Best golf courses near Beaufort, SC

Pete Dye and his son P.B. did the early routing of Secession, but when they left in a dispute with the developer, Bruce Devlin, a PGA Tour veteran who’d previously designed courses with Robert von Hagge, stepped in and finished something much in keeping with the then-prevailing Dye philosophy of low-profile architecture. Greens were set at ground grade, protected by low humps and pot bunkers with vertical stacked-sod faces. True to his Australian (New South Wales) roots, Devlin also left open the front of the greens for running approach shots. The site itself is a peninsula in a marsh, with several holes on individual islands. Secession demands a complete game, both aerial and ground, particularly in steady ocean breezes.

The Jack Nicklaus course at Colleton River Club in Bluffton is one of the best courses in South Carolina. Discover our experts' reviews and where Colleton River Club ranks in our rankings

Old Tabby Links in Okatie is one of the best courses in South Carolina. Discover our experts' reviews and where Old Tabby Links ranks in our rankings

Belfair's West course in Bluffton is one of the best courses in South Carolina. Discover our experts' reviews and where Belfair ranks in our rankings

The Pete Dye course at Colleton River Club in Bluffton is one of the best courses in South Carolina. Discover our experts' reviews and where Colleton River Club ranks in our rankings

Chechessee Creek Club in Okatie is one of the best courses in South Carolina. Discover our experts' reviews and where Chechessee Creek Club ranks in our rankings

Berkeley Hall's North Course is one of the best golf courses in South Carolina. Discover our experts' reviews and where Berkeley Hall ranks in our latest rankings.

Callawassie Island, formerly the Country Club of Callawassie and located northwest of Hilton Head Island, was among the first generation of courses Tom Fazio designed in the mid-1980s following his longtime partnership with George Fazio, his uncle. The club is set on a ubiquitously named island and features two nines that comprise the main course that our panelists evaluate for the Golf Digest rankings. Both circle out through the Lowcountry development with the last hole of the Magnolia nine running along the tidal marshes of the Colleton River and Callawassie Creek, and the last four holes of the Dogwood nine skirting tight along the marshes from the opposite direction. Both nines have undergone extensive renovations over the previous few years.

Belfair's East course in Georgetown is one of the best courses in South Carolina. Discover our experts' reviews and where Belfair ranks in our rankings

Berkeley Hall: South Course is one of the best golf courses in South Carolina. Discover our experts' reviews and course information.

Located just down the road from Hilton Head National in Bluffton, Old South has few homes on the course (much like its neighbor), which helps immerse golfers in the lowcountry setting. Though the course is not overly challenging, water or marshes come into play on nearly every hole, often set well back from the line of play. There is a nice mix of holes—some play inland with trees lining the fairways, while there are stretches that run along a large marshland area. There are some forced carries over water, notably at the seventh and 16th, where the tees, fairways and greens are all separated by marshlands. With rates routinely under $100, Old South provides nice value in a region of generally pricey green fees.