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Rating Index Rating
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4.4
929 Reviews (929)
5 Stars
454
4 Stars
380
3 Stars
62
2 Stars
19
1 Stars
14
Conditions
4.2
Value
4.3
Layout
4.5
Friendliness
4.6
Pace
3.9
Amenities
4.2
93.7%
Recommend this course
886 out of 929 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
3.9
20 Reviews (20)
5 Stars
4
4 Stars
11
3 Stars
3
2 Stars
2
1 Stars
0
Conditions
3.6
Value
3.9
Layout
4.4
Pace
3.0
Amenities
4.4
StaffFriendliness
4.5
85.0%
Recommend this course
17 out of 20 reviews
Read Reviews
Average Rating
Avg Rating
4.3
77 Reviews (77)
5 Stars
41
4 Stars
26
3 Stars
6
2 Stars
3
1 Stars
1
Conditions
4.2
Value
4.3
Layout
4.5
Pace
3.8
Amenities
4.2
StaffFriendliness
4.6
90.9%
Recommend this course
70 out of 77 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
929 Reviews (929)
Advanced Filters
Overall Rating
Recommended
Handicap
Age
Type of Golfer
Gender
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

Hands down best course in the area

From tee to green Castle bay offers the best conditions of the public courses surrounding Wilmington. The layout is challenging and rewarding of good shots, the greens roll fast but true and despite lots of rain over the last couple weeks, including the entirety of my round on Tuesday, the course maintained a firm feel throughout. Love coming here for a different style of course and can't wait to play again.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 1
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Great value for the money. Fairways and greens in good shape. Back 9 more challenging.

Would play again

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 11
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Wonderful links style course

First time playing Castle Bay in while due to moving away from the area. Great layout that will challenge you. Greens and fairways are in good shape...probably excellent shape considering how much rain the region has gotten over the past few weeks. I’ll be back for sure.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

In great shape

Pace of play was slow and starter was a grumpy old man, other than that though it was a great course for $35! Took the 2 of us 4 1/2 hours to play and shoot 79 and 86.

Conditions Excellent
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Played On
Reviews 1
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 19
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Great Links Style Course

Everything about this facility is top notch. The course is in really good shape especially the greens

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Course was in great shape

The course was in great shape after all the rain recently. Pace of play was okay as there was no ranger today. An enjoyable round of golf at a great price.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Played On
Reviews 2
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Perfect friday

Friday’s can be hit or miss in and around Wilmington when it comes to a course overbooking themselves. But Castle bay was full and we played in under 4 hours with cart path only in effect. The staff is always friendly and the course was in great shape.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 13
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Previously Played

Do not play this course during aerification of greens

I didn’t get to finish 5 holes because of greens being worked on. Watering, fertilizing and rolling.

Maybe should consider closing course if that much maintenance going on.

Also, there were at lease ten golfers waiting to tee off on the finishing hole. Still can’t figure that one out

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart

Good Value

The course was in nice shape in general but it would have been nice to know the greens were punched and covered with sand on the day we played. Also, the markers for the different sets of tees were extremely hard to differentiate based on color. The whole marker should have been colored to avoid having to get out of the cart to identify which was which.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 25+
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Hot weather
Used cart

Good Value

Played here today 6/9. My 4th or 5th time playing here over the past 6 months. It's always a fun course to play with difficult greens, however my past 2 personal best rounds have came at this course. They just aerated the front 9 greens yesterday so we had to play the back 9 twice and the greens were covered in sand. This would've been nice to know before booking, but fun nonetheless.

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Fair
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 6
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

US Open Fast greens

The course is demanding of very good iron play. Fairways are fast and firm and the greens will make you think you are in a US Open qualifier.

Great for senior golfers with enough tees to make it a challenging course for anyone. Well worth the drive from Leland.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a month
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Played On
Reviews 4
Handicap 5-9
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

New Favorite Course

I have played this course four times so far this summer and love it. The Scottish links style is like nothing you can play in this area. The staff is always friendly and I love that they allow you to walk during the afternoons.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 2
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played

Excellent

The course is perfect for all levels of players and is in perfect shape. The only issue I have is the greens are as hard as the cart path but in great shape. A must play if your in the area. The cart lady is awesome too and has a good selection of beers

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 32
Handicap 25+
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Great day golfing except for...

First time playing the course. Very nice layout and condition of course was very good. Unfortunately it was a five hour round as there were 2 very slow groups in front of us and one of them was a group of five. Very frustrating. We were 15 holes in before the ranger showed up and apologized. Slow play ruins the game of golf.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Played On
Reviews 12
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
First Time Playing

Beautiful Course

Impressed from the beginning, facility and staff met all my needs and expectations. The only improvement that I can recommend is working on the bunkers.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 4
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Average
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Average
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