Charleston SC Real Estate

The S.C. 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.

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

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

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

Although the order changed slightly, the same courses from 2008 composed this year's top 10, which were announced Saturday 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.

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.

Lowcountry

1. Harbour Town Golf Links, The Sea Pines Resort, Hilton Head Island
2. The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Resort
3. May River Golf Club, Palmetto Bluff
4. Long Cove Club, Hilton Head Island
5. Secession Golf Club, Beaufort
6. Kiawah Island Club, Cassique Course
7. Yeamans Hall Club, Hanahan
8. Bulls Bay Club, Awendaw
9. Kiawah Island Club - River Course
10. Old Tabby Links, Spring Island

Top "Stay & Play" Golf Resorts

1. Kiawah Island Golf Resort
2. The Sea Pines Resort
3. Palmetto Bluff Resort
4. Barefoot Resort & Golf
5. (Tie) Wild Dunes, Grande Dunes

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, Yemassee
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

Source: Charleston Regional Business Journal, March 16, 2010