The 8 Best Golf Courses in Sunset Beach, North Carolina (NC)

The Jones Course is a straightforward layout featuring generous mounded fairways bordered by scenic lakes and towering trees. A perennial favorite among residents and guests, this course is an extraordinary golf experience for players of all skill levels. Wide fairways and large mounds are surrounded by water, with water coming into play on 11 holes of the Par 72 championship course. In addition to water hazards, the many pot and large expanse bunkers make for a delightfully challenging game of golf. This spectacular course measures 6,761 yards from the blue tees; 6,334 yards from the white tees; 5,716 from the gold tees; and 4,912 yards from the red tees

Thistle Golf Club & Estates is an exclusive golf and residential community, located in Sunset Beach, North Carolina, offering a limited 145 custom golf estates on 27 magnificent holes. Enjoy the finest in country club living with a luxury resort lifestyle, surrounded by an idyllic nature preserve, acres of wildflowers wetlands, and rare wildlife.

The Willard Byrd Course requires a distinctively different approach thanks to a constricting tree line, challenging greenside bunkering, and lakes ranging from 14-20 acres. Strategically placed tee shots are essential for successful play on Byrd's undulating greens of Champions Bermuda. A picturesque and scenic 18th hole between two beautiful ponds finishes the course at the Jones-Byrd Clubhouse. The course measures 6,740 yards from the blue tees; 6,251 yards from the white tees; 5,561 yards from the gold tees; and 4,621 yards from the red tees.

Tiger’s Eye Golf Links, one of the crown jewels at Ocean Ridge Plantation, is an upscale daily-fee 18-hole golf course carved from a virgin pine and hardwood forest in Sunset Beach, N.C.Designed by master golf course architect and land planner Tim Cate, Tiger’s Eye is one of four championship layouts at Ocean Ridge Plantation. Tiger's Eye has been recognized by several national golf publications as being among the best courses in the country. The layout has been consistently ranked among Golf Digest’s “Top 100 Public Golf Courses in America”. It is also Number 3 on Golf Digest's list of "Top 50 Courses in Myrtle Beach" and has earned 4 1/2 stars in their prestigious Places to Play rankings. Tiger's Eye was also ranked No. 6 in the state of North Carolina by Golfweek magazine. Now featuring immaculate new TifEagle greens, this gorgeous beast is ready to take a bite out of your scorecard. Come Chase Birdies with The Big Cats today!

Lion’s Paw® Golf Links. Designed by renowned architect Willard Byrd, Lion’s Paw® is an open, hilly course that treats the golfer to spectacular views of a beautiful creek valley and its adjoining wetlands. Distinguished by towering hardwoods, boldly contoured MiniVerde greens (renovated in 2018), spectacular water shots and mounds of sugar sand marking deep bunkers and high embankments, this 18-hole layout in one of the Grand Strand’s most popular courses. Lion’s Paw® has multiple tee areas, more than 70 bunkers and generous mounding lining many fairways. The course has considerable elevation change throughout both nines. Water comes into play on 15 holes and beautiful wetland views can be seen from every hole. With oyster shells lining the lakes and creeks flowing across fairways, the layout is truly spectacular. Lion’s Paw® earned 4-stars in Golf Digest’s prestigious Places To Play ranking and was called “A different, refreshing kind of challenge” - Golf Illustrated

Panther’s Run Golf Links Winding its way through a pristine nature preserve, Panther’s Run is a wild and scenic ride from start to finish. One of the legendary Big Cats Courses of Ocean Ridge Plantation, Panther's Run features generous rolling fairways and deep sand bunkers that lurk throughout this gorgeous championship layout and the newly installed TifEagle® greens putt fast and true. Hold your breath and take dead aim at the heart of this striking beast. If you’re lucky, you will survive to play another day. Come Chase Birdies with The Big Cats TODAY!

The Maples Course is a traditional southern course framed by twisted ancient oaks and tall Carolina pines. The medium-length, accuracy-demanding course features five holes that wind along the scenic Calabash Creek, with elaborate landscaping, and undulating greens. Still regarded as one of Maples finest, this is a beautiful par 72 course, with A1/A4 blended Bent grass greens. The course is also peppered with numerous waste bunkers, one of which extends the full length of a fairway. The course measures 6,797 yards from the blue tees; 6,330 yards from the white tees; 6,035 yards from the gold tees; and 5,110 yards from the red tees.