North Carolina’s Brunswick Islands is home to one of the most diverse collections of golf courses along the Carolina coast, offering everything from windswept marsh layouts to tree-lined challenges that demand precision at every turn.
But ask anyone who’s played here, and they’ll tell you every course has that one hole. The one you remember on the ride home. The one that tests your nerve, rewards your courage, or simply takes your breath away.
Here’s the one hole you won’t forget at each Brunswick Islands golf course.
Brunswick Plantation Resort & Golf - Azalea No. 9
Distance: 502 yards | Par: 5 | Handicap: 2
This is where you decide how bold you’re feeling. Reachable in two, the closing hole on the Azalea nine tempts you to go for it, but water runs the length of the right side, waiting for anything even slightly mishit. Lay up and play it safe or take it on and live with the result.
Carolina National Golf Club - Heron No. 5
Distance: 203 yards | Par: 3 | Handicap: 4
The view is what gets you first - marshland stretching toward the Lockwood Folly River - but it’s the shot that lingers. This demanding par 3 plays over water to a well-guarded green. There’s bailout room to the right, but anything pulled left is gone.
Magnolia Greens Golf Club - Camellia No. 5
Distance: 452 yards | Par: 4 | Handicap: 3
This is a brute. The fairway is bisected by a penalty area that forces a decision off the tee - how aggressive are you willing to be? Get it right and you’ll have a manageable approach. Get it wrong, and you’re grinding for bogey.
Meadowlands Golf Club - No. 18
Distance: 502 yards | Par: 5 | Handicap: 8
A chance to finish strong, if you don’t get careless. Water runs the length of the left side, and it’s in play on every shot. Stay disciplined and birdie is there. Lose focus for a moment, and it can slip away.
Oak Island Golf Club - No. 18
Distance: 549 yards | Par: 5 | Handicap: 4
The Atlantic breeze has a say here. With the wind often whipping across the fairway, this closing hole is a significant challenge. It’s one of the toughest par 5s along the Brunswick Islands and a fitting finish.
Lockwood Folly Country Club - No. 18
Distance: 500 yards | Par: 5 | Handicap: 10
There’s temptation here. This dogleg right is reachable in two, but only with a well-positioned drive. Miss your spot and the water or towering pines will quickly end any thoughts of birdie. With the river as a backdrop, it’s one of the area’s most memorable finishes.
Oak Island Par 3 Golf Course - No. 7
Distance: 80 yards | Par: 3 | Handicap: 12
The Brunswick Islands are about great golf and great memories, and they’re easy to create at this par 3. Favorite hole? A short wedge is all you need on the seventh. Hopefully birdie awaits.
Olde Fort Golf Club - No. 17
Distance: 437 yards | Par: 4 | Handicap: 1
Playing just 6,206 yards from the tips, this is a player-friendly track, but the 17th on this Rayford Trask design will challenge everyone. A good drive will position you to make par, but a meaty approach still awaits.
Oyster Bay Golf Links - No. 13
Distance: 307 yards | Par: 4 | Handicap: 14
Short doesn’t mean simple. This hole tempts you to get aggressive, but water runs the entire right side. The elevated green, framed by oyster shells and guarded by bunkers, demands precision on the approach.
Panther’s Run Golf Links - No. 4
Distance: 431 yards | Par: 4 | Handicap: 1
A demanding dogleg left with water splitting the fairway, the hole forces a decision off the tee - play it safe or challenge the hazard. The more you bite off, the shorter your approach.
Rivers Edge Golf Club - No. 9
Distance: 570 yards | Par: 5 | Handicap: 1
“Arnie’s Revenge” is as unforgettable as it sounds. Playing along the Shallotte River, this is one of the most scenic - and demanding - holes in the Carolinas. The approach to a long, narrow green leaves no margin for error.
Sandpiper Bay Golf & Country Club - Bay No. 8
Distance: 432 yards | Par: 4 | Handicap: 1
This is where things can get sideways in a hurry. Water and wetlands are in play from tee to green, and the margin for error is slim. If you find yourself in trouble, remember: the smartest play is often simply taking your medicine and moving on.
Sea Trail Maples Course - No. 14
Distance: 345 yards | Par: 4 | Handicap: 6
It’s short, but it’s far from easy. Accuracy off the tee is everything, and the approach demands precision. It’s the kind of hole where birdies and double bogeys show up with equal frequency.
Sea Trail Jones Course - No. 5
Distance: 170 yards | Par: 3 | Handicap: 13
From an elevated tee, this par 3 plays entirely over water to a generous green. The shot is straightforward, if you commit. Hesitation tends to lead to a reload.
Photo Courtesy: Sea Trail Golf Resort, Photo Credit: Jim Maggio
Sea Trail Byrd Course - No. 18
Distance: 466 yards | Par: 5 | Handicap: 16
A closing hole that gives you a chance. Reachable in two for many players, this par 5 invites aggression, but water on both sides of the fairway means it’s not without risk.
Lion’s Paw Golf Links - No. 3
Distance: 204 yards | Par: 3 | Handicap: 3
All you see is water and a well defended green. Three bunkers surround the putting surface, giving it the unmistakable shape of a lion’s paw. It’s a striking visual and a demanding rest early in the round.
The Lakes Country Club - No. 16
Distance: 423 yards | Par: 4 | Handicap: 8
Late in the round, this is where matches are decided. Water guards the right side, and a quality tee shot is essential to setting up any chance at par.
The Links at Brick Landing - No. 18
Distance: 400 yards | Par: 4 | Handicap: 8
With the Intracoastal Waterway running along the right side, this is one of the most scenic finishing holes in the region. But don’t get distracted, the fairway is narrow, and precision is required from start to finish.
Leopard’s Chase Golf Club - No. 18
Distance: 439 yards | Par: 4 | Handicap: 6
You feel this one before you even swing. A forced carry over wetlands off the tee sets the tone, and from there, the hole only gets more dramatic. Bunkers frame the landing area, and the approach plays to a green highlighted by a cascading waterfall over coquina boulders.
The Pearl Golf Links - West No. 5
Distance: 614 yards | Par: 5 | Handicap: 6
This is a marathon. The Calabash River runs alongside the hole, and reaching the green requires three well-executed shots. There’s no shortcut, just solid golf from start to finish.
Thistle Golf Club - Stewart No. 4
Distance: 543 yards | Par: 5 | Handicap: 2
The safe play is left, but the temptation is right. Challenge the water off the tee and you’ll be rewarded with a chance to reach in two. Play it safe, and you’re laying up.
Crow Creek Golf Club - No. 8
Distance: 193 yards (143 from white tees) | Par: 3 | Handicap: 4
It looks intimidating, and it is, but this is also a chance. The tee shot plays almost entirely over water, yet from the white tees it’s a manageable number, inviting you to attack the pin. Commit to the shot and you might walk away with birdie. Bail out, and you’re scrambling.
Tiger’s Eye Golf Links - No. 18
Distance: 592 yards | Par: 5 | Handicap: 8
A bold finish on one of the area’s most acclaimed courses. Long hitters can reach in two, but for most, this is a three-shot hole that demands control and discipline. It’s a memorable way to end the round.
Plan Your Unforgettable Golf Trip
The Brunswick Islands aren’t just about great golf, they’re about memories. And on every course, there’s one hole you’ll be talking about long after the final putt drops.
Ready to experience them for yourself? Start planning your next stay-and-play trip at www.ncbrunswick.com.