These Hilton Head-area private golf courses are some of SC’s best, Golfweek says
The Hilton Head area has some of the best private golf courses in the state, according to a new analysis of members-only courses released in November.
Golfweek, a golf media company that’s part of the USA Today network, released its rankings of the top private golf courses in 49 states. Five Hilton Head-area courses were listed among the top 15 in South Carolina.
Congaree Golf Club, located in Jasper County, is the highest-ranked local golf course on the list. Congaree took the No. 3 spot on Golfweek’s rankings, behind just Old Barnwell in Aiken (No. 1) and Yeamans Hall Club in Charleston (No. 2).
Congaree opened in 2018, according to Golf Digest, and since its debut, Golf Digest has maintained that it’s the second-best course in South Carolina.
Other courses on Golfweek’s South Carolina list
Long Cove Club on Hilton Head Island took the No. 7 spot on the Golfweek list. The Pete Dye-designed, members-only club offers an 18-hole course across 7,000 yards; members can tee off surrounded by “Spanish moss, stately Carolina pines and stunning saltwater marshes,” according to the course’s website.
Another club with a Pete Dye-designed golf course, Colleton River Club, is Golfweek’s tenth-best in South Carolina. The Bluffton club offers three courses — one from Dye, one from Jack Nicklaus and one from Bruce Borland — for a total of 36 holes.
“Warm up and practice takes place on expansive driving ranges, putting greens, chipping greens and bunkers,” the club’s website reads. “Our learning center, located in the practice park, helps members take their game to the next level.”
The Arnold Palmer-designed Old Tabby Links golf course at Okatie’s Spring Island took Golfweek’s No. 12 spot. The course opened in 1993 and underwent a 2012 renovation led by Palmer’s partner Ed Seay, according to its website.
Sustainability is the name of the game here: The renovation introduced native plants and water-saving practices to make it more beautiful and congruent with the environment.
The last local course on the list is Cherokee Plantation in Yemassee, located in Colleton County near the Beaufort County border. Ranked fifth on Golfweek’s list, Cherokee Plantation is an 18-hole Scottish links-style course.
How are the rankings determined?
Golfweek’s “hundreds” of raters rank the courses based on 10 criteria and an overall, single rating; these numbers are averaged to determine the best of the best.
Only 49 of 50 states are included in the rankings because Alaska doesn’t have any rated private clubs to include, according to Golfweek.
This story was originally published November 28, 2025 at 11:48 AM.