The best golf courses in North Carolina, USA

Pinehurst No. 2 is a masterpiece designed by Donald Ross and restored by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. Famed for its challenging crowned greens and strategic layout, it has hosted more single golf championships than any course in America, including multiple U.S. Opens. The course presents a classic design with natural areas and no rough, demanding both precision and creativity from players.

Wade Hampton Golf Club is an exclusive, private club in the mountains of North Carolina featuring an 18-hole championship course designed by Tom Fazio. Renowned for its scenic beauty, the course offers challenging play amid immaculate conditions and has consistently ranked among the top residential golf courses in the United States. Membership is by invitation only.

Tobacco Road Golf Club, designed by the late Mike Strantz, is a visually dramatic and uniquely challenging course built on a former sand quarry in the Sandhills of North Carolina. Opened in 1998, it features bold bunkering, elevation shifts, and wide fairways that demand risk-reward shotmaking. Recognized as one of the country’s most adventurous public courses, it offers scenic and strategic golf in an unforgettable setting.

Old Town Club, established in 1939 and designed by Perry Maxwell, is considered one of the foremost Golden Age parkland courses in the South. Renowned for its rolling land, strategic layout, and undulating ‘Maxwell roll’ greens, it offers a challenging but walkable experience near Wake Forest University. Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw led a celebrated restoration, preserving Maxwell’s classic design features.

Dormie Club, a private Coore & Crenshaw design, is nestled on 310 acres in North Carolina’s Sandhills. Blending seamlessly with natural pine forests and rolling terrain, the club is known for its strategic layout, dramatic elevation changes, and minimalist links styling. Recognized as one of the top courses in the state, it offers a tranquil, pure golf experience for members and guests.

Quail Hollow Club, designed originally by George Cobb and updated by Tom Fazio, is a prestigious private club in Charlotte, North Carolina. Featuring undulating fairways, challenging bunkering, and subtle greens, it is renowned for hosting major tournaments like the PGA Championship and Presidents Cup. The course presents a Parkland layout with a reputation for both impeccable conditioning and exclusive club amenities.

Pinehurst No. 4, part of the historic Pinehurst Resort, was originally designed by Donald Ross and dramatically renovated by Gil Hanse in 2018. The layout features dramatic elevation changes, extensive sandy waste areas, and native wiregrass, echoing the Carolina Sandhills terrain. No. 4 has hosted USGA championships and is praised for its striking visuals and challenging yet playable design.

Roaring Gap Club is a private Donald Ross design set in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, established in 1925 and restored in 2014 by Kris Spence. The course features classic Ross strategies with natural landforms, undulating greens, and minimal bunkering. Revered for its authenticity and mountain vistas, Roaring Gap offers a rejuvenating getaway for members seeking both challenge and scenic beauty.

Diamond Creek is a Tom Fazio-designed private mountain course in Banner Elk, North Carolina, renowned for its pristine conditioning and integration into the Blue Ridge landscape. Opened in 2003, this exclusive club features 18 holes, a par 70 layout, award-winning clubhouse, top-tier practice facilities, and stunning views, consistently ranking among America’s 100 greatest golf courses.

Eagle Point Golf Club in Wilmington, North Carolina, is a private Tom Fazio design opened in 2000. Famous for its pristine conditions and exclusive setting, the course showcases classic Fazio routing over rolling land, water features, and meticulously maintained fairways. The club is lauded for its Augusta-like turf quality and finely appointed amenities, offering a high-caliber golf experience to members and their guests.

Grandfather Golf and Country Club, designed by Ellis Maples in 1968, is nestled in North Carolina’s spectacular Blue Ridge Mountains. The flagship championship course offers 18 holes routed through dense mountain woodland with isolated fairways, streams, and dramatic elevation changes. Grandfather is consistently ranked among the finest mountain golf courses, celebrated for its challenging play and stunning vistas.

Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club, designed by Donald Ross in 1927 and renovated by Kyle Franz in 2007, is acclaimed as one of North Carolina’s outstanding golf courses. The layout winds through rolling hills and towering pines, presenting strategic bunkering and classic Ross greens. Renowned for its championship pedigree and hospitality, it is a must-play in the Sandhills region.

Charlotte Country Club is a historic private parkland course in Charlotte, North Carolina, originally designed by Donald Ross and meticulously restored by Ron Prichard. The tree-lined fairways, undulating terrain, and classic bunkering offer a varied and memorable challenge. The club is known for its prestige, rich championship history, and an atmosphere reflecting Southern golf tradition.

Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club is a storied Donald Ross design dating to 1921, nestled in the heart of Southern Pines, North Carolina. Celebrated for its classic layout and Southern hospitality, the course winds beautifully through mature pines and gentle terrain. The resort offers historic inn accommodations and modern amenities, making it a distinctive golf retreat with enduring architectural charm.

Southern Pines Golf Club is a revered Donald Ross-designed course, established in 1906 and restored by Kyle Franz in 2021. Offering classic parkland-style golf, the course features rolling, sandy terrain, open approaches, and walkability, challenging players with strategic green complexes and creative shot opportunities throughout the Sandhills region.

Sequoyah National Golf Club offers a stunning Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed mountain course with panoramic views of the Great Smoky Mountains in western North Carolina. Opened in 2009 and owned by the Eastern Band of the Cherokee, the course features bent-grass greens, zoysia fairways, dramatic elevation changes, and a strong connection to Cherokee heritage, making it both scenic and challenging.

TPC Piper Glen is a private Arnold Palmer-designed 18-hole course blending challenge, playability, and scenic North Carolina landscapes. The course stretches across 6,936 yards of rolling hills and water features, hosting former Champions Tour events. Renowned for its beauty and excellent conditions, Piper Glen offers both casual and competitive golf in the Charlotte region.

Trump National Golf Club Charlotte is an 18-hole Greg Norman design set along Lake Norman, offering stunning water views, strategic challenges, and meticulous conditioning. The course is known for its elite practice facilities, luxurious clubhouse, and private atmosphere. Recognized among North Carolina's top private clubs, it delivers a refined golfing experience blending championship quality with scenic beauty.