CHARLESTON NATIONAL COUNTRY CLUB
🇺🇸 Mt. Pleasant, SC, USA
Designed by Rees Jones
Charleston National Country Club occupies a scenic lowcountry site in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, designed by Rees Jones and opened in 1990. The course sits amid marshland, tidal creeks, and stands of live oak draped with Spanish moss, characteristic of the coastal Carolina landscape. Jones routed the layout to incorporate these natural features, with several holes playing alongside or across wetlands that define both strategy and aesthetics. The property's relatively flat terrain is typical of the region, and Jones used contouring, strategic bunkering, and water hazards to create variety and challenge throughout the round.
The course measures over 7,000 yards from the championship tees and features wide fairways that narrow at landing zones, rewarding accuracy off the tee. Water comes into play on more than half the holes, often requiring carries or framing approach shots to elevated, undulating greens. The par threes offer particular variety in length and angle, while the closing stretch includes several demanding holes where water and wind can significantly influence club selection and strategy.
Charleston National serves as a private club and has hosted regional amateur competitions and qualifiers over the years. The course reflects Jones's design approach of the era: emphasizing playability for members across different tee boxes while maintaining championship length and strategic interest from the back tees. The setting provides views across marsh and waterways that connect the course to the broader coastal environment of the Charleston area.
Reviews
A roller coaster of a golf course. The highs are certainly there. Holes 2 and 18 are beautiful par 3s that play out over the marsh, and holes 3 and 16 create some fun strategy with how aggressive you can be with club selection and ball positioning off the tee. At the same time there are a stretches of holes that fail to do anything interesting, and feel as if they exist just because golf courses are supposed to have 18 holes. The course never falls into a sequence that feels natural, and as a result rounds here often feel underwhelming.
One of the better values in Charleston with their VIP program. Early morning tee times are quick but it gets backed up pretty consistently later in the day. Generally pretty well maintained and some interesting holes: #3 is always a thought provoking tee shot #8 is a brute with a similar (but longer) tee shot where you really need to try and cut the dog leg to avoid a tough 2nd but you’re really bringing trouble into play. #15 is a quirky hole with an island fairway There are a couple of glaring layout issues. First, it’s an absolutely brutal walk. There are multiple places where the walk between holes is longer that the holes themselves. At least some of the walks are pretty with bridges over the marsh, but it’s a slog. Second, I don’t love that there’s only one hole (17) over the final 5 where driver is even a realistic option off the tee. Overall, given the price and quality relative to other public options in Charleston I still end up playing most rounds here (and begrudgingly take a cart) even with those layout issues.
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FAQ
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Charleston National at Charleston National Country Club has a Course Vaults score of 6.7 out of 10 based on 33 explicit golfer ratings.
Charleston National was designed by Rees Jones.
Yes. Charleston National at Charleston National Country Club is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Charleston National is 72.
Charleston National plays 7,064 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Charleston National is 142.
