GSA Daily Staff Report
Published March 15, 2010

The South Carolina Golf Course Ratings Panel has selected Harbour Town Golf Links, host of the PGA Tour’s Verizon Heritage, as the top golf course in South Carolina.

Greenville Country Club’s Chanticleer Course was the top ranked course in the Upstate and No. 5 overall.

Harbour Town, located at The Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island, has been chosen the state's best since the panel, composed of 125 members from throughout the state, began its rankings in 2005.

"I could play Harbour Town every day and never get bored," former U.S. Open champion Jim Furyk said in 2008.

The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Resort, which staged the 1991 Ryder Cup and will host the 2012 PGA Championship, climbed to second place in the rankings.

Although the order changed slightly, the same courses from 2008 composed this year's top 10, which were announced March 13 at the panel's awards dinner at Seabrook Island Resort.

"There are so many outstanding courses that we're really splitting hairs," said Michael Whitaker, the organization's executive director.

Sage Valley Golf Club in Graniteville finished third in the balloting, followed by May River Golf Club at Palmetto Bluff, Greenville Country Club's Chanticleer Course, Long Cove Club in Hilton Head, Secession Golf Club in Beaufort, the Dunes Golf & Beach Club in Myrtle Beach, Kiawah Island Club's Cassique Course and Yeamans Hall Club in Hanahan.

Kiawah Island Golf Resort earned top honors among state golf resorts.

The Cliffs at Keowee Springs, which opened in 2009, debuted at No. 31. Four of the Cliffs' courses earned places in the top 50 and are ranked Nos. 3-6 among Upstate courses.

Renovations helped Haig Point Club on Daufauskie Island jump 16 spots to No. 24. The Country Club of Spartanburg, which also was revamped, made the rankings for the first time at No. 34.

Upstate's top courses

1. Greenville Country Club, Chanticleer Course (5)

2. Musgrove Mill Golf Club, Clinton (14)

3. Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards, Sunset (17)

4. Cliffs at Keowee Falls, Salem (27)

5. The Cliffs of Glassy, Landrum (29)

6. Cliffs at Keowee Springs, Six Mile (31)

7. Country Club of Spartanburg (34)

8. The Reserve at Lake Keowee, Sunset (35)

9. Thornblade Club, Greer (37)

10. Greenville Country Club, Riverside Course (40)

South Carolina's Top 50 Golf Courses

1. Harbour Town Golf Links, The Sea Pines Resort, Hilton Head Island

2. The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Resort

3. Sage Valley Golf Club, Graniteville

4. May River Golf Club, Palmetto Bluff

5. Greenville Country Club, Chanticleer Course

6. Long Cove Club, Hilton Head Island

7. Secession Golf Club, Beaufort

8. The Dunes Golf & Beach Club, Myrtle Beach

9. Kiawah Island Club, Cassique Course

10. Yeamans Hall Club, Hanahan

11. Palmetto Golf Club, Aiken

12. Caledonia Golf & Fish Club, Pawleys Island

13. Bulls Bay Golf Club, Awendaw

14. Musgrove Mill Golf Club, Clinton

15. Kiawah Island Club, River Course

16. Old Tabby Links, Spring Island

17. Cliffs at Keowee Vineyards, Sunset

18. Chechessee Creek Club, Okatie

19. Colleton River Plantation - Nicklaus Course, Bluffton

20. The Golf Club at Briar's Creek, Johns Island

21. Country Club of Charleston

22. Cherokee Plantation Golf Club, Yemasee

23. Colleton River Plantation - Dye Course, Bluffton

24. Haig Point Club, Daufauskie Island

25. Belfair Golf Club - East Course, Bluffton

26. Tidewater Golf Club & Plantation, Little River

27. Cliffs at Keowee Falls, Salem

28. Belfair Golf Club - West Course, Bluffton

29. The Cliffs at Glassy, Landrum

30. Daniel Island Club - Ralston Creek Course

31. Cliffs at Keowee Springs, Six Mile

32. Wild Dunes Resort - Links Course, Isle of Palms

33. Wachesaw Plantation, Murrells Inlet

34. Country Club of Spartanburg

35. The Reserve at Lake Keowee, Sunset

36. Debordieu Club, Georgetown

37. Thornblade Club, Greer

38. Barefoot Resort, Dye Course, North Myrtle Beach

39. True Blue Plantation, Pawleys Island

40. Greenville Country Club, Riverside Course

41. Grande Dunes Resort Course, Myrtle Beach

42. Camden Country Club

43. Heron Point by Pete Dye, The Sea Pines Resort, Hilton Head Island

44. Berkeley Hall, North Course, Bluffton

45. Daniel Island Club, Beresford Creek Course

46. The Reserve Golf Club of Pawleys Island

47. Florence Country Club

48. Columbia Country Club

49. Pawleys Plantation, Pawleys Island

50. Mount Vintage Plantation & Golf Club, North Augusta