According to magazine rankings, the question of the best public golf course in North Carolina has been relatively well-settled over the years. But what do you and your fellow golfers think?
GolfPass releases a Top 25 Public Golf Courses in North Carolina every January thanks to YOU. We create our annual Golfers’ Choice lists by curating the reviews submitted by everyday golfers. We use GolfPass’ Ratings Index logic that weights newer reviews and combine it with a course’s subcategory averages.
Each course needed at least two reviews and at least some public access to qualify. The great Pinehurst’s No. 2 has not been reviewed in the past year, so it didn’t qualify. But there is plenty of great golf in North Carolina beyond Pinehurst, just like there is great golf beyond Augusta National in Georgia. From the mountains to the coast, North Carolina’s best public golf courses enjoy a variety of great environments in which to play the game.
We make our Golfers’ Choice best-of lists user friendly. Simply click on the photo of each course to learn more about the facility or to book a tee time (in most cases).
Want to get involved with determining the best public golf courses in North Carolina or any other future Golfers’ Choice lists? Click here to review your latest round.
North Carolina golf courses reviewed in 2025: 173
Reviews of North Carolina golf courses in 2025: 5,409
How the Rankings Are Determined
We analyzed more than 5,400 reviews of North Carolina golf courses published on GolfPass in 2025 (until our Dec. 1 cutoff date) to determine the list. Each course needed at least two reviews by real golfers to be eligible.
This was created to provide a more accurate indication of a golf course’s current overall rating. Newer reviews are weighted heavier than older ones, as are reviews from golfers who leave more reviews. (In this way, they become trusted sources).
Who This List Is Best For
Golfers’ Choice measures what every day golfers think makes a course great, including playability, enjoyment, value and service not just architectural prestige or pedigree. Golfers’ Choice ranks the best golf courses based on real golfer reviews – highlighting prestigious, architecturally significant courses alongside hidden gem public golf courses that everyday golfers genuinely love and recommend.
Best public golf courses in North Carolina