Promoting excellence in South Carolina golf course design and operations
through competitive rankings, education and public advocacy.
2010 BEST IN SOUTH CAROINA AWARDS

Harbour Town Once Again Rated State's Top Golf Course 

Seabrook Island, SC
March 13, 2010

Harbour Town Golf Links

Harbour Town Golf Links, host of the Verizon Heritage, has been selected the top golf course in South Carolina by the South Carolina Golf Course Ratings Panel.

Harbour Town, at The Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island, has been chosen the state's best since the panel, composed of 125 members from throughout the state, began its rankings in 2005.

"I could play Harbour Town every day and never get bored," former U.S. Open champion Jim Furyk said in 2008.

The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Resort, which staged the 1991 Ryder Cup and will host the 2012 PGA Championship, climbed to second place in the rankings.

Although the order changed slightly, the same courses from 2008 composed this year's top 10, which were announced Saturday, March 13 at the panel's awards dinner at Seabrook Island Resort.

"There are so many outstanding courses that we're really splitting hairs," said Michael Whitaker, the organization's executive director.

Sage Valley Golf Club in Graniteville finished third in the balloting, followed by May River Golf Club at Palmetto Bluff, Greenville Country Club's Chanticleer Course, Long Cove Club in Hilton Head, Secession Golf Club in Beaufort, the Dunes Golf & Beach Club in Myrtle Beach, Kiawah Island Club's Cassique Course and Yeamans Hall Club in Hanahan.

Architects of the top courses represent a Who's Who in the field. Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus combined on Harbour Town, and Dye designed the Ocean Course and Long Cove. Nicklaus also has May River to his credit. Robert Trent Jones Sr. produced the Dunes and Chanticleer.

Others include Tom Fazio (Sage Valley), Bruce Devlin (Secession), Tom Watson (Cassique) and Seth Raynor (Yeamans Hall).

Kiawah Island Golf Resort earned top honors among state golf resorts. The Sea Pines Resort placed second with Palmetto Bluff, Barefoot (North Myrtle Beach), Grande Dunes (Myrtle Beach) and Wild Dunes (Isle of Palms) following. Grande Dunes and Wild Dunes tied for fifth.

New and Renovated Courses Move Up
The Cliffs at Keowee Springs, a new Fazio design which opened in 2009, debuted at No. 31. Four of the Cliffs' courses earned places in the top 50 and are ranked Nos. 3-6 among upstate courses. Renovations helped Haig Point Club on Daufauskie Island jump 16 spots to No. 24. The Country Club of Spartanburg, which also was revamped, made the rankings for the first time at No. 34.

The panel is composed of golf enthusiasts representing a diverse range of occupations, handicaps and backgrounds. The panel's objective is to promote excellence in the state's golf course design and operations through competitive rankings, education and public advocacy.

The best courses, public or private, are selected every other year (even-number years) and the best courses "you can play" (public only) are chosen in odd-numbered years. Criteria used in the judging include routing, variety, strategy, equity, memorability, aesthetics and experience. Information on past rankings can be found at scgolfpanel.org.

South Carolina's Top 50 Golf Courses
Selected by the South Carolina Golf Course Rating Panel

  1. Harbour Town Golf Links, The Sea Pines Resort, Hilton Head Island
  2. The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Resort
  3. Sage Valley Golf Club, Graniteville
  4. May River Golf Club, Palmetto Bluff
  5. Greenville Country Club, Chanticleer Course
  6. Long Cove Club, Hilton Head Island
  7. Secession Golf Club, Beaufort
  8. The Dunes Golf & Beach Club, Myrtle Beach
  9. Kiawah Island Club, Cassique Course
10. Yeamans Hall Club, Hanahan
11. Palmetto Golf Club, Aiken
12. Caledonia Golf & Fish Club, Pawleys Island
13. Bulls Bay Golf Club, Awendaw
14. Musgrove Mill Golf Club, Clinton
15. Kiawah Island Club, River Course
16. Old Tabby Links, Spring Island
17. Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards, Sunset
18. Chechessee Creek Club, Okatie
19. Colleton River Plantation - Nicklaus Course, Bluffton
20. The Golf Club at Briar's Creek, Johns Island
21. Country Club of Charleston
22. Cherokee Plantation Golf Club, Yemasee
23. Colleton River Plantation - Dye Course, Bluffton
24. Haig Point Club, Daufauskie Island
25. Belfair Golf Club - East Course, Bluffton
26. Tidewater Golf Club & Plantation, Little River
27. Cliffs at Keowee Falls, Salem
28. Belfair Golf Club - West Course, Bluffton
29. The Cliffs at Glassy, Landrum
30. Daniel Island Club - Ralston Creek Course
31. Cliffs at Keowee Springs, Six Mile
32. Wild Dunes Resort - Links Course, Isle of Palms
33. Wachesaw Plantataion, Murrells Inlet
34. Country Club of Spartanburg
35. The Reserve at Lake Keowee, Sunset
36. Debordieu Club, Georgetown
37. Thornblade Club, Greer
38. Barefoot Resort, Dye Course, North Myrtle Beach
39. True Blue Plantation, Pawleys Island
40. Greenville Country Club, Riverside Course
41. Grande Dunes Resort Course, Myrtle Beach
42. Camden Country Club
43. Heron Point by Pete Dye, The Sea Pines Resort, Hilton Head Island
44. Berkeley Hall, North Course, Bluffton
45. Daniel Island Club, Beresford Creek Course
46. The Reserve Golf Club of Pawleys Island
47. Florence Country Club
48. Columbia Country Club
49. Pawleys Plantation, Pawleys Island
50. Mount Vintage Plantation & Golf Club, North Augusta

Top Golf Courses By Region

GRAND STRAND
1. The Dunes Golf & Beach Club, Myrtle Beach
2. Caldeonia Golf & Fish Club, Pawleys Island
3. Tidewater Golf Club & Plantation, Little River
4. Wachesaw Plantation, Murrells Inlet
5. Debordieu Club, Georgetown
6. Barefoot Resort - Dye Course, North Myrtle Beach
7. True Blue Plantation, Pawleys Island
8. Grande Dunes - Resort Course, Myrtle Beach
9. The Reserve Golf Club of Pawleys Island
10. Pawleys Plantation, Pawleys Island

LOW COUNTRY
1. Harbour Town Golf Links, The Sea Pines Resort, Hilton Head Island
2. The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Resort
3. May River Golf Club, Palmetto Bluff
4. Long Cove Club, Hilton Head Island
5. Secession Golf Club, Beaufort
6. Kiawah Island Club, Cassique Course
7. Yeamans Hall Club, Hanahan
8. Bulls Bay Club, Awendaw
9. Kiawah Island Club - River Course
10. Old Tabby Links, Spring Island

MIDLANDS
1. Sage Valley Golf Club, Graniteville
2. Palmetto Golf Club, Aiken
3. Camden Country Club
4. Florence Country Club
5. Columbia Country Club
6. Mount Vintage Plantation & Golf Club, North Augusta
7. Members Club at Woodcreek Farms, Columbia
8. Cobblestone Park Golf Club, Blythewood
9. Country Club of South Carolina, Florence
10. Windermere Club, Blythewood

UPSTATE
1. Greenville Country Club, Chanticleer Course
2. Musgrove Mill Golf Club, Clinton
3. Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards, Sunset
4. Cliffs at Keowee Falls, Salem
5. The Cliffs of Glassy, Landrum
6. Cliffs at Keowee Springs, Six Mile
7. Country Club of Spartanburg
8. The Reserve at Lake Keowee, Sunset
9. Thornblade Club, Greer
10. Greenville Country Club, Riverside Course

Top "Stay & Play" Golf Resorts

1. Kiawah Island Golf Resort
2. The Sea Pines Resort
3. Palmetto Bluff Resort
4. Barefoot Resort & Golf
5. (Tie) Wild Dunes
5. (Tie) Grande Dunes

For more information on the South Carolina Golf Course Ratings Panel contact its Executive Director, Michael Whitaker via email at mikew@scgolfpanel.org.

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