Top U.S. Golf Courses by Region
Fundamentally, ranking golf courses is a subjective exercise. Better players often prefer more challenging layouts. Less skilled golfers might appreciate wider fairways with fewer forced carries.
That said, the validity of any individual review isn’t tied to whether that golfer has a degree in golf course architecture or a preference for certain types of grasses.
If you’re a golfer, your opinion matters.
To build our list of the best golf destinations, we turned to TheGrint and to real golfers just like you.
ABOUT THEGRINT’S RANKINGS
To generate our rankings, we leveraged data from TheGrint, a golf handicap and stat-tracking service that also allows golfers to rate the courses they play. Think of it as something similar to Yelp for golf courses.
Here are the pertinent details:
- Ranking derived from more than 300,000 golf course reviews from golfers just like you.
- Only reviews from the previous year (2020) are used.
- Only considered courses with a minimum of 50 reviews.
- Golfers considered course conditions and overall experience as ranking criteria.
Based on reader feedback, we took the data for all courses in the United States and broke it down by region. This is the last of our five regional lists in this series. If you have other categories of course reviews you’d like to see, leave us a comment.
BEST COURSES IN THE SOUTHEAST
Observations
- South Carolina and North Carolina each had three courses ranked in the top 10.
- As with other regions, resort locations with multiple courses ranked highly.
- Only location with multiple courses in the top 10 is Pinehurst Resort (North Carolina).
TOP 10
10. The Walker Golf Course at Clemson University (97.7)
Considered one of the best university courses in the United States, the Walker Course is home to the Clemson University golf teams.
9. Willow Point Golf and Country Club | Willow Point (97.9)
Originally one of the Russell Farms cattle farms, Willow Point is situated on a peninsula, surrounded by Lake Martin. As you might expect, a majority of the holes (12 of 18) are located along the shores and all 18 have a view of the lake.
8. Tobacco Road Golf Course (98.0)
Affectionately dubbed “The Road” or “Pine Valley on steroids”, Tobacco Road is one of the most challenging tracks in either of the Carolinas.
7. Streamsong Resort | Black (98.2)
The Gil Hanse design is the most recent addition (2017) to Streamsong Resort in central Florida, between Tampa Bay and Orlando. While “remote” might be an understatement, Streamsong Resort should be on every serious golfer’s bucket list.
6. Mystic Creek Golf Club (98.4)
South-central Arkansas isn’t generally the first place golfers list as a top-shelf golf destination. That said, Mystic Creek’s cathedral pines and domed greens might have you convinced it’s somewhere between Georgia and the South Carolina coast.
5. Pinehurst Resort | No. 2 (98.5)
Often referred to as the quintessential Donald Ross masterpiece, the No. 2 course (restored by Coore/Crenshaw) is deserving of every accolade it’s received. And at last count, it was more than the number of photos taken next to the statue of Payne Stewart that memorializes his 1999 U.S. Open victory.
4. Kiawah Island Golf Resort | The Ocean (98.8)
The good news is that Alice Dye (wife of renowned architect Pete Dye) suggested several course alterations that created additional elevation and views of the Atlantic coast.
Bad news? The views come at a cost, namely constant exposure to the unpredictable winds that make The Ocean course potentially one of the most penalizing loops in the U.S.
3. Pinehurst Resort | No. 4 (98.9)
Pinehurst Resort contains nine 18-hole courses. And while Pinehurst No. 2 receives the bulk of the attention, No. 4 continues to make a strong case that it might be a more appropriate challenge for the majority of golfers.
2. Harbour Town Golf Links (99.2)
For the last 52 years, Harbour Town has played host to the RBC Heritage tournament on the PGA TOUR. Additionally, the 90-foot red-and-white lighthouse serves as part tourist attraction and part aiming point for the 472-yard, par-4 18th hole.
1. TPC Sawgrass | Stadium Course (99.2)
Is there a more daunting tee shot than 17 at TPC Sawgrass? The 132-yard island-green par-3 appears relatively benign but Bob Tway, who carded a 12 on the infamous hole in 2005, would disagree.
Looking for more courses to check out? Here’s a list of the top 50 public courses in the United States, according to TheGrint.
Tim A Travis
2 days agoAlways the winners are high cost
There are slot of courses under $100 that are excellent and are never mentioned. I travel all over playing every week and can show courses in Fla Ga SC NC that are great layouts and condition.
Pete
6 days agoThe people who complain about Tobacco Road are the same people that want cookie cutter courses that can be copied and pasted anywhere in the country. The typical country club snob that wants a flat course with boring hole design hates Tobacco Road. It is FANTASTIC and deserves the accolades. In fact, I am amazed that another Strantz masterpiece (Caledonia) isn’t on this list. If you want to have a fun/challenging round then play Tobacco Road.
Mike
6 days agoI read some famous golf course designers said “there’s no such thing as a good blind shot”. Obviously some folks who disagree but I have always adhered to that statement. So anytime I see more than one blind shot, especially to a green, I’ll probably pass.
Lindsay
1 week agoIn the wide world of golf course rankings., these TheGrint generated rankings might be the absolute worst….useless
Ben
1 week agoIt is fascinating to read the comments. This is the fifth installment of this list and most commenters still don’t understand that MGS DID NOT create these rankings. I don’t know why that is so difficult to understand for some. You can argue all you want about what courses should be on here but it is golfers like us that create these rankings. I don’t agree with some of them but thousands of golfers playing these courses have rated them the way they are. Tobacco Road can get all the hate it wants but apparently the majority of people love it. It is a staple on every top 100 list and nearly every list of the most fun golf courses. You can disagree but I would say you are in the minority on that one. I haven’t played it but I will when I go down there. I like different golf courses and I like a challenging layout. I have no interest in playing boring straightforward golf every single time I play. Variety is the spice of life.
MGoBlue100
1 week agoReading is fundamental, Ben. These comments look like those after “Ball Test” and “Best Speaker for the Golf Course”… 😂
MikeB
1 week agoBeen playing golf for 50+ years and must say that I agree completely with the comments regarding Tobacco Road. After playing a few holes, I began to wonder if I was on a miniature golf layout and the windmill would be around the next corner.
Tony P
1 week agoI have heard that Harbor Town is well kept for about 2 months out of the year, right in time for and right after the PGA event, otherwise very shabby.
Heard the same as everyone else on Tobacco Road. All tricks & no substance
Also many other courses missing from these lists
Jim
1 week agoInteresting. I have come to depend on MYGOLFSPY to provide me with factual and analytical information to make my decisions. Unfortunately, tis seems more like a popularity contest rather than a rating of the playability of the courses. I would not have the Walker Course included in the top 10. As a public/semi-private course, I could name a dozen other course that are more playable. The course is pretty and green but fairways and approaches are always damp and who would ever consider a course with diamond zoysia greens in the top 10 of anything.
Will
1 week agoAgree with Russel and Rob Tobacco road is an awful course, can’t see about 6 drives and another six shots to green. All tricks, no substance, can’t understand why it’s on your list and others. If you’re in that area, besides Pinehurst of course, play The Dormie Club, especially with a caddie. All around great golf, no frills or tricks.
Jim
1 week agoWow, intersting! All along I valued MyGolfSpy as an analytical tool to provided factual data for the golf industry. This study is disappointing because it has nothing to do with playing and has everything to do with a subjective popularity contest. I have played a number of the courses in the top 10 and would never dream of putting the Walker Course on the list. As a member who regularly PLAYs the course the ranking is surprising. I could name a dozen courses in the area that are better. The course is pretty and green but fairways are damp and who would ever be happy putting on diamond zoysia greens! Disappointed MYGOLFSPY doesn’t rate a course for playability rather than aesthetics.
Lance Kulman
1 week agoI have played and photographed extensively in the SouthEast and can confirm that the courses you chose are some of the best, but most are not affordable to the average “Joe” who plays golf. My top ten in the SouthEast would be The Walker Course at Clemson University(10), Slammer&Squire GC(9), Barefoot Resort & Golf-The Fazio Course(8)Bay Creek Golf Club(7), Burnt Pine GC (6), Grand Dunes GC (5), Innisbrook Resort & Golf Club-Island Course (4), Saddlebrook Resort-Palmer Course(3), Shipyard GC (2), May River GC (1). There were a couple of courses I should have added but for the average golfer way to tough so that is my favorite list of playable and affordable courses.
TMAC
7 days agoDO you know how much it cost to play May River? Almost as much as Harbour Town and you have to stay on their property. Plus, please don’t tell me you are talking about Shipyard on Hilton Head Island. Those 3 nine’s are a dog track.
Squint
1 week agoCan you redo this “Top 10” and include courses EVERYONE can play. Rates under $125 would be nice too.
Branson Reynolds
1 week agoI thought these lists were for courses we can actually play. Willow point looks to be completely private. Bummer I’ll be in the area this month, have to settle for rtj trail
Russell
1 week agoGo play Tobacco Road if you never want to see your ball land. Too many blind shots. Very tricked up. Played it once. Never again.
Rob231
1 week agoAgree with the tricked up description. It’s not a fun course.
Robert Preston
1 week agoIf you don’t like Tobacco Road, don’t bother to play Tot Hill Farm.
Paul
1 week agoWell, if I were Mystic Creek in El Dorado, AR, I might be a little upset that you used a picture of Mystic Creek Golf Course in Milford, Michigan!!!!
I’ve played Mystic Creek in El Dorado a bunch of times and I knew right away that picture was wrong… Sheesh.