Golf in Fort Mill

When they took over Jimmy Mac’s Golf Range, PGA professional Brad “Smiley” Latimer and his wife Pam knew they had their work cut out for them. The couple dove right in: they resurfaced the miniature golf course, illuminated its brick-lined pathways with nearly 100 solar lights, acquired a FlightScope Launch Monitor for lessons, and stocked on the driving range with new Titleist and Callaway balls. Even after completing these renovations, they continue to revamp the facilities. The 18-hole mini-golf course now features two cascading waterfalls, babbling brooks that wend along turf fairways, and new putters that send colorful golf balls into holes or to the one-eyed pirate living under the course bridge to fulfill his dream of a new ocular orb.

A 325-yard driving range showcases 25,000 square feet of Bermuda grass tees and 20 artificial turf hitting stations featuring laser yardage readers. The range has covered and uncovered stations, as well as lights that let golfers swing even after the sun has started to snore. Lessons provide the instructional guidance of a professional while taking advantage of the center’s practice bunker and chipping and pitching greens, developing swings dependable enough to take down rabid ball washers.

Guests at Mount Mitchell Golf Resort soak in beautiful views of forests, the resort's namesake mountain, and the South Toe River while enjoying relaxing outdoor activities. Ranked among the best places to golf in North Carolina by Golfweek, the Resort's 18-hole course unfurls across 6,495 yards of bent-grass tees, fairways, and fast greens situated along the Toe River valley. Golfers must avoid the river's flowing waters on seven holes as they tunnel through the rising peaks of Mount Mitchell that envelope the fairways in vibrant clusters of trees.

In addition to hunting pars on the par 72 course, vacationers can cast lines into the South Toe to lure trophy brown and rainbow trout, either independently or with the assistance of a fishing guide. Additional resort attractions include trail hiking, tennis, mining for gemstones or abandoned gopher stereos, summer theater, and horseback riding. When craving a restaurant meal, visitors may stop by Hawtree's Pub or the clubhouse dining room, TEO'S, with views of the golf course's 18th hole.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Length of 6,492 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 70.0 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 131 from the farthest tees
• Three tee options
• Scorecard

The Tradition Golf Club’s 18-hole course takes golfers across 6,978 yards of emerald corridors cleaved into a rolling expanse of dense hardwoods. Players can prepare for the grassy monolith’s tree-lined fairways with lessons from one of the club’s resident aces, who imparts swinging wisdom on any aspect of the game, from the basics of the proper grip, stance, and alignment to more nuanced topics, such as how to prevent a hybrid club from having polarized alter egos.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Length of 6,978 yards from the farthest tees
• Course rating of 72.9 from the farthest tees
• Slope rating of 140 from the farthest tees
• Four tee options available
• Scorecard

Golfers traversing Creek Golf Club's 6,625-yard course enjoy plateaued tee boxes and fairways lined with mature trees. The 18-hole course showcases smooth, diamond Zoysia grass greens that tightly swathe the terrain's dramatic, natural contours like skinny jeans on the Jolly Green Giant's hips.

Golf balls fall like hail from the skies above the Club's driving range, where synthetic mats facilitate practice during inclement weather and grass tees provide a natural lie for swing rehearsals. The range serves as the classroom for lessons with PGA professional Mike Byce, who assists those looking to add distance to their drives or transition from a conventional putter to a belly putter or a sawed-off curtain rod.

After a day at the links, guests can refuel at the Club's bar and grill, which serves burgers, salads, cold-cut sandwiches, and other classic eats.

Hemmed by thickets of native grasses, a babbling brook winds along the fairways of The Golf Village's nine-hole, par 3 course, setting a relaxing tone that seems appropriate for a pared-down layout friendly to leisurely golfers. Adjacent to the course, The Golf Village's driving range fosters golf-game improvement during pre- or postround sessions. The range lets clubbers hit off grass tees throughout the year, and towering light fixtures hang above the green valley, allowing golfers to hone their swing after a day spent at the office or attempting to melt their leftover Civil War bullets into a set of golf clubs.

Designed by golf legend Arnold Palmer, Birkdale Golf Club’s course transforms natural beauty into challenging obstacles, with 200 acres of rolling hills intersected by streams and framed by mature pines. The course’s bermuda fairways lie beyond elevation changes that give way to greenscapes festooned with ponds and deep, stone-lined bunkers that test players to use every club in their bags before desperately reaching for the oversized soup ladle. Once approach shots find the green, golfers must putt precisely atop the firm and true crenshaw bentgrass greens.

Birkdale Golf Club pampers players before and after rounds with a practice range and onsite tavern trimmed with rich wood hues and green leather barstools. The club also staffs a team of PGA pro instructors who school pupils in the arts of swinging and scorecard penmanship with private lessons and group clinics.

Course at a Glance:

• Par 72
• Four sets of tees
• Length of 7,013 yards from back tees
• Course rating of 74.3 from back tees
• Slope rating of 138 from back tees