Stewart Course
Sunset Beach, NC, USA





Thistle Golf Club evokes a nostalgic nod to Scottish linksland transferred to the Carolina coast, a place where the spirit of the game's origins thrives amidst the region's unique coastal tapestry. It's a haven for players who appreciate a less manicured experience. Designed by Tim Cate, Thistle’s distinctive features include generous fairways – seemingly wide until confronted by the strategic bunkering that favors a bold, sweeping fade from the tee. The course rewards calculated risk, where the challenge lies less in brute force and more in thoughtful navigation around pot bunkers and subtle green complexes. The membership at Thistle thrives on camaraderie and the unpretentious pursuit of good golf. Their annual member-guest is renowned for its spirited competition and the post-round storytelling that continues long after the final putt drops. The club, perhaps more than most, seems to emphasize the timeless enjoyment found in a well-struck shot and the company of fellow enthusiasts.
Ranked by CV ratings from golfers who've played this course. Positions are shown worldwide, by country, and by state; the Public column compares courses anyone can play.
Best in World
Public: #206
Best in USA
Public: #110
Best in NC
Public: #9
Public courses closest to Stewart at Thistle Golf Club.
The journey to Thistle Golf Club begins at Myrtle Beach International Airport, just thirty minutes north along the Carolina coast, though Wilmington International offers an equally convenient alternative from the opposite direction. The final approach follows Highway 17 south through a succession of salt marshes and tidal creeks, the landscape flattening into the broad, windswept character of North Carolina's southernmost barrier islands. As you cross the Intracoastal Waterway and turn toward Sunset Beach, the road narrows and the maritime forest thickens, delivering you to one of the coast's most deliberately understated and architecturally serious private clubs - a quiet refuge where the roar of the Atlantic is never far from earshot.

FAQ
Ratings, design, and course details pulled from Course Vaults.
Stewart at Thistle Golf Club has a Course Vaults score of 8.3 out of 10 based on 7 explicit golfer ratings.
Stewart was designed by Tim Cate.
Yes. Stewart at Thistle Golf Club is listed as welcoming public or guest play on Course Vaults.
Par at Stewart is 35.
Stewart plays 3,351 yards from the back tees on Course Vaults.
The slope rating at Stewart is 140.