Star Hill Golf Club's Pines/Lakes combination draws from two of the facility's three nine-hole layouts, designed by Russell T. Burney. The course is located in Cape Carteret, a small coastal community in Carteret County along North Carolina's Crystal Coast, positioned between Morehead City and Jacksonville. The region's golf courses typically occupy former pine forest and wetland terrain characteristic of the state's southern coastal plain. Burney, a North Carolina-based architect active primarily in the latter decades of the twentieth century, designed numerous courses across the state with an emphasis on playability for everyday golfers. His work at Star Hill reflects this approach, routing holes through stands of longleaf and loblolly pine while incorporating the area's natural water features. The Pines nine likely moves through more wooded corridors, while the Lakes nine engages ponds and wetlands that are common to this low-lying coastal geography. The combination of these two nines provides variety in both visual character and strategic demands. Players encounter tree-lined fairways that reward accuracy, along with holes where water hazards influence club selection and approach angles. The course serves the local community and visitors to the Crystal Coast area, offering a straightforward test of golf in a setting typical of eastern North Carolina's coastal region. The layout reflects the practical design sensibilities of its era, balancing challenge with accessibility for a range of skill levels.