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
Share this Article:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *