Nags Head Golf Links

About
Nags Head Golf Club has a traditional Scottish-links layout that is right at home on the windswept terrain of the Outer Banks. Situated along the Roanoke Sound, the rugged coastline and rolling sand dunes perfectly mimic a classic links landscape. The golf course is a shot maker's layout that will test your skills but it is still player friendly enough to appeal to all skill levels. You'll need a sharp short game for sure, but you won't need much length on this rather short layout. Some form of water appears on nearly every hole, including some holes that play right along the Sound, and the undulating greens can be tough. It's a challenging-but-fun round that is worth playing for the scenery alone. Unsurprisingly, Nags Head Golf Club is one of the most popular golf courses in the OBX.
Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
---|---|---|---|---|
Championship | 71 | 6126 yards | 70.2 | 128 |
Championship (W) | 71 | 6126 yards | 75.8 | 139 |
Blue | 71 | 5717 yards | 68.2 | 123 |
Blue (W) | 71 | 5717 yards | 73.9 | 133 |
White | 71 | 5354 yards | 66.7 | 114 |
White (W) | 71 | 5354 yards | 72.1 | 129 |
Ladies | 71 | 4415 yards | 63.5 | 104 |
Ladies (W) | 71 | 4415 yards | 66.3 | 112 |
Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Black M: 69.9/132 W: 76.0/146 | 284 | 510 | 118 | 343 | 509 | 143 | 363 | 351 | 361 | 2982 | 167 | 341 | 424 | 506 | 310 | 219 | 337 | 162 | 571 | 3037 | 6019 |
Blue M: 67.9/126 W: 74.0/139 | 257 | 491 | 103 | 325 | 482 | 132 | 347 | 333 | 344 | 2814 | 133 | 318 | 404 | 485 | 284 | 198 | 308 | 150 | 536 | 2816 | 5630 |
White M: 66.7/117 W: 71.9/133 | 241 | 465 | 103 | 307 | 453 | 123 | 312 | 318 | 328 | 2650 | 125 | 295 | 391 | 458 | 262 | 178 | 277 | 130 | 506 | 2622 | 5272 |
Gold M: 64.2/108 W: 68.9/122 | 246 | 414 | 110 | 312 | 401 | 115 | 292 | 292 | 277 | 2459 | 112 | 212 | 290 | 382 | 273 | 133 | 282 | 130 | 422 | 2236 | 4695 |
Red M: 63.2/103 W: 67.0/115 | 208 | 404 | 102 | 253 | 399 | 114 | 280 | 285 | 273 | 2318 | 101 | 205 | 284 | 377 | 198 | 130 | 186 | 94 | 436 | 2011 | 4329 |
Handicap | 13 | 3 | 17 | 11 | 1 | 15 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 16 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 18 | 4 | |||
Par | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 36 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 35 | 71 |
Course Details
Rentals/Services
Practice/Instruction
Policies
Food & Beverage
Bar, RestaurantAvailable Facilities
Clubhouse, Banquet FacilitiesAccolades
-
Golf Advisor: Top Courses in North Carolina (2017 #25)
Reviews
Reviewer Photos
-
Photo submitted by u000005572210 on 06/24/2025
-
Photo submitted by u000005572210 on 06/24/2025
-
Photo submitted by u000005572210 on 06/24/2025
-
Photo submitted by u000005572210 on 06/24/2025
-
Photo submitted by BodineBrazy on 03/07/2025
-
Photo submitted by duuuuuuce on 06/11/2024
-
Photo submitted by duuuuuuce on 06/11/2024
-
Photo submitted by Bronx2Bali on 04/25/2024
-
Photo submitted by Metin123 on 11/18/2023
-
Photo submitted by u000006822004 on 08/30/2023
-
Hole 18's green Photo submitted by aromig27 on 07/07/2023
-
Photo submitted by ghobb003 on 04/25/2023
-
Beautiful Sunsets over the Sound Photo submitted by u314159368875 on 04/22/2023
-
Photo submitted by peteyb on 04/22/2023
-
Photo submitted by u296891970 on 04/17/2023
-
Photo submitted by u314163610105 on 12/30/2022
-
Several holes run along the sound, and make Nags Head a very picturesque course. Photo submitted by JohnL1848734 on 09/08/2022
-
Photo submitted by Phillygolfguy13 on 07/27/2022
-
Photo submitted by Phillygolfguy13 on 07/27/2022
-
Photo submitted by Phillygolfguy13 on 07/27/2022
-
Photo submitted by farmerm01 on 06/16/2022
-
Photo submitted by douglagt on 04/16/2022
-
Pamlico sound from the 9th. Photo submitted by u393584043 on 05/17/2021
-
18th at Nags Head Golf Links Photo submitted by u393584043 on 05/17/2021
-
Photo submitted by u000006618067 on 05/09/2021
-
Photo submitted by Jngwelch on 04/20/2021
-
Photo submitted by u3793907 on 04/07/2021
-
Photo submitted by u3793907 on 04/07/2021
-
Photo submitted by u3793907 on 04/07/2021
-
Photo submitted by u3793907 on 04/07/2021
-
15th hole, 183 yd, par 3 Photo submitted by u2671860 on 03/12/2021
-
Just hit it and hope Photo submitted by TheBigWiff on 08/02/2020
-
Photo submitted by jnkhan on 08/01/2020
-
Photo submitted by u314160281001 on 06/23/2020
-
Great course... Photo submitted by Robert1068488 on 02/20/2020
-
Photo submitted by Tom6595575 on 09/10/2019
-
The Rhode Island gang Photo submitted by u314159439194 on 07/24/2019
-
Photo submitted by william6680010 on 09/09/2017
-
Mark and Gabe 2017 Photo submitted by farmerm01 on 06/24/2017
-
Photo submitted by bdhazelnut on 07/04/2014
-
Photo submitted by bdhazelnut on 07/04/2014
-
Photo submitted by u000006503721 on 05/15/2013
-
Photo submitted by u000006503721 on 05/15/2013
-
Photo submitted by Brian2299147 on 05/04/2013
-
Photo submitted by Jlamping6 on 05/02/2013
-
Photo submitted by u000004965738 on 10/18/2012
-
Photo submitted by u000004965738 on 10/18/2012
-
Photo submitted by u000004965738 on 10/18/2012
-
Photo submitted by u000004965738 on 10/18/2012
-
Photo submitted by u000004965738 on 10/18/2012
-
One of the holes on the back 9 looking at the sound. Photo submitted by Stephanjr on 09/30/2012
Bring your range finder or GPS
I played an afternoon round in a warm May day. Very few people on the course so no issues getting around 18 holes with a partner in about 4 hours. Course conditions were good except some greens were super bumpy and a few holes have issues with many Canadian geese literally pooping on the greens. The waterside holes are gorgeous but there are also a few holes near a busy road.
You really need gps and/or a range finder on this course if you are not familiar. So many water crossings, I believe on 75% of holes. Overall a reasonably difficult course for an amateur golfer with not much room for error on most holes.
Great experience
Played this course today for the first time. Views around the course are gorgeous and pro shop/ amenities are great. Played as a solo on a day with not the greatest weather (unseasonably chilly, very windy and wet from previous days rain) but finished 18 in just under 2 and a half hours on a Sunday. Very impressed. Will be back

We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed your first visit, despite the challenging weather conditions, and appreciate your compliments about our course and amenities. Looking forward to welcoming you back soon!

We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed your first visit, despite the challenging weather conditions, and appreciate your compliments about our course and amenities. Looking forward to welcoming you back soon!
This course has a beautiful layout
Great course. Every hole is unique and challenging.

Thank you for the wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed the uniqueness and challenge of each hole.
Ridiculous Pace of Play
Have been playing this course for 18+ years (2-3 times a yrs). Most of the time the pace of play is acceptable.
Today, 3 hours for the front 9. We paid for the full 18, but could not justify spending 6 hours on a golf course with no ranger in sight. Stopped after 9. Had a good lunch. Staff is always friendly, course is always fun and scenery is always beautiful. But today, it was ridiculous. Very disappointed. We will of course try this course again in August. Hoping for better course management.

We apologize for the slow pace and lack of oversight during your most recent visit. We're committed to better course management and look forward to providing a more enjoyable experience in August. Thank you for your continued patronage and for sharing your feedback.
$200 Buck Bummer
As a passionate golfer, it’s with great disappointment that I must advise against visiting this golf course, where my recent experience was both frustrating and costly.
Upon arrival, I faced the first of many issues: renting golf clubs. At $80, the rental fee was steep, but what was truly unacceptable was the condition and incompleteness of the clubs provided. I noticed the grubby looking bag on the way out, but it wasn’t until I was on the first hole with others that I noticed this . Not only were they corroded, but the set included duplicate five woods and was missing a sand wedge. The lack of attention from the staff, who were more engaged in training a new apprentice employee than ensuring quality service, was evident when no apology or solution was offered upon my request for the missing club. I was simply given a wedge without any interest on how the set could be so scrambled.
The primary reason for my review, however, is the exceedingly slow pace of play. The course permits large groups of up to six players, resulting in a pace that extended to three hours for just nine holes—even on a weekday. The absence of marshals to oversee play flow and the indifference of the staff only exacerbated the issue. When I sought a refund for the back nine after a tedious front nine, I was met with inflexibility; they offered only a credit for future play, which was impractical for me as a visitor. I made this very clear the cashier didn’t seem to really care and just to be clear. It’s not that you can’t give a refund. It’s that you won’t give a refund for a very reasonable request. This is why you’re getting this feedback.
Furthermore, the golf cart provided featured a safety interlock that was neither explained at issuance nor detailed in the cart itself. This lack of communication led to unnecessary delays as I had to secure a replacement cart. It is baffling that such a simple aid as written instructions was overlooked.
While the course itself is visually pleasing, the lack of effective management and customer care severely detracts from the experience. It appears that the ownership and management are disengaged, which is clearly reflected in the operational shortcomings.
For those seeking a smooth and enjoyable golfing experience, I recommend considering other courses in the area. Unfortunately, this course seems to test one’s patience far more than their golf skills. Avoid.

Experienced the same slow play when I played there a few days later. And I played 2x - both weekdays. one was a 5.5 hours round, the other I stopped after 9 because it was 3 hours. We are going back at the end of Aug, will try it again. But yea, after frequenting this course for 18+ years with mostly all positive experiences, this was the absolute worst in May,
Great views! Great Course!
The staff were extremely friendly and helpful. I was late for my tee time and they were accommodating and let me go with the next group. Course was in good condition. Pin placements were hard Ava greens were fast. The course was very challenging and fun. It is one of my favorite courses.
Definitely will go there again! Great Layout! Great value for your money.
Is this Scotland?
Felt like a Scottish adventure today. Fifteen to 25 mph winds all day. Made for a challenging and fun day.
Nags Head Golf Links
Guy behind the counter was a bit snarky from my experience. Had a mix up with tee times and he acted like the friggin sky was gonna fall. I’ve worked behind the counter as an Asst Pro… the Pro Shop staff should be a bit more professional and consider the paying public pays their salary. Might go back, maybe not…
We appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and are glad you enjoyed the waterside holes! We apologize for the condition of some greens and will look into improving this aspect, as well as addressing the issue with the Canadian geese.