The Best Golf Courses in South Carolina

From the Lowcountry to the Upstate, these are some of the best South Carolina golf courses.

South Carolina is home to more than 350 golf courses, including many impressive public courses along with resorts and private courses. The state is a favorite for vacations planned around the game for the exceptional quality of the courses and the convenience of playing several courses located in the same area.

Myrtle Beach claims the title of “Golf Capital of the World” with more than 80 courses within just a few miles. Hilton Head Island’s more than 23 championship courses include oceanfront layouts as well as parkland and links-style courses. Charleston and Bluffton are also home to a number of popular courses created by top golf course architects attracted by South Carolina’s weather, natural beauty, and great beaches. 

In addition to golf, visitors enjoy southern hospitality, great food, and spectacular landscapes and wildlife. These are some of the best golf courses in South Carolina.

Related: 8 Charming Small Towns in South Carolina — From the Mountains to the Beach

Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head Island

Located at Sea Pines Resort, Harbour Town Golf Links is home to the annual RBC Heritage PGA TOUR event. Famed golf course designer Pete Dye, along with Jack Nicklaus, created a beautiful course with small sloping greens, water hazards, challenging par threes, and a widely recognizable 18th hole known for its lighthouse view. Heron Point by Pete Dye and Atlantic Dunes by Davis Love III are also at Sea Pines Resort.

May River Golf Club, Palmetto Bluff

Designed by Jack Nicklaus, May River Golf Club is located at the Montage Palmetto Bluff. The challenging course plays along the banks of the river among ancient live oak trees and beautiful Lowcountry landscapes with wide sloping fairways, white-sand bunkers, and water hazards. The course has earned Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary status for its wildlife and habitat management.

Haig Point, Daufuskie Island

This Rees Jones-designed course features 29 holes, including the nine-hole Osprey Course and the 20-hole Signature Course with routing options for both skilled and recreational golfers. Ocean views, tree-lined fairways, and abundant wildlife make playing the courses memorable. The private course, reached only by boat, offers tee times for a limited number of daily guests.

The Ocean Course, Kiawah Island

This Pete Dye design — created with input from his wife, Alice — features ten seaside holes along the Atlantic Ocean on the easternmost end of the island. The elevation of the course, as suggested by Alice Dye, provides views of Kiawah’s coastline from every hole while placing the course in the midst of ocean breezes, adding challenge and gorgeous scenery. Four other courses at Kiawah Island include Osprey Point by Tom Fazio, Oak Point by Clyde Johnston, Turtle Point by Jack Nicklaus, and Cougar Point by Gary Player.

TPC Myrtle Beach, Murrells Inlet

This public course designed by Tom Fazio features abundant live oaks, pines, wetlands, and a scenic layout. Narrow fairways and sloping greens challenge golfers, and its signature par-five 18th hole offers a stunning view along with a water hazard surrounding the green.

True Blue Golf Club, Pawleys Island

This Mike Strantz signature golf course has vast tree-lined fairways, elevation changes, large bunker areas, and water hazards. Its Lowcountry site includes wetlands, forests, and salt marshes. Located at the True Blue Golf Resort, the course features an 18-acre practice facility. Nearby Caledonia Golf & Fish Club has another popular Mike Strantz design.

Wild Dunes Resort, Isle of Palms

Two world-class golf courses, both designed by Tom Fazio, are offered at Wild Dunes. The Links Course features narrow palm-lined fairways and a memorable finishing hole that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. The Harbor Course, known for its challenging design and views of the Intracoastal Waterway and salt marshes, tests golfers with plenty of water hazards.

Barefoot Resort & Golf, North Myrtle Beach

Four different courses, all designed by leading professionals, are offered at the resort. The Norman Course by Greg Norman includes seven holes along the Intracoastal Waterway, undulating greens, and desert-style natural vegetation. Other courses include the Love Course (designed by Davis Love III), the Fazio Course (by Tom Fazio), and semi-private Dye Course (by Pete Dye).

Tidewater Golf Club, North Myrtle Beach

Set between the Intracoastal Waterway and Cherry Grove Inlet, the course offers gorgeous scenery along with its challenges. Nine holes play along the water, and the saltwater marsh and dense trees put players to the test, as do elevation changes and ocean breezes.

Daniel Island Club, Charleston

This residential development and private club features two of South Carolina’s most beautiful courses: Beresford Creek by Tom Fazio and Ralston Creek by Rees Jones. The Fazio-designed course is set among waterways, marshes, creeks, and massive trees, offering stunning views. Ralston Creek’s fairway and greenside bunkers, along with contoured greens and water features, present beautiful views along with multiple challenges.

Furman Golf Club, Greenville

One of the top college golf courses in the country, this public course is located on the campus of Furman University. Nearby, the highly-rated Walker Course at Clemson University is set on the banks of Lake Hartwell near the center of the campus.