Hillandale Golf Course

The course is easy to get to, not far from downtown Durham. The staff is welcoming and friendly. I often go as a single and am generally worked into a group within a half hour if not immediately. The course is VERY affordable ($18 for a Senior walking 18 holes) and very walkable. The greens are in excellent shape and the sand traps are soft and well kept. The fairways are wide and the senior tees give a welcome advantage, while the whites and the blues make it a tougher test of golf. The driving range and practice greens are closed at the present time (spring and summer of 2026) for complete renovation, and this indication of their commitment to ongoing excellence more than outweighs the temporary inconvenience.

One look at Hillandale's rating and slope and you'd think this was a pretty easy track. From tee to green it is pretty straightforward, but the greens are another matter: fast, undulating, and mounded, they can be extremely challenging. This is no dirt track.

I see others complaining about the staff, but I have nothing but pleasant experiences with them every time I play (I've played there a half-dozen times in the last three months). I've also shopped for clubs at their pro shop and that, too, was a good experience.

I stopped playing here years ago because the pace of play was poor, but that hasn't been an issue since I returned this year. I don't know how they've sped up play--it's not like they have an army of rangers policing slow play--but so far I haven't experienced this previously persistent problem.

This is hardly the best track in the area, but it's a serviceable course and very reasonably priced. You likely won't find better at this price point; Occoneechee, perhaps, is comparable.

What a fun course! The course layout is tight so you can walk it without traveling miles between holes. Fairways are solid and greens roll true. A great course for all skill levels to be able to play together. I've heard so many golfers say this was where they learned to play and continue to enjoy it. Staff is friendly and very willing to assist. And the food at the grill is delicious. Try the tacos.

This was the first course I ever played on and is always fun to come back and play! It's challenging enough for different levels of golfers to enjoy together.