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Lion's Paw at Ocean Ridge Plantation
About
Lion's Paw Golf Links is an open, hilly course that treats the golfer to spectacular views of a beautiful creek valley and its adjoining wetlands. A wild and untamed layout, Lion's Paw features deep sugar white sand bunkers and MiniVerde greens.
A stunning 23,000 square foot clubhouse serves both Lion's Paw and Panther's Run golf courses and offers residents and visitors the perfect place to ready themselves for the upcoming challenge on the links. Designed with a safari theme, the clubhouse includes a full-service pro shop, a snack bar and Tamers Restaurant and Lounge, an elegant dining room serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Lion's Paw has been described as Willard Byrd's finest work. Part wild, part rustic and quiet, this magnificent course presents a lion's share of adventure and breathtaking scenery.
Hot Deals at Lions Paw
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Course Details
Rentals & Services
Practice & Instruction
Policies
Food & Beverage
Awards & Recognition
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Top 25 Most Improved U.S. Golf Courses(2021 #16)
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5 Stars
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4 Stars
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3 Stars
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2 Stars
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1 Stars
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5 Stars
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4 Stars
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3 Stars
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2 Stars
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1 Stars
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Conditions3.5
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Value4.0
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Layout4.4
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Friendliness4.4
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Pace4.4
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Amenities4.1
Golfer Photos
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Photo submitted by u835220769 on 07/17/2026
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Photo submitted by u950416169 on 05/16/2026
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Photo submitted by u950416169 on 05/16/2026
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Photo submitted by u950416169 on 05/16/2026
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Photo submitted by logancriss on 04/13/2026
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Photo submitted by logancriss on 04/13/2026
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Photo submitted by logancriss on 04/13/2026
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72 year-old with good swing form! Photo submitted by PKStamm2418 on 01/18/2026
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Carlos was a great welcoming committee Photo submitted by james9852821 on 10/14/2025
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Photo submitted by u000007843074 on 06/13/2025
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Photo submitted by u000007843074 on 06/13/2025
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Photo submitted by u000007843074 on 06/13/2025
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Photo submitted by Richard1399167 on 05/16/2021
Golfer Reviews
Great Day at Lions Paw
Booked this course for a visiting friend. So this review is based on our conversation after the round. The course is in great shape. From tee to green! Pace was right on. My friend shot his second career low of 78. You wouldn’t be able to do that if the fairways and greens weren’t in great shape.
Nice greens fun layout
First time playing, greens are bent grass really nice.
Layout fun. Staff was really impressive. Greeted us at our car for clubs. Got our 2 some off early ahead of 12 player group. Pace of play great around 3 1/2 hours. Only area a little rough was fairways. Sometimes hard to tell the difference between fairways and rough. That said played the ball down all day and can only recall one bad lie in the fairway. Overall an enjoyable track and would recommend and play again.
Nice course!
Very friendly staff, nice carts, nice greens, fairways were a little rough but overall can’t beat it for 45 bucks.
Thank you for the excellent Five Star review of Lion's Paw. We appreciate your patronage and feedback. We do agree, we have great staff and they do their best to provide a fun and memorable golf experience. We've had a little rain recently and everything is greening up nicely. Be sure to check out the other three Big Cat courses. Thanks again!
Nice layout but drought is killing fairways
Enjoy my day on the course. Staff is super friendly and helpful. Greens rolled nice. Fairways are gone do to drought. They were working on traps.
Thank you for the nice Four Star review of Lion's Paw. We appreciate your patronage and feedback. The staff is working hard daily to provide a fun and memorable experience. Be sure to check out the other three Big Cat courses.
Thanks again!
Good layout, fairways suffering from drought
Drought has hurt fairways bad. Greens are in good shape and they are working on bunkers. Enjoyed my round. Staff was super friendly.
Thank you for the nice Four Star review of Lion's Paw. We appreciate your patronage and feedback. Our staff is working hard daily to provide a fun and memorable golf experience. We hope you visit again soon. Be sure to check out the other three Big Cat courses. Thanks again!
Lions Paw Ocean Isle
With little to no rain in the past 3-6 months, the greens were in great condition very soft. The fairways and tee boxes were suffering significantly from the lack of rain.
Thank you for the nice Four Star review of Lion's Paw. We appreciate your patronage and feedback. We are working hard daily to provide a fun and memorable golf experience and doing our best with the lack of rain. we hope you visit again soon. Be sure to check out the other three Big Cat courses. Thanks again!
Overall worth a revisit
The greens were long and fuzzy to handle the drought but in good shape. Many of the ponds were dry. The course was in better shape than some but it varied from hole to hole. Overall a nice course. A bit of a hold up at the beginning. They didn’t put us into carts until time to go so the 30 minutes we got there early weren’t usable at the range.
Thank you for the nice Four Star review of Lion's Paw. We appreciate your patronage and feedback. Hope you grabbed a cold beverage and snack while you waited. Be sure to check out the other three Big Cat courses. Thanks again!
Thank you for the nice Four Star review of Lion's Paw. We appreciate your patronage and feedback. Be sure to check out the other three Big Cat courses. Thanks again!
Greens are coming back nicely!
The course is dry especially since there has been very little r. The greens are coming back nicely though! The staff is very accommodating!
Thank you for the nice Five Star review of Lion's Paw. We appreciate your patronage and feedback. We agree the staff is excellent and we appreciate the mention. Be sure to check out the other three Big Cat courses. Thanks again!
Great course
Played back when it was being developed playing 9 holes on Lions Paw and 9 holes on Panthers Run. Have noticed and wanted to play again every year coming down from Goldsboro and decided it was time. Got paired with a good group of other guys and had an amazing time. It is always good to meet new people.
Thank you for the excellent Five Star review of Lion's Paw. We appreciate your patronage and feedback. Be sure to check out the other three Big Cat courses. Thanks again!
Awesome deal !
With the weather being hot and dry, the fairways were very dry, which helped my driver distance! The greens are coming back strong! Awesome value!
Thank you for the nice Four Star review of Lion's Paw. We appreciate your patronage and feedback. Be sure to check out the other three Big Cat courses. Thanks again!
Lions paw
Overall good experience considering the extreme drought conditions.
Thank you for the nice Four Star review of Lion's Paw. We appreciate your patronage and feedback. Be sure to check out the other three Big Cat courses. Thanks again!
Awesome course! Greens were in the process of being repaired.
The course is super fun. I'm going back tomorrow. The greens were in so so shape. Currently being repaired. Looked like a machine had a fluid leak on a couple of greens resulting in dead spots. Management is working hard at restoring the greens to tip top shape.
Thank you for the awesome Four Star review of Lion's Paw. We appreciate your patronage and feedback. The current drought has been a challenge and we are working hard daily to restore the greens to , as you say, "tip top shape." Thanks again.
Nice course
The course overall was in good condition. There greens were very slow, and few greens were in rough shape. Played 18 in just over 4 hours, there was a group of 6 in front of us that didn’t really hold us up. Staff was super friendly and very helpful.
Thank you for the nice Four Star review of Lion's Paw. We appreciate your patronage and feedback. We are doing our best to provide a fun and memorable golf experience and of course, our staff contributes to that end. Be sure to check out the other three Big Cat courses. Thanks again!
Extremely Dry conditions
The tees, fairways, and rough were void of grass. Around the greens and greens were ok but several greens had large dead spots on them. I understand there has not been a lot of rain lately but the course should be watering and it appears they have given up.
Thank you for taking the time to review Lion's Paw. We appreciate your patronage and feedback. Due to the current drought, (the worst in forty years,) the ponds are low and we have no public water irrigation. We are doing our best to provide a fun and memorable golf experience We hope you visit again soon and thank you again.
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Thank you for the excellent Five Star Review of Lion's Paw. We appreciate your patronage and feedback. Be sure to check out the other three Big Cat Courses. Thanks again!
Thank you for the excellent Five Star Review of Lion's Paw. We appreciate your patronage and feedback. Be sure to check out the other three Big Cat Courses. Thanks again!