10 best public golf courses around Charlotte, ranked

• Beeman lives in Uptown Charlotte and runs The B-Man’s Information to Golf, a website based in 2002 that was constructed “for the golfer, by the golfer.”
• He performs on TheGrint Tour, a PGA-style beginner golf tour for gamers of all ability ranges. He additionally does net and social media advertising for TripCaddie.com, Homestretch Golf and a number of other different golf manufacturers.

He makes use of 4 standards to find out the highest 10 programs:

• The “Wow” Issue: one thing concerning the course that’s distinctive, makes you need to come again and that you simply inform your mates about
• Circumstances: persistently nice year-round circumstances (particularly on the greens) are a should for this record
• Format: a mixture of enjoyable, challenges and good design all through 18 holes
• Facilities: follow space, restaurant/bar, clubhouse services, and so on. that make your total golf expertise nice

Tidbits: Verdict Ridge, the No. 1 course on this record the previous three years, is now closed to the general public on weekends, and it’s been bumped down a notch this 12 months. So there’s a brand new No. 1.

• Charlotte additionally misplaced its one and solely true resort golf course on the finish of 2020: The Golf Membership at Ballantyne (#5 on the 2020 Prime 10 record). The golf course on the resort has been redeveloped as a part of “Ballantyne Reimagined” and is now a park, open day by day to the general public.

Six of the Prime 10 golf programs within the record beneath are greater than a 40-minute drive from Uptown Charlotte. Right here they’re:

With Verdict Ridge now non-public on weekends and Ballantyne’s resort course closing final 12 months, Rock Barn ascends to the highest of public entry programs within the Charlotte space.

Rock Barn No. 15. Photograph: Chris Beeman/Axios

Location: Conover, about an hour north of Charlotte

Charges: $55 weekdays, $65 weekends

Kind: Semiprivate

Description/Evaluation: The journey is effectively price it. Circumstances are pristine right here and stored like a resort course, with fast and well-maintained bentgrass greens. The golf carts embrace GPS video screens with interactive gap maps to plot distances to hazards and contour “warmth maps” of the greens to assist with strategy pictures.

• The format contains risk-reward scoring alternatives that may improve your coronary heart price. Nearly the entire 5 par 3s and a number of other different holes require carries over water.

Hardest gap: The par-5 tenth gap is that this course in a nutshell – a visually beautiful elevated tee shot to a dogleg left fairway some 50 yards beneath the tee field. On the second shot, you possibly can select to problem the big pond between you and the inexperienced and attain in two (minimal 170 yard carry) or play it “safer” down the best aspect of the pond and attempt to keep away from the golf green bunkers guarding the layup route.

• Whichever route you’re taking and regardless of your rating, you’ll discuss this gap after your spherical and need to play it once more.

Extras: This membership gives memberships providing you with full entry to the Jones course in addition to the Jackson course, the spa and the Champ’s Bistro. The Jackson Course continues to be among the best weekend public golf values round at $65 with cart and vary balls included.

One of the vital visually beautiful programs within the space, Verdict Ridge gives magnificence, problem, circumstances and facilities on par with close by non-public golf equipment.

Verdict Ridge No. 9. Photograph: Chris Beeman/Axios

Location: Denver, about half-hour north of Charlotte

Charges: $54 weekdays, $74 weekends

Kind: Semiprivate, closed to the general public Friday by means of Sunday.

Description/Evaluation: For the primary time since these rankings had been first revealed in 2019, Verdict Ridge drops out of the highest spot.

•  It’s not the course’s fault. It’s nonetheless spectacular. However as of April 1, the membership dropped right down to solely weekdays for the general public, in an effort to maintain the course clear for members on weekends.

Verdict Ridge performs like a mountain course, with steep hills and valleys all through. It’s stored in nice situation 12 months spherical with quick Champion Bermuda greens. You’ll need to play your first spherical right here with a veteran of the course to provide you some suggestions.

Favourite gap: The 347-yard par-4 ninth. It’s one of the vital lovely in all of Charlotte. With water all alongside the best aspect, it’s greatest to play an iron from the tee off the left slope. Then you will have a brief iron strategy right into a inexperienced guarded by a small creek on the left and the pond on the best — with a waterfall behind the inexperienced providing a scenic backdrop.

Extras: Spend a while in Guilties Bistro after the spherical for dinner and drinks. Should you dwell close by, take a look at their completely different membership choices.

It’s inside earshot of Charlotte Motor Speedway and paired with the Embassy Suites resort and spa. It gives resort-like facilities and course circumstances within the midst of NASCAR nation.

The well-known rock on third gap at Rocky River. Photograph: Chris Beeman/Axios

Location: Harmony, about quarter-hour north of Charlotte

Charges: $52 weekdays, $72 weekends

Kind: Semiprivate

Description/Evaluation: You’ll be able to hear drivers making follow runs on the racetrack from the primary few holes.

• The Dan Maples design was renovated with Bermuda grass greens in 2012.
• A number of holes require effectively positioned tee pictures, as water hazards, wetlands and thick pines will swallow errant pictures. These challenges together with elevation adjustments and thick Bermuda tough could make this a tough course to attain on. You’ll must reap the benefits of the simpler holes, just like the quick downhill dogleg proper par-4 14th gap with these wetlands on the left however out of play.

Favourite gap: Par-5 third incorporates a humongous boulder in the course of the golf green. (I’ve seen a tee shot bounce off the highest and go away lower than 150 yards in for the strategy!)

• The boulder, “Gragg’s Rock,” is called in honor of Floyd Gragg, one of many space’s longest-serving golf professionals who oversaw the opening of the course in 1997.

At all times pristine, this course and gives enjoyable challenges for all ages and ability ranges with an awesome follow space and glorious restaurant as effectively.

Carolina Lakes No. 15. Photograph: Chris Beeman/Axios

Location: Indian Land, S.C., about half-hour south of Uptown Charlotte

Charges: $59 weekdays, $79 weekends

Kind: Semiprivate

Description/Evaluation: Simply throughout the state line, Carolina Lakes is without doubt one of the few public programs within the Charlotte space to nonetheless characteristic bentgrass greens. These greens are very giant and a number of other are two tiered, making your strategy shot accuracy crucial.

• With the residential properties lining many of the holes, there’s a ton of out-of-bounds to associate with many pure hazards. I think about this course to be one of the vital “bunkered” ones round city — hopefully, your sand sport is strong.
• The format options all kinds of holes together with doglegs, elevation adjustments, shorter risk-reward par 4s and reachable par 5s.

Sneaky-tough gap: Be careful for the par-3 sixteenth gap with its intimidating 175-plus-yard carry over water and bunkers from the again two tees.

Extras: The follow areas are giant and excellent for classes and clinics. The Tavern on the Lakes restaurant seems over the follow space and can be prime notch.

Since a 2019 renovation and alter in possession, Skybrook’s upgraded facilities and course circumstances have carried it into the Prime 5 on this record.

Skybrook No. 15. Photograph: Chris Beeman/Axios

Location: Huntersville, 17 minutes north of Uptown Charlotte

Charges: $57 weekdays, $70 weekends

Kind: Semiprivate

Description/Evaluation: Skybrook opened in 2000 and after a number of years of wrestle, it’s roared again beneath new possession (Pinnacle Golf Properties, which now managers a number of different former Carolina Path golf programs in Charlotte) and renewed neighborhood assist.

• It has a definite mountain course really feel to it, much like Verdict Ridge, with giant elevation adjustments tee to inexperienced, sloped fairways and undulating greens. Like many Charlotte space programs, Skybrook converted from bentgrass to mini-verde Bermuda grass in 2019.

Hardest holes: The closing four-hole stretch right here among the best in Charlotte public golf: a brief however well-bunkered par-4 fifteenth, a protracted par-3 sixteenth over water, a scary pond-guarded par-4 seventeenth, and at last the S-shaped signature par-5 18th.

Extras: The upgraded clubhouse options the Skytop Grill with giant display screen TVs and outside patio seating overlooking the ninth gap.

One of the best worth within the Prime 10. 

Deer Brook No. 18. Photograph: Chris Beeman/Axios

Location: Shelby, 50 miles west of Charlotte

Charges: $35 weekdays, $47 weekends

Kind: Public

Description/Evaluation: Deer Brook Golf Membership jumps into the spot vacated by the now-closed Ballantyne Resort course. The scenic format has nice views, and the problem lies within the sometimes quick, tiered and sloped bentgrass greens.

Closing sturdy: The ending holes pose nice risk-reward challenges. The par-5 seventeenth tempts you to go for the inexperienced in two, however your strategy must carry water. The lengthy par-4 18th additionally has an strategy shot over water to a sloped inexperienced that sits proper in entrance of the clubhouse the place your buddies can watch you end.

Extras: This semiprivate membership gives reasonably priced memberships beginning at solely $85/mo. The clubhouse restaurant Mulligan’s serves a full lunch and dinner menu with outside seating.

Hidden among the many farms of Union County, with no homes or different types of civilization intruding, Eagle Chase Golf Membership is now broadly identified for its difficult and enjoyable format and a number of the best-kept greens round.

Eagle Chase. Photograph: Chris Beeman/Axios

Location: Marshville, about 45-60 minutes east of Charlotte

Charges: $44 weekdays, $60 weekends

Kind: Semiprivate

Description/Evaluation: Eagle Chase is all concerning the golf, with only a easy clubhouse and snack bar to accompany the follow space and 18 gap format. The course options Diamond Zoysia grass greens (put in in 2013) which are sometimes in immaculate form.

Hardest Gap: The par-4 2nd gap is one fo the hardest par-4s within the space. It’s 412 yards from the elevated again tee with a big pond alongside the left aspect and a creek alongside the best. Should you’d give me a bogey on that gap, I’d take your provide and skip on each time.

• One the opposite hand, the par-4 thirteenth gap is simply 334 yards from the elevated again tee with a carry over the pond – an awesome birdie alternative, with a view!

Additional: Eagle Chase is situated within the hometown of nation singer Randy Travis. The course will full a bunker renovation this spring that may see the purple filth changed with white, fluffy sand – a welcome and important enchancment.

Constructed across the lovely 52-acre Lake Wright and handy to each I-77 and I-85 north of Charlotte, Warrior has lovely views, rolling terrain and immaculate Bermuda greens.

Warrior No. 9. Photograph: Chris Beeman/Axios

Location: China Grove, about 45 minutes north of Charlotte

Charges: $51 weekdays, $68 weekends

Kind: Semiprivate

Description/Evaluation: Warrior Golf Membership’s greens had been renovated to Champion Extremely Dwarf Bermuda in 2018. There are only a few flat holes, and lake comes into play a number of occasions. The format contains many scoring alternatives by way of reachable par 5s and with three of the 5 par-3 holes solely requiring mid-iron approaches.

Favourite gap: The quick downhill par-4 fifteenth. Keep away from the strategically positioned pot bunkers within the fairway and it is best to have an awesome view and a brief strategy shot into the inexperienced which backs as much as the lake.

• I despise the seventh gap. This quirky 407-yard par 4 requires a really exact, 175-plus-yard pressured carry tee shot from a turf mat (unattainable to get a tee into) after which an strategy guarded by a hazard.

Notes: The renovation in 2018 additionally included removing of virtually 2,000 bushes to enhance daylight and airflow to every inexperienced advanced. The golf carts now characteristic contact display screen GPS to help your distance measurements and course technique.

A former municipal course has remodeled right into a must-play, with nation membership facilities and a superior follow advanced.

Mooresville No. 7. Photograph: Chris Beeman/Axios

Location: Mooresville, about half-hour north of Charlotte

Charges: $46 weekdays, $58 weekends

Kind: Public

Description: After a $5 million renovation in 2016, Mooresville Golf Membership now has a 17,000-plus sq. foot clubhouse. The course, simply walkable and fairly priced, options slick, difficult TifEagle Bermuda greens. Total this can be a difficult course with difficult greens which are stored in nice form year-round.

Gap to observe: The par-4 ninth gap incorporates a dramatic elevation drop and a protracted, tough strategy shot over a creek to the inexperienced, with the clubhouse within the background.

Notes: The unique format of 9 holes was designed by Donald Ross and opened in 1948. The renovated clubhouse has On the Nines Bistro and banquet house for 150-plus company. The membership gives membership plans that offer you limitless entry to the spectacular follow advanced.

Among the many majestic pines of the South Carolina countryside, Edgewater was inbuilt 2008 inside a retirement neighborhood that has been developed very slowly — which means there are nonetheless few civilized intrusions on the quaint and pure setting.

Edgewater No. 7. Photograph: Chris Beeman/Axios

Location: Lancaster, S.C., about an hour south of Charlotte

Charges: $49 weekdays, $59 weekends

Kind: Semiprivate

Description: You’ll be able to hear the birds chirping, fish leaping and turkeys gobbling. Edgewater’s greens are much like the A1 bentgrass at Augusta Nationwide and they’re sometimes clean and felt-like all 12 months spherical.

Favourite gap: Simply based mostly on my scores (eagle and birdie in my final two rounds), I really like the quick par-5 seventeenth gap.

Notes: The service right here is prime notch and the membership gives frequent participant reductions and reasonably priced memberships.

Honorable Mentions:

Emerald Lake Golf Membership, Matthews. A former house course of mine, this membership is again to top-tier standing with new superintendent Mike Stell (former assistant at Quail Hole) making a number of enhancements and retaining the bentgrass greens in nice form.

Stonebridge Golf Membership, Monroe. A fantastic selection for these residing south of Charlotte, the follow space and common golf clinics are a number of the greatest within the space. The course is house to PGA Grasp Skilled Nick Jacobi.

Charles L. Sifford Course at Revolution Park. (Editor’s observe: This can be a Michael Graff add to the record.) Play this nine-hole course and really feel linked to this metropolis’s deep historical past with golf. Sifford, a Charlotte native, was the primary Black man to play on the PGA Tour.

River Oaks, Statesville, very scenic and difficult course close to Rock Barn. Make a 36-hole day of it and play each programs!

You’ll be able to comply with Chris Beeman on Instagram, Twitter and Fb: @charlottegolfer.