"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 also the "Top 100 Courses You Can Play" list, which focuses solely 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 will celebrate its 60th year in 2027.
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!
Top Courses You Can Play in SC
GolfWeek's Top South Carolina Courses – 2025 Rankings
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. Sea Pines Resort
(Heron Point)
Pete Dye (modern)
8. TPC Myrtle Beach
(TPC Myrtle Beach)
Murrells Inlet, SC
Tom Fazio (modern)
9. Tidewater Golf Club
North Myrtle Beach, SC
Ken Tomlinson (modern)
10. Kiawah Island Golf Resort
(Osprey Point)
Kiawah Island, SC
Tom Fazio (modern)
11. Prestwick
Myrtle BeacH
Ken Tomlinson (modern)
12. Legends Golf Resort
(Moorland)
Myrtle Beach, SC
P. B. Dye (modern)
13. Legends Golf Resort
(Heathlands)
Myrtle Beach, SC
Tom Doak (modern)
14. Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Cougar Point)
Kiawah Island
Gary Player
15. Barefoot Resort & Golf
(Dye Course)
North Myrtle Beach, SC
Pete Dye (modern)
16. Heritage Club
Pawleys Island, SC
Dan Maples (modern)
17. Palmetto Dunes (Robert Trent Jones Course)
Hilton Head Island
Robert Trent Jones
18. Myrtle Beach National
(King’s North)
Myrtle Beach, SC
Arnold Palmer (modern)
19. Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Turtle Point)
Kiawah Island
Jack Nicklau
20. Aiken Golf Club
Aiken
I.W. Fowler & E.J. Egerrton
Best Modern Courses in South Carolina
GolfWeek's Top 200 Modern Courses
16. Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Ocean Course)
Kiawah Island, SC (1991)
2025 ranking: 15
Pete Dye (public)
Year opened: 1991
T23. Old Barnwell
Aiken
2025 ranking: T24
Brian Schneider, Blake Conard (private)
Year opened: 2023
40. Tree Farm
Batesburg
2025 ranking: T40
Tom Doak, Kye Goalby, Zac Blair (private)
Year opened: 2023
T54. Sage Valley
Graniteville, SC
2025 ranking: T58
Tom Fazio (private)
Year opened: 2001
74. Sea Pines Golf Resort (Harbour Town Golf Links)
Hilton Head Island, SC
2025 ranking: T73
Pete Dye (public)
Year opened: 1970
T83. Secession Golf Club
Gibbes Island, SC
2025 Ranking: T81
Bruce Devlin (private)
Year opened: 1992
T85. Long Cove
Hilton Head Island, SC
2025 ranking : T72
Pete Dye (private)
Year opened: 1992
T94: Broomsedge
Rembert
2025 ranking: NR
Kyle Franz, Mike Koprowski (private, but welcomes limited outside play)
Year opened: 2024
T119. Colleton River (Dye)
Bluffton
2025 ranking: T112
Pete Dye (private)
Year opened: 1998
T157. Kiawah Island Club (Cassique)
Kiawah Island
2025 ranking: T149
Tom Watson (private)
Year Opened: 2000
T160. Spring Island (Old Tabby Links)
Okatie
2025 ranking: T157
Arnold Palmer, Ed Seay, Brandon Johnson (private)
Year opened: 1993
T126. Cliffs at Mountain Park
Travelers Rest
2025 Ranking: T163
Gary Player (private)
Year opened: 2013
T186. Chechessee Creek Club (Chechessee)
Okatie
2025 ranking: T185
Ben Crenshaw (private)
Year opened: 2000
T186. Kiawah Island Club (River Course)
Kiawah Island
2025 ranking: T179
Tom Fazio (private)
Year opened: 1995
T194. Montage Palmetto Bluff (May River)
Bluffton
2025 ranking: 183
Jack Nicklaus (private)
Year opened: 2004
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)
