Hardest Public Golf Courses in South Carolina
The hardest public golf course in South Carolina is Kiawah Island Golf Resort - The Ocean Course in Kiawah Island, with a slope of 155 and a course rating of 79.1 from the Championship tees (7,820 yards). It is a resort course that is open to public play. Some resorts hold the best tee times for hotel guests, so call ahead. Next are TPC of Myrtle Beach (slope 154) and Glen Dornoch Waterway Golf Links (slope 151).
5 hardest public courses in South Carolina, by slope
Every course here has had its public access checked against a named source.
| Rank | Course | City | Access | Slope | Course rating | Tee | Yards | Access checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kiawah Island Golf Resort - The Ocean Course | Kiawah Island | Resort | 155 | 79.1 | Championship | 7,820 | Aug 2026 source |
| 2 | TPC of Myrtle Beach | Murrells Inlet | Public | 154 | 74.3 | Black | 6,915 | Nov 2026 source |
| 3 | Glen Dornoch Waterway Golf Links | Little River | Public | 151 | 73.7 | Black | 6,831 | Nov 2026 source |
| 4 | The Wizard / Man O' War Golf Course | Conway | Public | 151 | 73.4 | Black | 6,801 | Nov 2026 source |
| 5 | Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club | Pawleys Island | Semi-private | 150 | 75.2 | Golden Bear | 7,026 | Nov 2026 source |
How this list is built
Each course is ranked by the highest slope rating from its men's tees. Women's ratings are used only where a course publishes no men's rating. Only regulation 18-hole courses are included; nine-hole courses are left out.
Only courses whose public access Stymie has checked against the club's own site or another named source are listed, and private clubs are left out. That is why this list differs from the hardest golf courses in South Carolina, which ranks every rated course.
Courses are checked in order from the highest slope down, and the list stops at the first course whose public access has not been checked yet, so nothing here skips over an unchecked course. Courses that were checked and could not be confirmed as open to the public are left out. 203 golf courses in South Carolina have a slope rating on file, and Stymie has checked access for 22 of them so far.
Resort courses may require a stay or hold tee times for guests. Semi-private courses limit public tee times. Call ahead before you plan a round.
South Carolina public course FAQ
What is the hardest public golf course in South Carolina?
Of the South Carolina courses Stymie has checked for public access, Kiawah Island Golf Resort - The Ocean Course in Kiawah Island has the highest slope rating: 155 from the Championship tees, with a course rating of 79.1. TPC of Myrtle Beach is next at 154. Courses are checked from the highest slope down, so no unchecked course ranks above the ones listed.
Can anyone play Kiawah Island Golf Resort - The Ocean Course?
Yes. Kiawah Island Golf Resort - The Ocean Course is a resort course that is open to public play. Some resorts hold the best tee times for hotel guests, so call ahead. Stymie checked its access in Aug 2026 against kiawahresort.com. Tee-time policies change, so confirm with the course before you go.
How is difficulty measured?
By slope rating, which measures how much harder a course plays for a bogey golfer than for a scratch golfer. It runs from 55 to 155, and 113 is standard difficulty. Each course is ranked by the highest slope from its men's tees, and only regulation 18-hole courses are included. Course rating, the score a scratch golfer is expected to shoot, is shown alongside.
More South Carolina golf
- Hardest golf courses in South Carolina, private clubs included
- Easiest public golf courses in South Carolina
- Every rated course in South Carolina
- All South Carolina golf courses