Courses

West of Morehead City, this 18-hole, par 71 championship course was ranked among the area's best places to play by Golf Digest in 2006. A very popular course, it is set in dense woods laced with streams and ponds. Indeed, water and woods are part of the play for every hole. Designed by Bruce Devlin and Bob Von Hagge, Brandywine plays 6609 yards from the championship tees, 6150 from the regular tees, 5390 yards from the gold, and 5192 yards from the women's. Improvements recently have been made to greens and fairways, and the installation of cart paths is ongoing. Golfers will find a pro shop, a snack bar, putting greens and a chipping area with practice bunkers. Greens fees (including carts) are $51 in season and $40 off season. Walkers may play for a reduced fee, but Insiders recommend that you call ahead for time limitations and pricing. June through September golfers can take advantage of the twilight special. Check with the pro shop for pricing. A junior program and group rates also are available.
 

On the scenic Neuse River just west of Havelock and about 10 miles east of New Bern, this challenging 18-hole, par 72 course is everything the golfer could want. The course features elevated greens, bermudagrass fairways, abundant sand traps and ample water that rewards the accurate shotmaker on seven of 18 holes. Tim Dupre, the club pro, will arrange lessons for those who are interested. Golfers also will find a pro shop, a driving range, target greens and a clubhouse with a lounge and patio that overlooks freshwater lakes and the golf links. Fees are $33 weekdays and $36 weekends, including cart. Carolina Pines is directly off U.S. Highway 70; look for the signs. The Flounder Jubilee, held the second weekend in June, is the course's big event tournament.
 

The Links is a USGA–regulation size, 18-hole, par 72 course with a total of 5994 yards from the championship tees. Golfers play on a combination of continuous single and double fairways, with nine holes returning to the clubhouse. The course's topography is basically level, but a few major slope changes take advantage of the natural ridges and valleys that enhance the beauty of the pine and hardwood roughs. Surrounding many greens are bunkers composed of moderately packed loose sand, 4 to 5 inches deep. Several ponds, lakes and canals offer additional challenges to players. The Links is open year round, seven days a week, from sun up to sun down. The club has a pro shop, a clubhouse, a snack bar and a large practice putting green and a driving range. Tee areas are well marked with signs that note yardage and describe each hole. Fees to play 18 holes, including cart, are $25 on weekdays and $28 on weekends and holidays year round. On Wednesday, the fee is only $18. If you choose, you may walk the course for $15 during the week and $18 on Saturday and Sunday. Call for tee times.
 

Rock Creek Golf & Country Club
308 Country Club Blvd., Jacksonville
(910) 324-5151

Rock Creek is convenient to Emerald Isle, New Bern, Jacksonville, Topsail Island and even Wilmington. This 18-hole, 7102 yard, Jerry Turner & Assoc.–designed par 72 features numerous water dangers and pine tree–lined fairways with lush Bermuda carpeting. Onslow County’s first planned recreational community, the facility truly caters to its golf-crazy residents. After a hot round of summer golf, the bar and Mulligan’s Steakhouse await your arrival. The pro shop is open at 7 AM for all the early birds, and lessons and clinics are available for every level of golfer. PGA Pro Rick Morton calls Rock Creek his home, and you’ll be tempted to do the same.
 

On N.C. Highway 58 just north of Cape Carteret, the Silver Creek Golf Club is a 7005-yard, par 72 championship course, renovated with Tif Eagle greens and beautiful fairways and tees. Designed for championship play by Gene Hamm, Silver Creek is the longest course in Carteret County, and it is known for the gusty winds that challenge golfers year round. Year-round rates are $40 to $52, depending on season, and include the use of a cart. Walk-ins are allowed year-round at a rate of 18 holes for $36. Call in advance for tee times. Special twilight rates are available from late May to mid-September after 1 PM. The Southern-style clubhouse and snack bar has a wide porch overlooking the course. The pro shop carries a good selection of merchandise. A pool and tennis courts are available, as are a practice green and driving range for pre-game warm up. A bucket of balls costs $3.
 

Star Hill offers 27 holes in a wooded, hilly setting. Opened in 1965, it is one of the area's finest championship courses. At the junction of N.C. Highways 24 and 58 between the Intracoastal Waterway and the Croatan National Forest, Star Hill offers the Sands (3244 yards), the Pines (3270) and the Lakes (3381). Star Hill's rate structure is $69 for 18 holes in season, $48 off season. Reserved tee times are recommended throughout the year. Star Hill also offers three-play and 10-play passes. While the three-play pass is offered for in-season use only, the 10-play pass is good year-round. Junior and active-duty military discounts also are available. Patrons will find a pro shop offering rental clubs, a full line of clothing, accessories and professional equipment. Other amenities include a Cayman driving range, a total short-game practice area and a swimming pool. The attractive, casual-atmosphere Champions Room lounge is open daily, as is the Sandbar Grill, which offers breakfast and lunch daily. Those arriving by air will enjoy the use of Star Hill's private airstrip.

This business offers fun for serious golfers — and for their companions who would rather do something else. People who want to practice their golf swing can use the 250-yard driving range. Buckets of balls cost $4 for 40, $6 for 60 balls, $8 for 80 balls and $15 for 200 balls. Not-so-serious grown ups and kids will get a charge out of the 18-hole mini-golf course (with elevations up to 22 feet), batting cage, go-cart track, Water Wars and bumper boats. The batting cage is for softball and baseball, and the go-cart track and bumper boats are a great way to give vent to the competitive spirit in all of us. Golfin' Dolphin is behind Hardee's in Cape Carteret and is open from 9 AM to 11 PM every day during the summer. Fall hours through December are 10 AM to 5 PM. Winter hours vary.