club/Fort Mill
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Clyde Johnston  
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.3/144
    • Practice Facilities: Expansive Grass Driving Range with Target Greens, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Course Description
    • Video Tour
    • GolfDay Rating: 91.8
    • Location
Glen Dornoch Waterway Golf Links
  1. Glen Dornoch Waterway Golf Links/Little River
  2. Myrtle Beach Golf Trail/The Glens Golf Group/East Coast Golf Management
Old South Golf Links
  1. Old South Golf Links/Bluffton
Hilton Head National Golf Club
  1. Hilton Head National Golf Club/Bluffton
  2. Scratch Golf Properties
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Gary Player/Bobby Weed  
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 72.1/131
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Target Greens and Putting Greens (2).
    • Photos
    • RV Park
    • GolfDay Rating: 91.4
    • Location
Man O’ War Golf Club
  1. Man O’ War Golf Club/Myrtle Beach
  2. Mystical Golf/DG Golf Management
Port Royal Golf & Racquet Club
  1. Port Royal Golf & Racquet Club/Hilton Head Island
  2. Heritage Golf Group
    • Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses: Barony/Robber’s Row)
    • Course Architects: George Cobb/Willard Byrd/John LaFoy/Pete Dye  
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
    • Barony:                         71.8/135
    • Robber’s Row:            72.7/134         
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Course Descriptions
    • Golf Packages
    • GolfDay Rating: 91.1
    • Location
World Tour Golf Links
  1. World Tour Golf Links/Myrtle Beach
  2. Founders Group International
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Mel Graham/Craig Schreiner  
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 71.8/132
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Course Description
    • Photos
    • GolfDay Rating: 90.7
    • Location
Crowfield Golf Club
  1. Crowfield Golf Club/Goose Creek
  2. City of Goose Creek
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Tom Jackson/Bob Spence  
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.9/147
    • Practice Facilities: Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Green.
    • Course Description
    • GolfDay Rating: 90.5
    • Location
Long Bay Club
  1. Long Bay Club/Longs
  2. Founders Group International
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Jack Nicklaus/Craig Schreiner  
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.4/146
    • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Photos
    • Video Tour
    • GolfDay Rating: 90.5
    • Location
Pine Lakes Country Club
  1. Pine Lakes Country Club/Myrtle Beach
  2. Founders Group International
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Robert White/Craig Schreiner/Rick Robbins  
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 72.5/135
    • Practice Facilities: Putting and Chipping Greens (Myrtlewood Driving Range is available for Warm-up–2 miles away).
    • Photos
    • GolfDay Rating: 90.4
    • Location
River Club
  1. River Club/Pawleys Island
  2. Hammock Coast Golf Trail/Founders Group International
    • Holes: 18
    • Course Architects: Tom Jackson  
    • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 72.5/139
    • Practice Facilities: Warm Up Bays with Net, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
    • Photos
    • GolfDay Rating: 90.4
    • Location
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Top Golf Destinations

Harbour Town Golf Links, Sea Pines Resort, SC

When you think about golf destinations, Florida and California immediately come to mind—but you may be surprised to see which states have the largest percentage of high caliber courses. Although Florida and California have the most public courses by far, they are not at the top of the list when you consider the number of quality courses a state can offer, rather than just the total number of courses. So where do you look for the best chance of finding a great golf experience? Here’s what we found.

The GolfDay Rating

The GolfDay Rating is based on a variety of criteria, including the stature of the architect who did the original design, updates that have been done since the course was built, USGA Course and Slope Ratings, current local and national rankings by Golf Digest, Golfweek, and Links Magazine (as well as other authoritative sources), the quality and diversity of practice facilities, general course conditioning, and current course reviews.

Consideration is also given for facilities that offer junior golf programs, a golf academy or golf leagues. Resort ratings also include a factor for the variety of courses located at the property, as well as the quality of accommodations. The GolfDay Rating is structured on the same basis as a test score—from 0 to 100. An “A” is 90 and up, “B” is 80–89, “C” is 70–79, “D” is 65–­­­69 and below 64 is an “F.”

Kiawah Island Golf Resort, SC—Pete Dye, Tom Fazio and Jack Nicklaus

The Results

We looked at the total number of public courses in each state to see how many received a GolfDay Rating of greater than 90 (“A”), and the number that were rated 80 or higher (“B”). South Carolina, Hawaii, Nevada, Delaware and Alabama came in at the top of the list.

South Carolina (#1)

Of the 194 public courses in South Carolina, almost 20 percent received a GolfDay Rating above 90 (A)) and 5 were rated at 100 (A++). With premier golf destinations like Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head and Kiawah Island, I guess that should not be a shocker—but there are a great many high-quality courses to be found throughout the state as well. More than half of the courses in South Carolina (55.7%) received a GolfDay Rating of 80 or more.

South Carolina is also home to the Waccamaw Golf Trail, featuring 11 great courses along the coast south of Myrtle Beach. All of the courses on the Trail received a GolfDay Rating above 80, with 6 coming in above 90—and one of them, Caledonia Golf & Fish Club, received a rating of 100.

Caledonia Golf & Fish Club, SC–100 GolfDay Rating

I’m sure the residents of S.C. are keenly aware of how lucky they are to have so many terrific courses in their midst, while the rest of us mark our calendar and count the days.

Hawaii (#2)

It takes a bit of getting there, and can be a little pricey, but with unparalleled scenery and a host of top-notch golf courses, Hawaii should be at the top of your bucket list. Sprinkled among the islands are 60 public courses, 11 of which received a GolfDay Rating of 90 or higher. Almost half of the courses in Hawaii received a rating above 80, so you won’t have to look far to find quality golf (if you can tear yourself away from the beach).

Wailea Golf Club, HI—3 superb courses by Robert Trent Jones

On Oahu, Ko Olina Golf Club received the highest rating at 91.6. On Maui, Wailea Golf Club received a rating of 100, followed by Kapalua Resort-97.4 and Manele Golf Course at the Four Seasons Resort—90.2

On Kauai, Princeville Makai Golf Club heads the list, receiving a GolfDay Rating of 100, while on the Big Island, the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel course received a rating of 95.2, followed closely by Hualalai at the Four Seasons Resort (94.9).

Nevada (#3)

Most everyone knows that there are some nice courses in the Las Vegas area, but may not realize just how good so many of them actually are. Reno and Lake Tahoe, in western Nevada, offer quite a few fantastic courses as well. Of the 71 public courses in Nevada, 13 received a GolfDay Rating above 90, and 34 were rated at 80 or higher. Cascata, a Rees Jones masterpiece, received a GolfDay Rating of 99.1 and is located just 25 minutes from the airport.

Cascata, NV—A Rees Jones Masterpiece

Near Reno, Incline Village received a rating of 97.1, and 11 other courses in the area were rated 80 or higher.

Delaware (#4)

For a small state, Delaware packs a big punch when it comes to quality golf. There are only 22 public courses in the state, but 4 of them received a GolfDay Rating over 90, and 13 were rated 80 or higher.

White Clay Creek Country Club, DE—Arthur Hills and Steve Forest Design

Plantation Lakes Golf & Country Club, designed by Arthur Hills and Steve Forest in Millsboro, received the highest rating at 92.4. Other courses in Delaware receiving a 90+ rating include White Clay Creek Country Club (91.9), Odessa National Golf Club (90.7), and Bayside Resort Golf Club (90.6).

Alabama (#5)

If you want to make your golf fantasy come true, look no further than Alabama. In addition to the 11 fabulous courses along the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, 3 courses in Alabama also received a rating above 90 (FarmLinks Golf Club at Pussell Farms—92.7, Timberline Golf Course—91.0, and GlenLakes Golf Club—90.2).

Of the 81 public golf facilities in Alabama, 42 received a GolfDay Rating of 80 or higher.

Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail: The Shoals, AL—Roger Rulewich and Bobby Vaughn Design

From the rugged terrain in the northern part of the state where the Appalachian Mountain chain begins, to the beauty of a gulf coast sunrise down south, Alabama offers not only perfect weather just about year-round, but also some of the finest golf courses you will find anywhere in the world.

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