Formula 18 Golf

Formula 18 Golf

Courses / Best in state

Best Public Golf Courses in North Carolina

Experts + Golfers + Story + Architect + Challenge + Access = the Total Score

Top 10Top 50Top 100
  1. 1Pinehurst No. 4Pinehurst · Resort · Est. 1919Donald Ross (original, c.1919); redesigned by Gil Hanse (2018)95ScoreSlope 138
  2. 2Pine NeedlesSouthern Pines · Resort · Est. 1928Donald Ross (restored by Kyle Franz, 2017)91ScoreSlope 134
  3. 3Southern Pines Golf ClubSouthern Pines · Public · Est. 1906Donald Ross; restored by Kyle Franz (2021)90ScoreSlope 135
  4. 4Pinehurst No. 2Pinehurst · Resort · Est. 1907Donald Ross (2011 restoration by Bill Coore & Ben Crenshaw)89ScoreSlope 138
  5. 5Tobacco Road Golf ClubSanford · Public · Est. 1998Mike Strantz86ScoreSlope 145
  6. 6Pinehurst No. 8Pinehurst · Resort · Est. 1996Tom Fazio86ScoreSlope 139
  7. 7Pinehurst No. 10Pinehurst · Resort · Est. 2024Tom Doak83ScoreSlope 142
  8. 8Tot Hill FarmAsheboro · Public · Est. 2000Mike Strantz82ScoreSlope 146
  9. 9Mid PinesSouthern Pines · Resort · Est. 1921Donald Ross (1921); restored by Kyle Franz (2013)80ScoreSlope 130
  10. 10Pinehurst No. 9Pinehurst · Resort · Est. 1989Jack Nicklaus76ScoreSlope 143

How we rank

Public courses only — anyone can book a tee time (public, municipal, resort, semi-private, university). Each course gets a Formula 18 Golf Total Score out of 100, cited on its page. Expert lists, golfer stars, challenge, access and threads make the score. A notable architect and a real story add bonus points, and missing ones never count against a course. See the full formula →
Editor’s picks are placed by the Formula 18 Golf team. Played one that belongs higher? Tell us.