Best golf courses near Raleigh, NC (2024)

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Courses

Below, you’ll find a list of courses near Raleigh, NC. There are 38 courses within a 15-mile radius of Raleigh, 24 of which are public courses and 14 are private courses. There are 28 18-hole courses and 9 nine-hole layouts.

The above has been curated through Golf Digest’s Places to Play course database, where we have collected star ratings and reviews from our 1,900 course-ranking panelists. Join our community by signing up for Golf Digest+ and rate the courses you’ve visited recently.

Best golf courses near Raleigh, NC (3)

Private

Carolina Country Club
Raleigh, NC

4

22 Panelists

The Carolina Country Club is old-school southern golf done right. It is staid, exclusively private, and mature. Now more than 100 years old, Carolina Country Club is the place to play and belong inside Raleigh's beltway. Aside from the 450-yard par-4 16th, the course is not long. It plays 6,304 yards as a par-71 from the tips. However, many elevation changes keep the holes interesting, challenging, even grand in places. After several redesigns, the course retains its Tillinghast roots in the bunkering, and especially how holes flow with the land. It is eminently playable for golfers of any skill level. Players will find the par 3s to be most memorable as a group. Among them, the 228-yard fourth moves across a grassed valley into a wide, narrow, punched-up green. Stay below the pin. The 182-yard par-3 eighth plays downhill across a natural, flowing, rocky stream. It is visually daunting and may be the best hole on the golf course. The 158-yard 11th features a broad, low, island-style green site beneath large, stately old-Raleigh mansions. It provides your best photo opportunity. The 178-yard 17th is a downhill beauty with a trio of bunkers protecting a moderately sloped, back-to front green. While none of Carolina Country Club greens look intimidating, they fit the course. Do not take them lightly. They break subtly, mysteriously and consistently. At 12 on the stimp meter, speed matters. Aggressive putts or tepid can cost you. Those greens pair perfectly with the many uphill and downhill shots players hit into them from either fairways or pitching areas. Miss, and they still offer fair chances at recovery. Worth noting, this course is a sculpted horticultural marvel if you appreciate such touches. Pllayers who appreciate wide open golfing vistas may feel differently. And the high voltage power lines strung from massive towers? Bizarre. We'll be kind and describe them as a modern touch.

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Best golf courses near Raleigh, NC (4)

Private

The Country Club At Wakefield Plantation: Wakefield Plantation
Raleigh, NC

3.6

19 Panelists

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Best golf courses near Raleigh, NC (5)

Private

Raleigh Country Club: Raleigh
Raleigh, NC

3.5

46 Panelists

  • Best In State

Raleigh Country Club in Raleigh is one of the best courses in North Carolina. Discover our experts’ reviews and where Raleigh Country Club sits in our rankings.

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Best golf courses near Raleigh, NC (6)

Public

River Ridge Golf Club: River Ridge
Raleigh, NC

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Best golf courses near Raleigh, NC (7)

Closed

Wil-Mar Golf Club: Wil-Mar
Raleigh, NC

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Best golf courses near Raleigh, NC (8)

Public

Wildwood Green Golf Club: Wildwood Green
Raleigh, NC

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Best golf courses near Raleigh, NC (9)

Public

Hedingham Golf Club: Hedingham
Raleigh, NC

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Best golf courses near Raleigh, NC (10)

Private

NC State University Club: NC State
Raleigh, NC

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Best golf courses near Raleigh, NC (11)

Private

Brier Creek Country Club: Brier Creek
Raleigh, NC

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Best golf courses near Raleigh, NC (12)

Private

North Ridge Country Club: Lakes
Raleigh, NC

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Best golf courses near Raleigh, NC (13)

Private

The Country Club At Wakefield Plantation: Regulation Practice Cse
Raleigh, NC

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Best golf courses near Raleigh, NC (14)

Public

Garner Country Club: Garner
Raleigh, NC

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Best golf courses near Raleigh, NC (15)

Public

Lonnie Poole Golf Course at NC State University
Raleigh, NC

Located in the heart of NC State’s Centennial Campus, Lonnie Poole is home to the Wolfpack’s golf teams and their leading PGM and turf management programs—so count on pristine conditions. The Arnold Palmer design tips out at 7,358 yards and offers great skyline views of downtown Raleigh.

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Best golf courses near Raleigh, NC (16)

Private

North Ridge Country Club: Oaks
Raleigh, NC

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Best golf courses near Raleigh, NC (17)

Closed

401 Par Golf: 401 Par
Raleigh, NC

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Best golf courses near Raleigh, NC (18)

Public

Raleigh Golf Association: Raleigh 2
Raleigh, NC

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Best golf courses near Raleigh, NC (19)

Public

Eagle Ridge Golf Club: Eagle Ridge
Raleigh, NC

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Best golf courses near Raleigh, NC (20)

Public

Raleigh Golf Association: Raleigh 1
Raleigh, NC

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Best golf courses near Raleigh, NC (21)

Public

MacGregor Downs Country Club: MacGregor Downs
Cary, NC

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Best golf courses near Raleigh, NC (22)

Public

Riverwood Golf Club: Meadowlands
Clayton, NC

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Best golf courses near Raleigh, NC (23)

Private

Bentwinds Country Club: Bentwinds
Fuquay Varina, NC

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Best golf courses near Raleigh, NC (24)

Public

Wendell Country Club: Wendell
Wendell, NC

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Best golf courses near Raleigh, NC (25)

Public

Knights Play Golf Center: Knights Play 2
Apex, NC

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Best golf courses near Raleigh, NC (26)

Public

Neuse Country Club: Neuse
Clayton, NC

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Best golf courses near Raleigh, NC (27)

Public

Riverwood Golf Club: Deer Run
Clayton, NC

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Best golf courses near Raleigh, NC (2024)

FAQs

How do you know if a golf course is good? ›

Here's what you need to consider when choosing a good golf course.
  1. Availability. ...
  2. Natural beauty. ...
  3. Condition and maintenance. ...
  4. The offerings of the clubhouse. ...
  5. Affordability. ...
  6. Good course architecture. ...
  7. A challenge. ...
  8. Varied hole styles.

Can you golf year round in Raleigh? ›

Can you golf year-round in Raleigh? With many regulation courses open to the public, long and short courses, ones that are modest and that are hazard-lined fairways, as well as ones open till midnight, there are many different areas where you can play golf here in Raleigh all year round.

How many golf courses are in Raleigh? ›

Raleigh, North Carolina Golf Courses and Tee Times

There are 19 golf courses in Raleigh, North Carolina, including 10 public and 9 private courses. There are also another 26 golf courses within 20 miles of Raleigh, including 16 public and 10 private courses.

How can you tell if someone is a good golfer? ›

9 ways to spot the best players at your club
  1. A pre- and post-shot club twirl. ...
  2. Reading a putt with their feet. ...
  3. Using the right kind of training aids. ...
  4. Looking at the tops of trees to check for wind. ...
  5. Hitting a two-foot putt. ...
  6. Playing with a perfectly clean golf ball. ...
  7. Using a tee to clean and sharpen grooves.
Nov 2, 2022

Should you wear jeans to golf? ›

Part of golfing etiquette is wearing the appropriate attire, which excludes jeans. While a disappointment to those who love to sport denim wherever they go, the primary reason behind the ban on jeans is that denim jeans are often too heavy for golf course weather conditions.

Can you drive a golf cart in a neighborhood in NC? ›

Are golf carts street legal in NC? Under North Carolina state law, golf carts can only be driven “on streets and highways where the posted speed limit is 35 miles per hour or less” by licensed drivers.

Does the PGA Tour play in North Carolina? ›

The PGA Tour will visit North Carolina three times in 2024, which is one more than usual, as Pinehurst No. 2 will host the U.S. Open. Not only will a major championship be coming to the state, but so will a PGA Tour signature event in the Wells Fargo Championship.

Is it too late to get into golf? ›

Golf is a sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, and the benefits of starting at different ages are numerous. Whether you're a child, teenager, or adult, it's never too late to pick up a golf club and enjoy the game.

How can I get better at golf on a budget? ›

Golfing On A Budget: How to Progress Your Game without Breaking The Bank
  1. Short game practice. ...
  2. Walking instead of riding. ...
  3. Buying used clubs, golf balls, etc. ...
  4. Practicing dry golf drills. ...
  5. Booking rounds of golf on discount websites or at discounted times of the day. ...
  6. Playing mid-week rather than on the weekends.
May 18, 2023

What is the best way to learn golf? ›

The Best Way To Learn Golf
  1. The Driving Range. The driving range is the perfect environment to try your hand at golf. ...
  2. Par 3 Courses. ...
  3. Learn From Home. ...
  4. Golf Lessons. ...
  5. Group Golf Lessons. ...
  6. Online Golf Lessons. ...
  7. Online Videos. ...
  8. Benefits of Golf Lessons for Beginners.
Jul 1, 2022

Where does wake forest golf play? ›

Old Town Club has served as the official home course of Wake Forest golf for many decades.

How many golf courses are in Bergen County? ›

The Bergen County Parks System boasts six, expansive golf courses, each with their own characteristics and challenges, from Darlington Golf Course's rolling hills to Soldier Hill Golf Course's length and well-bunkered greens. Hundreds of thousands of golfers enjoy Bergen County's varied courses.

How many courses are at Pinehurst NC? ›

At Pinehurst, ten 18-hole courses, the Thistle Dhu putting course and a short course aptly named The Cradle offer those who love the game a chance to walk in the footsteps of the sport's legends.

How do you describe a good golf course? ›

Conditioning awards points to courses that maintain (at least most of the time) dry, firm fairways and firm, receptive greens that roll true (but not fast—green speeds are taken up in Challenge and Shot Options), and Aesthetics determines the attractiveness of everything we see, from scenery to the arrangements and ...

How do you determine a golf course rating? ›

The Course Rating is designed to assign a numerical value to represent the difficulty of the course for a scratch golfer. This number is calculated by measuring the fairways, inspecting the bunkers, measuring the size and contours of the greens, determining the distance to hazards and out of bounds locations, etc.

How to tell if a golf course is beginner friendly? ›

Look for courses that offer 9 holes or less or provide shorter tees specifically designed for beginners.

How do you tell if a golf course has a dress code? ›

A simple Google search on the course will tell you if it's public or private. Public courses have the most laid back dress codes. You can get away with no collars, tennis skirts, mock-neck designs, athletic racerback tanks, and collarless tennis dresses. Private Courses have stricter dress codes.

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