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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 Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 1
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Perfect weather
Used cart

Monday golf, but behind a tournement

Had a good time and round today, but a little slow due to a tournament. the course staff was great as there were sponsors around.

Conditions Average
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Fair
Amenities Excellent
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 17
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Nice layout

Nice layout but doesn't play like a linkscourse. Some greens are receptive others arefirm. You cannot run a. shot up because it is too wet. Thereare some hidden hazards that cost me a few strokes. Other then that we had. A great time pace of play was slowed down on the back 9 because the front closed for high school players at 3 pm. They sent out a single between to foursomes an dc another twosome behind us. To get the cash.

Conditions Good
Value Average
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Average
Pace Average
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 2
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing
Windy weather
Used cart

Nice Course but wet

Fairways and rough very wet from recent rains. Made some shots chunky due to thin grass and mud but overall a good layout and nice greens.

Would definitely play agin.

Conditions Average
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Good
Amenities Good
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 10-14
Skill Advanced
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Challenging Links Course

Great layout with nice greens. Only complaint is that there where no marshels on the course and play was extremely slow as a result.

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

Fantastic Round

Beautiful course that is well maintained. Awesome greens that roll fast, green fairways with the appropriate hazards. Definitely tested my skills off the tee box. Can't use driver on a lot of the back. Have to choose your clubs wisely! Challenging with the wind. Shot an 80.

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
3.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Soggy fairways great food and drink

The course needs to dry out. It should have been closed today. There’s not a dry spot in the fairway... muddy in many places. Overall, course is beautiful and the restaurant has great food. I’d say give it at least 3-4 weeks without any major rain and conditions should improve.

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 36
Handicap 20-24
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
2.0
Previously Played

Castle Bay

Course has seen better days. I have always loved the layout of Castle Bay. When I moved here three years ago I thought the course was in very good shape. It provided a links style challenge, but it has taken a turn for the worse over the last couple years. I will only play this course as a practice round for a pretty low price, if I want to get in a quick round near Wilmington.

Conditions Fair
Value Average
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Poor
Played On
Reviews 18
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 18
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 18
Handicap 15-19
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Great Value

Booked this course as a hot deal special, and used my free round do only paid $8. Great layout some unseen hazards and dangers for a first time. The greens were recently punched so they were bumpy missed a lot of short parts that would have dropped on a good day. the wind was crazy. Which added additional challenges.

Ran through my 18 in less than 3 hours but the weather could have had something to do with. Overall I’d say it was a great day!

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 46
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Awesome!

First time playing here and it was well worth it. There were 20-30 mph winds and cold. Can’t wait to go back when it’s warm. Awesome time and course was in great shape!

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Good
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 89
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Top 500 Contributor
First Time Playing

Fun day at Castle Bay

Got a great deal on Golfnow and arrived at the course early and attendant let us drive cart to our car to load bags and start the day.Starter let us go off early and finished the round in four hours.Some of the holes had hidden danger and be aware of where you are on the course.The greens were punched but rolled true. The course also was told by the starter gets the ocean breeze.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 18
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Excellent
Played On
Reviews 5
Skill Advanced
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Play this course!!

Fantastic layout. Great greens and overall condition for this time of year. Staff is incredible. Highly recommend

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 58
Handicap 10-14
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played
Windy weather
Used cart

Great Links Course

First of all the staff is excellent from the pro shop to the starter to the grounds crew.

And I play a lot of golf as a single and got paired with two guys who I expect to play with again, as we are similar in range and skill and had an enjoyable round together. As I haven't played this course in a while they guided me around the course from some hidden trouble and I shot very well with their help.

The course was in very good shape for early February, and I thought the greens rolled very well. We as a group repaired quite a few ball marks though and I hope other golfers will repair more as it seems some golfers neglect their responsibility. Tee boxes also level and good shape. Some wet areas in the fairways. Again we were allowed with a 90 degree rule , but why do golfers abuse that and drive thru wet areas? There were quite a few maintenance people working in different areas and were courteous when we were playing thru.

I rated the course somewhat challenging because of the wind. It was quite windy and a 2 club wind all day. But as I remember it's always been windy when I have played here a few times in the past.

Conditions Good
Value Good
Layout Good
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Excellent
Difficulty Somewhat Challenging
Played On
Reviews 3
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Played On
Reviews 3
Handicap 25+
Skill Beginner
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
First Time Playing
Cold weather
Used cart

Fun course

Love the links style of this course, unique to the area for sure. Dormant rough, greens were in good shape, fairways were challenging with how wet they were but I played in the afternoon after some morning rain so it was expected path only. Pro shop staff was friendly. No starter or marshal this time of year made the pace rough. Skipped 2 holes and went back later to finish them, I golfed as a single and had 2 groups ahead of me so this was expected. Compared to the Southern Plantation style courses all around the area this course was a real treat. Really enjoyed the layout of this course and will def be back.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Average
Difficulty Moderate
Played On
Reviews 6
Handicap 5-9
Skill Intermediate
Plays A few times a week
I Recommend This Course
5.0
Verified Purchaser
First Time Playing

Castle Bay GC

Great layout. Greens are in excellent shape and the fairways were in great shape. Very friendly staff. Nice driving range and a starter was very friendly and gave me the information needed to make my round better. Fairways are very large which makes it easy for the regular amateurs to play well. No doubt, I will be back here to play. I strongly recommend this course. Great value

Conditions Excellent
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Average
Amenities Good
Played On
Reviews 17
Skill Intermediate
Plays Once a week
I Recommend This Course
4.0
Verified Purchaser
Previously Played

Castle bay

nice wide open user-friendly layout. Drains pretty good but had rained a lot the day before, Psy carts on path. one of my favorite local courses.

Conditions Good
Value Excellent
Layout Excellent
Friendliness Excellent
Pace Good
Amenities Good
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