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Rating Index Rating
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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
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AI summaries based on real golfer reviews
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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.

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Castle Bay Country Club
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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
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Reviews

4.4
927 Reviews (927)
Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 11
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Course still drying out

We like playing this course for its forgiveness but with all the rain this year the course still has its issues. Greens are in very good shape and well maintained. We were stuck behind a fore some that didn’t let us play through until the turn at 10.

Conditions Fair
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Poor
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 6
Handicap 20-24
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Wet weather
Used cart

Great course, but wet

After a lot of rain, the course was very wet. It was so wet, that it was virtually unplayable. It will be a while before things dry out.

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Good
Amenities Average
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Wet weather
Used cart
Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great Venue

Excellent fast greens, layout is as good as any.

Staff is very knowledgeable and friendly.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Cricket

Enjoyed the outing. Greens were a bit fast for our level, especially with the wind. Handicap average 12-14; scores were 90,96,97. Probably should have been cart path only on several holes. We were respectful and played accordingly however it was obvious others had not. Appreciate being able to have individual carts due to group not being related; realize that will not always be available. Thank You!

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
2.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Fair
Value Poor
Layout Poor
Friendliness Fair
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 10
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing

Best course in Hampstead

Great course! Pace of play was slow because of groups in front of us, but overall the course was great. Staff is very friendly. Great clubhouse and restaurant.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 2
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Enjoyed the course

Nice course, nice layout, very friendly people. Would recommend.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 81
Handicap 25+
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 1000 Contributor
First Time Playing

Great links course

While snowbirds in Topsail beach, we found the course. It’s a nice links course. Plenty of water and sand hazards to make you work for your game. Tough to read greens for me. For the time off year lots of dead grass, but over all a great place to play. New GPS carts and even a beer cart girl. Would recommend for sure. I’ll probably go again in the future.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
3.0
First Time Playing

Not a single mask anywhere....

Felt like 2019...I’m the only human in the entire course with a mask. None of the employees wore one inside or outside. You won’t see me there again for a while. Nice course tho, as long as you don’t mind being a single behind a 4 some w 2 push carts that make u watch every shot they take for 6 holes. I guess they’ve never heard of a ranger either.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Fair
Amenities Fair
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 7
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

New carts with GPS are nice but......

The new carts are nice with the yardage screens but:

1. We got warning notices even while we were on the cart path.

2. The cart was stopped and we had to back up even when in the fairway when it was not cart path only.

3. We kept getting warning notices that we were behind 10, 15, 20 minutes, etc even though we waited on every shot all day long. These warnings were aggravating. My foursome would recommend getting a Marshall out there if you are serious about having a decent pace of play on the weekends.

4. The green were very good and the staff excellent.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Played On
Reviews 11
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Perfect weather
Used cart

December Golf

Great course with a many challenging holes and pace of golf is excellent.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
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