"Golfweek's Best" offers a comprehensive look at America's finest courses (view complete rankings at www.golfweek.com). The magazine, utilizing a small army of raters who compile data each year, offers listings of both "Top 200 Classic Courses" (built before 1960) and "Top 200 Modern Courses". There is a also the "Top 100 Courses You Can Play" list, which focuses soley on public play layouts.
Golfweek also ranks each state's best courses, in the case of South Carolina, a listing of the top 15 public-access courses. Topping both that state list and ranking among the "Greatest 200 Modern Courses" are two perennial favorites: The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, site of the 2012 and 2021 PGA Championship, and Hilton Head's Harbour Town Golf Links, home to the RBC Heritage, which celebrates its 56th year in 2023.
In all, South Carolina placed 15 courses in the "Top 200 Modern Courses" listing and four in the "Classic" rankings, and that doesn't include a number of public-access layouts that made the "Best In State" list.
Talk about a sweet "bucket list" for players. Enjoy!
Best You Can Play in South Carolina (2023 Rankings)
Top Courses You Can Play in SC (GolfWeek's Top South Carolina Courses)
1. Kiawah Island Golf Resort
(Ocean Course)
Kiawah Island, SC
Pete Dye (modern)
2. Sea Pines Resort
(Harbour Town Golf Links)
Hilton Head Island, SC
Pete Dye (modern)
3. The Dunes Golf & Beach Club
Myrtle Beach, SC
Robert Trent Jones Sr. (classic)
4. Caledonia Golf & Fish Club
Pawleys Island, SC
Michael Strantz (modern)
5. True Blue Golf Club
Pawleys Island, SC
Michael Strantz (modern)
6. Sea Pines Resort
(Atlantic Dunes)
Davis Love III (modern)
7. Tidewater Golf Club
North Myrtle Beach, SC
Ken Tomlinson (modern)
8. Sea Pines Resort
(Heron Point)
Pete Dye (modern)
9. Legends Golf Resort
(Moorland)
Myrtle Beach, SC
P. B. Dye (modern)
10. TPC Myrtle Beach
(TPC Myrtle Beach)
Murrells Inlet, SC
Tom Fazio (modern)
T11. Kiawah Island Golf Resort
(Osprey Point)
Kiawah Island, SC
Tom Fazio (modern)
T11. Myrtle Beach National
(King’s North)
Myrtle Beach, SC
Arnold Palmer (modern)
13. Heritage Club
Pawleys Island, SC
Dan Maples (modern)
14. Barefoot Resort & Golf
(Dye Course)
North Myrtle Beach, SC
Pete Dye (modern)
15. Grande Dunes Resort Club
Myrtle Beach, SC
Roger Rulewich (modern)
Best Modern Courses in South Carolina (GolfWeek's Top 200 Modern Courses)
14. Kiawah Island Golf Resort
(Ocean Course)
Kiawah Island, SC (1991)
Pete Dye (public)
24. Congaree Golf Club
Ridgeland, SC (2017)
Tom Fazio (private)
T59. Sea Pines Golf Resort
(Harbour Town Golf Links)
Hilton Head Island, SC (1970)
Pete Dye (public)
T58. Long Cove
Hilton Head Island, SC (1982)
Pete Dye (private)
T65. Sage Valley
Graniteville, SC (2001)
Tom Fazio (private)
T80. Secession Golf Club
Gibbes Island, SC (1992)
Bruce Devlin (private)
T113. Spring Island (Old Tabby Links)
Okatie, SC (1993)
Arnold Palmer, Ed Seay, Brandon Johnson (private)
T126. Kiawah Island Club
(River Course)
Kiawah Island, SC (1995)
Tom Fazio (private)
T126. Kiawah Island Club
(Cassique)
Kiawah Island, SC (2000)
Tom Watson (private)
T126. Cliffs at Mountain Park
Travelers Rest, SC (2013)
Gary Player (private)
T139. Montage Palmetto Bluff
(May River)
Bluffton, SC (2004)
Jack Nicklaus (resort)
T150. Kiawah Island Club (River Course)
Kiawah Island, SC (1995)
Tom Fazio (private)
T171. Chechessee Creek Club
(Chechessee)
Okatie, SC (1999)
Ben Crenshaw (private)
T178. Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards
Sunset, SC (1999)
Tom Fazio (private)
182. Caledonia Golf & Fish Club
Pawleys Island, SC (1994)
Michael Strantz (public)
T183. Colleton River
(Nicklaus Course)
Bluffton, SC (1993)
Jack Nicklaus (private)
Best Classic Courses in South Carolina (GolfWeek's Top 200 Classic Courses)
39. Yeaman’s Hall (35)
Charleston, SC (1925)
Seth Raynor (private)
111. Palmetto Golf Club (123)
Aiken, SC (1892)
Herbert Leeds; Alister MacKenzie (private)
T143. Country Club of Charleston (T136)
Charleston, SC (1925)
Seth Raynor (private)
T146. The Dunes Golf & Beach Club (T143)
Myrtle Beach, SC (1948)
Robert Trent Jones Sr. (resort)
