By Chris King
Few regions in America offer golfers the range and quality found in the Carolinas. In the span of a few hours, you can stand on a tee framed by the Blue Ridge mountains, navigate a Donald Ross classic in North Carolina’s Sandhills, or chase birdies along the Atlantic Ocean.
From the peaks of Western North Carolina to the golf-rich coast of South Carolina, the Carolinas are chock-full of bucket-list destinations and nationally ranked layouts.
As golfers look forward to summer – dreaming of green grass, sunshine, and the feel of a perfectly struck iron – here are three courses that showcase the very best the Carolinas have to offer.
Champion Hills Club (Hendersonville, N.C.)
At the top of the list is one of North Carolina’s most coveted tee times: Champion Hills.
Tucked into the mountains just outside Hendersonville, this Tom Fazio design is the centerpiece of one of Western North Carolina’s premier private communities. Securing a tee time isn’t easy, but those fortunate enough to find their way onto this mountain masterpiece quickly understand why it’s so coveted.
Champion Hills tumbles across 350 feet of elevation change, playing over, along, and through the Blue Ridge Mountains. Dramatic downhill tee shots give way to approach shots framed by hardwood forests. The routing is adventurous with Fazio using the natural terrain to create variety without overwhelming the player.
It’s a course that asks you to shape shots and commit to lines, but it never feels unfair. The greens are pure, the conditioning meticulous, and the setting unforgettable. Golfweek ranked Champion Hills as America’s 47th-best residential course – a lofty distinction – but rankings alone don’t capture the experience of watching a tee shot hang against a mountain backdrop before settling safely into the fairway.
Champion Hills is mountain golf at its finest.
King’s North at Myrtle Beach National (Myrtle Beach, S.C.)
Credit: King’s North
If Champion Hills represents mountain drama, King’s North embodies the coastal vibes so many players love.
Myrtle Beach has long been golf travel’s most popular destination, and the area’s hottest 2026 tee time belongs to the recently renovated King’s North at Myrtle Beach National. Originally designed by Arnold Palmer, the layout has undergone a transformative renovation led by architect Brandon Johnson.
The most dramatic changes come on and around the greens. Johnson expanded and reshaped putting surfaces throughout the course, reclaiming lost edges and creating additional pin positions that dramatically increase variety. Runoff areas and closely mown surrounds now reward imagination, encouraging players to putt, bump-and-run, or get creative with a lofted club.
Strategy has been restored without sacrificing fun, a hallmark of Palmer’s original intent.
Of course, King’s North still features its most famous hole, the par-5 6th known as “The Gambler,” where players can challenge an island fairway in search of a shorter approach.
Mid Pines (Southern Pines, N.C.)
Credit: Mid Pines Inn & Club
Mention the Sandhills and Pinehurst Resort immediately comes to mind, particularly No. 2, one of the U.S. Open’s anchor sites. But just down the road lies Mid Pines, a Donald Ross gem that showcases the architect at his understated best.
Ranked among America’s top 100 public courses, Mid Pines sits gracefully across rolling terrain framed by native pines and sandy waste areas. The brilliance here isn’t found in forced carries or dramatic elevation shifts, but in subtlety.
Ross’ crowned greens demand precision. Approaches that miss on the wrong side often repel into tightly mown chipping areas, leaving delicate recoveries. Fairways are generous off the tee, inviting aggressive play, but angles matter, especially into greens that reward positioning.
Feature Photo: Champion Hills Club (Champion Hills Club)