Of all the states in the country, South Carolina has the highest percentage of public courses receiving a GolfDay Rating of 90 or higher (Excellent), and a very large number received a rating over 80 (very good), so it’s certainly no surprise that some of the best golf resorts in the country can be found in SC as well.

The Resorts below are listed by their GolfDay Rating, and we have included links for course description, accommodations and golf academy (if available). A link to the Resort website is also provided, as well as a link to Google Maps for each location.

Pete Dye, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Fazio dominate the landscape at the premier golf destinations in South Carolina. Dye and Nicklaus collaborated to create the iconic Harbour Town Links at Sea Island Resort, and each contributed their signature to the spectacular courses at Kiawah Island—Pete Dye with the Ocean Course and Jack with Turtle Point.  Nicklaus also laid out the wonderful track at Montage-Palmetto (May River.)

Tom Fazio contributed his architectural genius at Kiawah with Osprey Point, designed one of the terrific courses at Barefoot Resort, and both courses at Wild Dunes Golf Links.

Davis Love III has also continued to burnish his reputation among the top modern day course architects with his work at Sea Pines Resort (Atlantic Dunes), Barefoot Resort and Fripp Island Resort (Ocean Creek)  

The GolfDay Resort rating is based on a variety of criteria, including the stature of the architect(s) who did the original design(s), the variety of courses located at the property, updates that have been done on the course(s), USGA Course and Slope Ratings, current local and national rankings by Golf Digest and Golfweek, the quality and diversity of practice facilities, general course conditioning and current reviews, as well as the quality of accommodations and level of service.

Click Top 10 South Carolina Resorts for a map overview of the resort locations (hover over a flag and the resort name will come up, and click for details).                                            

1. Kiawah Island Golf Resort/Kiawah Island, SC

• • Holes: 90 (5-Eighteen Hole Regulation Courses)
  • Course Architects: Pete Dye/Alice Dye/Gary Player/Clyde Johnston/Tom Fazio/Jack Nicklaus
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating
  • Ocean:                    79.1/155
  • Cougar Point:         72.7/134
  • Oak Point:              72.1/137
  • Osprey Point:         73.6/140
  • Turtle Point:           73.0/134
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Ranges with Targets, Chipping and Putting Greens at each course. Range Balls included with Greens Fee.
  • Course Descriptions
  • Accommodations
  • Golf Academy
  • Rankings: Golf Digest Top 100, Golf Digest Top 100-Public, Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest SC Top 45, Golfweek SC Top 15-Public
  • GolfDay Rating: 100
  • Location

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2. The Sea Pines Resort/Hilton Head Island, SC

• • Holes: 54 (3-Eighteen Hole Regulation Courses)
  • Course Architects: Pete Dye/Jack Nicklaus/George Cobb/Clyde Johnston/Davis Love III/Scot Sherman
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating
  • Harbour Town Links:            79.5/152
  • Heron Point:                        74.8/140
  • Atlantic Dunes:                    74.3/143
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Ranges with Targets (Harbour Town and Heron Point/Ocean), Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers. Range Balls and Fore Caddie (Harbour Town) included with Greens Fee.
  • Course Descriptions
  • Accommodations
  • Golf Academy
  • Rankings: Golf Digest Top 200, Golf Digest Top 100-Public, Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest SC Top 45, Golfweek SC Top 15-Public
  • GolfDay Rating: 100
  • Location

3. Barefoot Resort & Golf/North Myrtle Beach, SC

• • Holes: 72 (4-Eighteen Hole Regulation Courses)
  • Course Architects: Greg Norman/Tad Burnett/Davis Love III/Tom Fazio/Pete Dye Moreau/David Gill/Mike DeVries
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating
  • Norman:     74.2/141
  • Love:          74.9/141
  • Fazio:         73.4/144
  • Dye:           76.0/143
  • Practice Facilities: Lighted and Covered Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker. Dyer and Greg Norman Golf Academies.
  • Course Descriptions
  • Accommodations
  • Golf Academy
  • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golf Digest SC Top 45, Golfweek SC Top 15-Public
  • GolfDay Rating: 100
  • Location

4. Legends Resort/Myrtle Beach SC

• • Holes: 54
  • Course Architects: Tom Doak/P. B. Dye
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating
  • Parkland:               74.3/144
  • Moorland:              73.6/143
  • Heathland:              73.3/143
  • Practice Facilities: Lighted Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
  • Accommodations
  • Golf Academy/Junior Golf
  • Golf Packages
  • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts, Golfweek SC Top 15-Public
  • GolfDay Rating: 94.8
  • Location

5. May River Golf Club/Bluffton, SC
6. Montage-Palmetto Bluff

• • Holes: 18
  • Course Architects: Jack Nicklaus
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.8/141
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Wedge Range with Target Greens, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunkers (6). ProV1 Range Balls included with Greens Fee.
  • Course Description
  • Accommodations
  • Photos
  • Rankings: Golf Digest Top 100-Public, Golf Digest SC Top 45, Golfweek SC Top 15-Public
  • GolfDay Rating: 94.5
  • Location

6. Fripp Island Club/St. Helena Island, SC
7. Fripp Island Golf & Beach resort/Seascape Hospitality

• • Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses)
  • Course Architect: George Cobb/John LaFoy/Davis Love III/Paul Cowley
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
  • Ocean Point:          74.0/140
  • Ocean Creek:         72.1/139
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker (Creek). Irons Only Grass Driving Range with Putting Green (Point).
  • Course Descriptions
  • Accommodations
  • Golf Packages
  • GolfDay Rating: 94.4
  • Location

7. Grande Dunes Resort Club/Myrtle Beach, SC
8. Marina Inn

• • Holes: 18
  • Course Architect: Roger Rulewich
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 73.8/136
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range, Putting and Chipping Greens (2) with Bunker, Performance Center with FlightScope and Club Fitting.
  • Course Description
  • Accommodations
  • Performance Center
  • Rankings: Golfweek Top 200 Resorts
  • GolfDay Rating: 94.3
  • Location

8. Wild Dunes Golf Links/Isle of Palms, SC
9. Destination Hotels

• • Holes: 36 (2 Eighteen Hole Courses)
  • Course Architect: Tom Fazio
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating:
  • Links:         72.1/138
  • Harbor:       71.1/139
  • Practice Facilities: Driving Range (flight restricted balls), Putting and Chipping Greens (Links Course). Range Balls included with Greens Fee.
  • Course Descriptions
  • Accommodations
  • Golf Packages
  • GolfDay Rating: 90.7
  • Location

9. Wachesaw Plantation East/Myrtle Beach, SC
10. Patton Hospitality

• • Holes: 18
  • Course Architect: Clyde Johnston
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating: 74.0/146
  • Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker.
  • Course Description
  • Accommodations
  • Photos
  • Rankings: Golf Digest SC Top 45
  • GolfDay Rating: 88.6
  • Location

10. Palmetto Dunes/Hilton Head Island, SC

• • Holes: 54
  • Course Architects: Robert Trent Jones, Sr./Arthur Hills/George Fazio/Roger Rulewich/John Harvey
  • USGA Course/Slope Rating
  • Jones:                    74.8/141
  • Hills:                      73.5/139
  • Fazio:                     74.2/145
  • Practice Facilities: Practice Facilities: Grass Driving Range with Targets, Putting and Chipping Greens with Bunker (Hills/Fazio)/Driving Range with Bunker and Toptracer Technology (Jones).
  • Course Descriptions
  • Accommodations
  • Golf Academy
  • GolfDay Rating: 88
  • Location

• Top 10 Golf Resorts: South Carolina 2023-2024
• Top 10 Golf Resorts: South Carolina 2023-2024
• Top 10 Golf Resorts: South Carolina 2023-2024