DenisDotson

Eagle Chase is one of the most unique layouts in the Charlotte area and the conditions were great on this Sunday afternoon! It has its dry patches here and there but for the most part, conditions were quite good. Greens were in great shape and rolling well and challenging as always. It's one of the best deals in the area and it's well worth the drive from Charlotte for a fun and challenging round!

OVERALL: 7.7/10

I've always enjoyed playing Tega Cay, and this round in late June was no exception. It's an interesting combination of typical Carolinas neighborhood golf with several holes of challenging elevation changes in both directions, funky doglegs, and holes with challenging water hazards on the back nine. The course was in tremendous shape and the greens were firm and fast. Definitely a fair test for all players.

I will say, however, that I was disappointed with more than one staff member. The starter politely asked us if we could come down to the tee early to tee off before another group, allowed one of us to play on #1, then held us up and let the other group go. Then a ranger quite rudely demanded our group of four to consolidate our three carts (provided by the kind pro shop staff) into two without being polite and courteous. A local playing in our group said that is the normal attitude for the on-course staff, and I would ask the course to consider monitoring this to make sure guests enjoy their experience more.

Still worth a trip if in the area for sure.

OVERALL: 7.3/10

Stono Ferry was a nice treat, with a great layout that mixed in the traditional pine tree-lined holes winding through neighborhoods with a little riverside golf thrown in. And add in a dash of history - a Revolutionary War battle was fought here. Seriously though, Stono Ferry was a nice treat, definitely a private club with public access. The practice facilities were very nice with a nice back porch on the clubhouse to sit out and enjoy some food and drinks after the round.

Conditions were just okay, with surprisingly long fairways and bumpy greens, but not too surprising for the end of the prime fall season. At $91, perhaps a bit overpriced, but understandable and much cheaper than going across to Kiawah. Unfortunately, the round was excruciatingly slow which took away from some of the enjoyment. Still, a great option and much cheaper than its neighbors on Seabrook and Kiawah.

OVERALL: 7.7/10

I'm skipping the front nine because for the most part it was forgettable. The back nine holes (especially the last five) are among the best layouts I've ever played. Insanely quirky along the marsh, but still amazing with great views and challenging shots across and around marshes. I think it's definitely a playable course but best to play defensive and keep the ball in the fairway as much as possible - there's a lot of trouble out there with water and marsh.

At $71 on a Friday afternoon in fall golf season, I think Charleston National is a fair deal. The clubhouse and amenities are average at best, and the driving range is a good 5 minute cart ride from the clubhouse, but I'd come back on another trip to Charleston for sure.

OVERALL: 7.4/10

I was very disappointed in the conditions at Olde Sycamore. Admittedly it rained a few days prior so the greens were soft and susceptible to ball marks, but there were tons of spots and raw ball marks on the greens, and two of the greens (pictured) were so chewed up it was like putting on shag carpet. Throw in generally soggy fairways and cart-path only pace of well over five hours, and it was a very frustrating and disappointing day. Can’t fault the course for the weather/cart-path only decision, but the greens were almost unplayable in certain areas. I will wait until next season before giving Olde Sycamore another shot.

OVERALL: 5.4/10

Yeah, it's been over 40 years since Tanglewood hosted the PGA Championship, but it's still cool to play where the pros played. The course has Tour length, especially in the par 3's and 5's and is very well protected with bunkers. Honestly though, it's not that difficult with plenty of forgiveness, and the greens aren't impossible.

I would've liked to see the conditions better, but I'm not surprised it was in fair shape given the amount of play this summer and severe rain recently. Definitely worth a play - would love to come back in the fall and in better conditions.

OVERALL: 7.4/10

heard nice things about Rock Barn and for the most part it did not disappoint. The course was a fun layout with very unique holes, several good par 3’s over water, and mostly good conditions. It’s a playable course with plenty of room to miss, and very nice amenities becoming of a resort course.

The course was in decent shape, but unfortunately greens were bumpy and had several burnt-out patches that reminded me of the 2018 winter kill season. Staff members were out watering the greens all day, and I hope they don’t lose the greens in the heat because I think they can be really nice when cared for properly.

It’s a bit of a drive from both the Triad and from Charlotte, but it’s an easy drive and for $50 on a weekend with range balls included, I think it’s a great value and I will definitely be back to play here again!

OVERALL: 7.1 / 10

I had high hopes for a good day at Rocky River, but I left the course slightly disappointed. Mainly, I thought the course was way overpriced at $72 for 18 holes on a Saturday. The conditions weren’t great and the greens were a bit bumpy following a recent aeration a few weeks prior. I thought $55-60 would have made a lot more sense for the conditions of the course. I also had a discussion with a ranger that was more confrontational than amicable, which was very disappointing and nothing like the pleasant experience and interaction with the pro shop staff.

The course isn’t bad; more wide open on the front and more tree-lined and winding on the back, and pace of play was extremely slow with several backups on holes where two groups were on the same tee. I would not pay anywhere close to $70 again to play here, though I do like the course and would return if I found a better deal.

OVERALL: 5.7 / 10

After seeing the No Laying Up crew rave about Wilmington Muni, I was excited to check out the course. Unfortunately, we caught the course less than two weeks after they aerated for the summer, and the greens were very bumpy and sandy. But the course is still a typical Donald Ross layout: simple holes with well-protected and undulating greens.

I thought the conditions were very typical of a municipal course: patchy in areas, not the tightest lies. But I had a lot of fun here and thought the course was very score-able and accessible. It's certainly a no-frills kind of course, but filled with fun people and a good way to spend an afternoon. I will definitely be back - can't wait to try the course when the greens are rolling true and fast.

OVERALL: 6.1/10

It used to be a pair of holes on Pinehurst #3. Then it was the driving range for the 2014 US Opens. Now it may be the best par three course this side of Augusta.

Gil Hanse built an awesome 9-hole course at Pinehurst just steps from the iconic clubhouse and 18th green on #2. It seemed genuinely designed for fun - hidden speakers played country music, cold drinks at the bar on the 8th green, and Adirondack chairs all over the course to sit and watch other groups play.

The course itself is a fun par 3 course with elevation changes and tricky Pinehurst greens. Holes range from 60 yards to 125 yards, so it's easy to walk with just a few clubs. And at $50 for unlimited all-day play, it's the best value at the resort. Each round takes about an hour to play, and we played three rounds with no problem.

Definitely worth it if you want Pinehurst but don't have a million dollars to put a deposit on a tee time at #2.

OVERALL: 8.5/10

Imagine somebody dropped a bomb in a sandy hilly area of North Carolina and whatever patches of grass survived turned into a golf course.

It may not sound amazing, but the Road is one of North Carolina's best and most unique courses, and is well worth the trip and the cost. Even at $152, I thought it was an excellent value.

The course is chock full of sandy waste areas, hills, and visually intimidating shots with blind approaches to greens. But I think it's far more visually intimidating than actually difficult. Each hole is very unique, though the first six holes may be the course's best stretch.

The staff was very friendly and both the starter on 1 and the spotter on 16 (blind tee shot) were very kind and welcoming. The clubhouse is reminiscent of a mountain lodge and has surprisingly good and affordable food.

My one complaint about the road was pace of play. On a summer Saturday, our round took 5 and a half hours, with several holes where we had to watch the group in front of us tee off while we were on the same tee box. Might behoove the staff to space out tee times a few more minutes since it takes many first-timers time to find lost balls/check out blind approaches.

I love the Road, and can't wait to get back!

OVERALL: 8.8/10

Southern Pines isn't up there with the top tier of Pinehurst resort courses, Tobacco Road, or Pine Needles, but it's a solid Donald Ross track that's very affordable. We got a late afternoon tee time for only $40 on a summer Friday, and it was well worth the money.

The course is classic Ross - fairly straightforward holes with undulating tricky greens. Conditions were pretty good, but with some patchy areas in the fairway. The greens rolled pretty true, but a bit on the slow side.

Our group all agreed this is definitely worth a visit if you're on a budget in the Sandhills. Donald Ross left his mark on the region and Southern Pines was one of his first designs. It's not championship golf by any stretch, but it's got solid character.

OVERALL: 7.3/10

Despite a tropical storm coming through town the night before, Mooresville was in great shape (the underwater first hole not withstanding). There were some puddles and soupy spots on most holes, but the course was very playable and the greens were fantastic, if a bit slow.

I was really impressed with Mooresville, especially the front nine's links layout that was fun and different from most courses in the area. The clubhouse was very nice, and I'd like to try the restaurant when it reopens. Nice range and short game practice areas too. I definitely recommend this course; it's an easy drive up 485 and 77 from Charlotte.

OVERALL: 7.7/10

When your introduction to a new course is a "20 minute delay" getting off the first tee (actually 40 minutes), it's not good. Because of COVID-19, the course was permitting golfers to ride in their own cards if they chose, and the course ran out of carts because of a tight tee sheet with 8-minute intervals. I find this to be an oversight by management, because we barely finished our round despite having scheduled a tee time more than 5 hours before sunset. If you're going to permit single carts, you need to space tee times out.

The front nine holes were very forgettable, and the back nine didn't really utilize the great property on the lake well. In fact, that lake only came into play on three holes. Couple that with very dry conditions, extremely difficult pin positions, and its remote location, and I was not impressed at all. There are just too many closer and better courses closer to Charlotte for the same price ($47 on a Saturday afternoon) or better. I will not likely return.

OVERALL: 4.9/10

I usually like playing Emerald Lake, but today's conditions were tough. Fairways were either perfect, soggy, or patchy, and the greens were extremely bumpy and slow with tons of ball marks and partially-filled aeration holes. The course definitely needs some TLC before I'd come back to play at the prices they're charging. I wish players would take better care of the course as they were playing, especially around the greens.

OVERALL: 5.7/10

Tons of unique holes at Oak Valley, with tons of doglegs and elevation changes in both directions to challenge golfers. It was quite wet after a few days of rain the week prior, which didn't drain very well. But conditions were very good, the price ($39 on a Sunday afternoon) was very fair, and the practice facilities and clubhouse seemed nice. Not sure it measures up to some of its neighboring courses (Tanglewood and Salem Glen), but it's a fun option for a good day of golf.

OVERALL: 7.2/10

The National is a really fun layout and was in great shape on this day. The greens staff has done a great job getting the course in great shape with quick (but slightly bumpy) greens. The course is a fun layout winding through the neighborhoods and has some of the best par threes on the Grand Strand.

The Ibis nine is a little quirky with some double-fairway holes and if you're playing for the first time it makes sense to be conservative off the tee just to keep the ball in play. The Egret nine is a bit more open where you can fire away off the tee. Heron is a good mix of tricky holes and longer, "bombs-away" holes.

The staff is always very friendly and the practice facilities, clubhouse, grill, and snack bar are all great as well. Definitely recommend a trip here.

OVERALL 8.2/10

Pearl is a quirky blend of pine barrens golf and wide-open parkland golf, but it's a pretty fair test of golf. Tee boxes and fairways were overseeded and green but very long and the greens were slow as molasses. Perhaps the greens staff didn't mow on this day, but between the slow greens and the steady winds, it was a tough test of golf.

Several of the greens are very undulating and make for extremely difficult approaches. Course knowledge will definitely serve you well here. We played the North and West nines and while I think both are fairly pedestrian in terms of their layout, the final four holes on the West nine along the Calabash River are a lot of fun.

The Pearl's not going to blow anybody away, but it's one of the more affordable courses in the area and a good test of golf. I hope the greens staff can continue to maintain and improve the course conditions in the near future.

OVERALL: 6.3/10

Fort Mill is very similar to Monroe Country Club: both were originally nine hole layouts designed by the great Donald Ross, and both had new designers add a second nine later. In this case George Cobb created a second nine holes that meanders through the woods and the neighborhood. It's nothing like the compact, classic Donald Ross front nine with his signature undulating turtleback greens. I found the front nine to be the better of the two, despite the simple hole design. There are a couple quirky holes on the back.

Still, it's a nice semi-private club feel here and definitely worth their reasonable rates. Nice practice facilities and clubhouse as well. I wish they'd space the tee times out longer than 8 minutes though; it made play back up numerous times and we waited on the vast majority of shots. Be prepared for a long round here, but it's a good test of short game on the front and shot making on the back.

OVERALL: 6.4/10

Larkin is a nice change-of-pace option from the normal rotation of Charlotte or Greensboro/Winston-Salem courses. It's a quirky but fun layout with a lot of fun holes that require a wide variety of shots. With it still being in the offseason, conditions were pretty wet and soggy, but the greens rolled well. It's partially a neighborhood course which kinda stinks, but mostly a fun layout (especially the final six holes). No range, but they have a couple of warm up nets and a nice putting green. Will definitely be back again.

OVERALL: 6.5/10