GolfPass Icon
Rating Index Rating
Tooltip Information Icon
4.4
927 Reviews (927)
5 Stars
454
4 Stars
378
3 Stars
62
2 Stars
19
1 Stars
14
Conditions
4.2
Value
4.4
Layout
4.5
Friendliness
4.6
Pace
3.9
Amenities
4.2
94.4%
Recommend this course
885 out of 927 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.9
20 Reviews (20)
5 Stars
5
4 Stars
10
3 Stars
3
2 Stars
2
1 Stars
0
Conditions
3.7
Value
3.9
Layout
4.3
Pace
3.3
Amenities
4.2
StaffFriendliness
4.4
90.0%
Recommend this course
18 out of 20 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.4
76 Reviews (76)
5 Stars
42
4 Stars
24
3 Stars
6
2 Stars
3
1 Stars
1
Conditions
4.2
Value
4.3
Layout
4.5
Pace
3.9
Amenities
4.2
StaffFriendliness
4.6
92.1%
Recommend this course
70 out of 76 reviews
Read Reviews
frame.svg
AI summaries based on real golfer reviews
circle-star.svg
Course Highlights
Castle Bay's welcoming staff consistently make golfers feel at home, from the pro shop to the beverage cart. The links-style layout offers a fun challenge for all skill levels, with fairways and greens reliably well-maintained.

About

Holes 18
Type Semi-Private
Style Links
Par 72
Length 6698 yards
Slope 130
Rating 71.3

Although it is tucked away just north of Hampstead, Castle Bay Country Club will make you feel as though you've been transported to the British Isles. The golf course offers an authentic Scottish-links design that incorporates the natural wetlands of its coastal Carolina location, giving it a truly unique character. The landscape of rolling dunes is covered with native grasses but completely devoid of trees. Tall sand bunkers are strategically placed throughout and there are also expansive waste areas, both characteristics that are true to its links nature. Water hazards come into play on several holes as well. Accurate shot placement is the key to doing well on this course and just like any seaside links layout, the coastal breezes play a prominent role. Much of the difficulty of the golf course comes from negotiating with the prevailing winds.

Book a Tee Time at
Castle Bay Country Club
Powered by GolfNow.com

Course Details

Year Built 1999
Golf Season Year round

Rentals/Services

Carts Yes
Clubs Yes

Practice/Instruction

Driving Range Yes
Bunker Yes
Teaching Pro Yes
Pitching/Chipping Area Yes
Putting Green Yes

Policies

Credit Cards Accepted VISA, MasterCard, Amex, Discover Welcomed
Metal Spikes Allowed No
Fivesomes Allowed No
Dress code Proper attire is required.

Food & Beverage

Food & Beverage

Available Activities

Swimming

Available Sports

Fitness, Tennis
The Best Way To Book Is With GolfPass+ Annual
golf ball.svg
$120 in monthly tee time promo codes
waivedfees
12 rounds of waived fees
redeemtrophy
GolfPass Member Pricing
teetime protection.svg
Tee Time Protection

Reviews

4.4
927 Reviews (927)
Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Beach Trip

Course was in good shape. Play was a little slow but not terrible .

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Nice and fair

The course was in decent shape, but there were a lot of dry creek beds that would really toughen up the course! Pace of play became a bit of an issue on the back 9. 2 groups ahead of us were frustrated enough to quit around the 14th hole.

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Fair
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 42
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 9
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Very nice layout

I played with my grandsons and we enjoyed the course. Greens rolled really well too. Overall very generous fairways too.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
2.0
Previously Played

Miserable

For a 2some it took 4 hours and 10 minutes to play 17 holes (we skipped a group. The pace of play was miserably slow with terrible golfers who wouldn’t let us play through. We saw two rangers on the course who saw the issue and refused to do anything to help.

The greens have had divot marks all over. They also play very slow. Tee boxes can be nice or look like a bunker.

On the bright side, fun layout to play and the starter actually had some feel unlike his coworkers, suggesting once we’re told to play through we could pair up with another 2some. A shame that never happened.

Conditions Fair
Value Poor
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Poor
Played On
Reviews 8
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Greens keepers starting late?

I checked in online and was still chased down but the starter. Not a big deal. Two greens keepers reached the green just before my approach shot for 5-6 holes. When I finally waited them out, a threesome had caught up to me. Both gentleman working for the course would leave motors running while I hit. I wasn't the first tee time and I feel like they could've gotten started on the back nine. By the ninth hole I started noticing a large number of rocks on the green that weren't brushed off but ran over and pushed into the green. I love this course. I'll keep coming back. Just do better. Thanks

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Poor
Pace Average
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
2.0
First Time Playing

Would have loved to know there was a 7 team high school golf tournament. Unfortunately we quit after 7 holes. Just couldn’t go anywhere

Conditions Good
Value Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Poor
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Castle Bay

Fun course, windy day and I’m sure it will be in excellent shape once the grass comes in over the next few weeks.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 13
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing

Enjoyed the course except for

I recommend this course because it was fun to play but on the backside, there are 2 holes I did not like the layouts. One in particular, a par five, get a decent drive and your second shot has a landing area of about 80 yards, water in front and back, unless you can hit the ball a mile. If you don’t know it, you could post a very high score.

Staff was extremely friendly, Marshalls on course monitoring how far people are behind. It was well worth the weekday price we paid!

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Average
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Will have to try further into the season .

The staff were great. The range said irons only which disappointed me a little . Course itself seemed in decent shape but the greens didn’t seem like turf . Guess that’s “winter “ golf . Will try again during the season

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Great Shape

Awesome layout , wide open fairways , some challenging bunkers, but overall I had blast

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Default User Avatar
Anonymous
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap Don't know
Skill Beginner
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Awesome course

This was my 2nd time playing Castle Bay. Great course to play. Pace of play was of no fault of the golf course. Temperatures the night before had left a heavy frost on the course. Tee Times had to be pushed back but all of the employees were very focused on getting everyone to the tee box as quickly as possible. Gentleman in the pro shop offered us a bag of balls at no cost to hit at the driving range while waiting to tee off.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Played On
Reviews 8
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Previously Played

Castle bay showing its age

Used to be in much better shape. Yes, its winter, but this place has gone downhill from the last time I was here several years ago. Tee boxes were very uneven, full of deep divots. Had to find level ground out side of tee area. Greens were all slow, but were consistent. Grass clippings and pebbles all over greens. Poa annua was also coming up everywhere. Not a bad course, but not what I remember. Not a $60+ round

Conditions Average
Value Average
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
3.0
First Time Playing
Conditions Average
Value Fair
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Fair
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Fun links style course

Fun course, hard to play when it’s windy, but that makes it fun. Greens and fairways in good shape. Most of the tee boxes were good. Layout is really fun.

Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing

Sneaking in a round

The Mrs. was at a conference and I had the day off. This was the closest course with the excellent reviews. They lived up to the hype. Friendly staff and a really good layout.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Average
Nearby Courses
Hampstead, North Carolina
Semi-Private
3.5826817985
230
Hampstead, North Carolina
Semi-Private
3.6491147915
428
Wilmington, North Carolina
Private
3.0
1
Wilmington, North Carolina
Private/Resort
5.0
1
Wilmington, North Carolina
Private/Resort
5.0
1
Wilmington, North Carolina
Public/Municipal
0.0
0
Wilmington, North Carolina
Private
0.0
0
Wilmington, North Carolina
Public/Municipal
4.3
10
Golf Packages

Talamore Golf Resort Stay & Play Package

FROM $137 (USD)
SOUTHERN PINES, NC | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at the Talamore Golf Resort and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of Mid Pines Golf Course, Mid South Course, Tobacco Road Golf Course, and The New Course.

Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club Stay & Play Package

FROM $167 (USD)
SOUTHERN PINES, NC | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at the Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of Mid Pines Golf Course, Pine Needles Golf Course, Tobacco Road Golf Course, and The New Course.

Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club Stay & Play Package

FROM $167 (USD)
SOUTHERN PINES, NC | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at the Mid Pines Inn & Golf Club and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of Mid Pines Golf Course, Pine Needles Golf Course, Tobacco Road Golf Course, and The New Course.

Charleston Golf Experience Stay & Play Package

FROM $239 (USD)
CHARLESTON, SC | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at the Francis Marion Hotel and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of RiverTowne Golf Course, Charleston National Golf Course, Wild Dunes – Harbor Course, Wild Dunes – Links Course, and Stono Ferry Golf Course.

Wild Dunes Resort Stay & Play Package

FROM $369 (USD)
CHARLESTON, SC | Enjoy up to 5 nights’ accommodations at the Wild Dunes Resort and up to 4 rounds of golf at your choice of Wild Dunes – Harbor Course, Wild Dunes – Links Course, RiverTowne Golf Course, and Charleston National Golf Course.
Now Reading
  • Home

  • Memberships

  • Library

  • Account