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Lion's Paw at Ocean Ridge Plantation
Rating Snapshot
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.
| Tee | Par | Length | Rating | Slope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue | 72 | 7003 yards | 74.0 | 132 |
| White | 72 | 6457 yards | 71.3 | 128 |
| Gold | 72 | 5872 yards | 67.5 | 118 |
| Gold (W) | 72 | 5872 yards | 71.0 | 126 |
| Red (W) | 72 | 5363 yards | 69.0 | 121 |
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue M: 73.5/137 | 417 | 517 | 204 | 428 | 415 | 228 | 402 | 520 | 386 | 3517 | 400 | 202 | 383 | 527 | 418 | 445 | 384 | 185 | 542 | 3486 | 7003 |
| White M: 71.0/131 | 387 | 477 | 178 | 385 | 399 | 175 | 364 | 495 | 352 | 3212 | 375 | 188 | 372 | 493 | 396 | 408 | 353 | 154 | 506 | 3245 | 6457 |
| White/Gold M: 69.2/126 | 351 | 477 | 128 | 385 | 366 | 136 | 364 | 495 | 352 | 3054 | 375 | 172 | 322 | 493 | 393 | 382 | 353 | 131 | 506 | 3127 | 6181 |
| Gold M: 67.3/115 W: 72.7/133 | 351 | 433 | 128 | 361 | 366 | 136 | 332 | 478 | 336 | 2921 | 349 | 172 | 322 | 431 | 393 | 382 | 319 | 131 | 457 | 2956 | 5877 |
| Red M: 64.2/108 W: 68.8/124 | 335 | 416 | 108 | 326 | 353 | 125 | 303 | 455 | 305 | 2726 | 307 | 110 | 300 | 413 | 321 | 366 | 286 | 121 | 406 | 2630 | 5356 |
| Handicap | 1 | 15 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 17 | 9 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 4 | 6 | 16 | 18 | 12 | |||
| Par | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 36 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 36 | 72 |
| Handicap (W) | 1 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 17 | 9 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 18 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 4 | 16 | 6 | 14 |
Course Details
Rentals/Services
Practice/Instruction
Policies
Food & Beverage
Bar, Grill, RestaurantAccolades
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Golf Advisor: Top 25 Most Improved U.S. Golf Courses (2021 #16)
Reviews
Reviewer Photos
This course has changed
I’ve played this course a few times over the last couple of years, but this year felt different. The course maintenance has diminished. The fairways play like rough where there is grass, the greens are quite patchy and have been left quite long. I have really enjoyed this course in the past and that why I chose to take my mom on her first visit to eastern North Carolina. Will not be back anytime soon unless I hear of improvements.
Thank you for taking the time to review your visit to Lion's Paw. We truly appreciate your patronage and your feedback. We deeply apologize you did not catch us at our best on this visit, but fortunately course conditions are improving rapidly, now that we have received some much needed rainfall, and we expect all of The Big Cats courses to be in very good condition for the remainder of 2025 and beyond. We hope you will visit us again and see our continued progress.
The greens needed work, there were rough spots on them, probably wear her related.
Overall a good deal for the price, overall the course needs a little work on the greens and fairways, but nothing that make it unplayable.
Thank you for the very nice Four Star review of Lion's Paw. We really appreciate it. Now that we have received some decent rainfall, the course is greening up quickly and weak spots are filling in as well. We expect the course to be in very good condition for the remainder of 2025 and beyond. We hope you will visit us again soon and see our continued progress. Thanks again!
Not worth it
The course has gone downhill in the last few months. The greens were mostly terrible, a few were okay. Many of the tee boxes were over used as well as the markers were set off center, not facing down the fairway. The fairways were not bad. The cart girl was covering 3 courses, so we only saw her once on the 13th hole. The guy inside was very nice but did not mention the greens being in bad shape. The bag drop guys were great and the starter kept everything moving. A ranger or maintenance guy on the course said the greens has been punched recently and there was lots of sand, but the many dead patches is inexcusable. There are several courses within 15 minutes and 15 dollars that are in great shape. I will spend my money elsewhere next time.
Thank you for taking the time to review your visit to Lion's Paw. We truly appreciate your patronage and your feedback. We deeply apologize you did not catch us at our best on this visit. The greens experienced some winterkill issues from the heavy snow of the late winter and then the annual Rye to Bermuda transition was disrupted by a severe drought. Fortunately those issue are behind us now and the extensive measures we have taken to improve the condition of the course have helped dramatically. With the significant rainfall of the past two weeks, things have improved even quicker and we expect the course, including the greens, to be in very good shape as we move through the remainder of 2025 and beyond. We also apologize for the pin placements on that day. I will make our director of agronomy aware of this issue immediately and he can direct his staff to take more care with the placement of pins on any greens with lingering issues. Thank you again and we hope you will choose to visit us again sometime and see our continued progress.
Bunkers and bunkers
This was my first time playing lions paw. Great course and I will defiantly be back. The staff was amazing and friendly. I don’t pay I drove down and misjudged traffic giving myself way too much time before my round. Grabbed coffee in the restaurants. Then went to the range. I liked that they offered cigars in the proshop for the course.
The course was overall a 4 star. Would have to take a star away, the greens were in really rough shape. Dirt patches and algae build up on almost every green. The day I played they had pin positions in hole 2. So some greens you had to put through dirt patches. (Wish they would have moved the pin on these holes)
Other wise the fairways are wide open. I found every bunker possible but had a great time and will be back!
Thank you for the very nice Four Star review of Panther's Run. We truly appreciate your patronage and your feedback. We apologize the greens were not at their best on this visit. We had some issues with winterkill from the snowfall early in the year and then the rye to bermuda transition was disrupted by a significant drought. But we are past all of that now and the course is healing up nicely. With the good rainfall over the past couple of weeks, things have improved rapidly and we expect Lion's Paw and all of the Big Cats courses to be in very good condition for the remainder of 2025 and beyond. We hope you will visit us again soon and see our continued progress. Thanks again.
Thank you for the very nice Four Star review of Lion's Paw. We truly appreciate it. Be sure to check out the other three Big Cats courses as well. Thanks again.
Play Somewhere Else
First of all, I do commend the staff; they were all friendly, helpful and accommodating. The course on the other hand is run down. There are numerous bare spots on many of the greens. Many of the bunkers lacked sand. Bare spots in the fairways. And, they aerated the back nine fairways, and did not notify us. All in all, not worth playing here. When you come to Myrtle Beach, you expect much more.
Thank you for taking the time to review your visit to Lion's Paw. We truly appreciate your patronage and your feedback. We apologize you did not catch us at our best on this visit. It is our intention to provide each and every guest with a fun and memorable golf experience and we are sorry we fell short on this visit. We deeply apologize you were not notified of the necessary aeration process we typically undergo this time of year. I will address this with our staff immediately. The extreme cold (Snow and ice) of the early spring, followed by an severe drought did take a toll on the greens, but the maintenance procedures we are doing will ensure they return to peak condition very soon and we expect them to be in good condition for the reminder of 2025 and beyond. We hope you will visit us again and see our continued progress. Thanks again.
Nice course and great staff
The course was in the midst of aeration and gave a better price when we showed up than GolfNow had. They even let me swap out a player for a ride along that I had booked, which was appreciated. Club rental on site was good for what one in our party needed. All in all, will be looking forward to getting another round in here or one of the other courses on property.
Thank you very much for the nice Four Star review of Lion's Paw. We apologize for the necessary aeration of the greens at the time of your visit, but we are happy to hear you enjoyed your round anyway. The course is improving daily and will be in very good condition for the summer of 2025 and beyond. We hope you will visit Lion's Paw or one of the other three Big Cats courses again soon and see our continued progress. Thanks again.
Thank you so much for the awesome Five Star review of Lion's Paw. We truly appreciate it. Be sure to check out the other three Big Cats courses a well. Thanks again!
Thank you so much for the very nice Four Star review of Lion's Paw. We truly appreciate your patronage and your feedback. Be sure to check out the other three Big Cats courses as well. Thanks again.
Working on greens
Course was in good shape. The greens were being worked on.
Thank you for the nice Four Star review of Lion's Paw. We truly appreciate it. The greens are improving daily and we expect them to be in very good condition for the remainder of 2025 and beyond. We hope you will visit Lion's Paw or one of the other three Big Cats courses soon and see our continued progress. Thanks again!
Worst Greens Ever
Great layout, worst greens I have ever played. Pro in proshop had a terrible attitude.
Thank you for taking the time to review your visit to Lion's Paw Golf Links. We truly appreciate your patronage and your feedback. We apologize for the unsatisfactory issues you described. The greens are improving quickly now that the weather has warmed up and we finally received some much needed rain, so that issue will be resolved very soon, but I am particularly concerned about the issue you had with one of our staff members. If you would email me with some further details on this matter, I would greatly appreciate it and I assure you we will address this matter immediately, to help improve our overall customer service standards. My email is blong@oceanridge.com. I would be happy to work with you to help resolve this matter to everyone's satisfaction. Thanks again and I hope to hear from you. Bill Long
Great Layout/Worst Greens ever played
Great layout, greens were the worst I ever played on. And I’m 60 years old. The attitude inside, I’m assuming the pro was very bad.. Extremely disappointed being my son from out of town was here for my 60th birthday.
Lions Paw Golf
Nice course at a great price. Green work repairs are in process to save them from last year's freeze.
Thank you for the very nice Four Star review of Lion's Paw. We truly appreciate your patronage and your feedback. The snow and ice did set some of the greens back a bit but they have improved rapidly now that the weather has warmed up and we have received some much needed rain. The course is improving daily and will be in very good condition for the remainder of 2025 and beyond. We hope you will visit us again soon and see our continued progress. Thanks again.
Thank you for the very nice Four Star review of Lion's Paw. We truly appreciate your patronage and your feedback. We hope you will visit us again soon and see our continued progress. Thanks again!
Always a great place to play
Played here 30 years ago when it was first started and always played here each time over the 30 years since.
Thank you so much for the nice Four Star review and for your continued support and patronage through all these years! We really appreciate it! We are working hard daily on all of The Big Cats courses and we strive to offer each of our guests a fun and memorable experience. We look forward to seeing you next time! Thanks again!
Nice course, but damage from winter and drought
Good fairway conditions and tee boxes not too bad, but several greens are in poor shape. Course management is working to get these in good shape again. Would play again.
Thank you for the very nice Four Star review of Lion's Paw. We truly appreciate your patronage and your feedback! We are definitely working hard and committed to offering our guests a fun and memorable round of golf on any of The Big Cats courses. We hope you will visit us again soon and see our continued progress. Thanks again!
Beautiful Course
This was a great course, they are just struggling with their greens. You can tell they are working hard to fix it.
Thank you so much for the very nice Four Star review of Lion's Paw. We really appreciate it. We are definitely working hard and just need a little rain to bring the course back to more typical conditions. The extreme drought has hit our area hard, but relief appears to be in sight, according to the forecast. We hope you will visit us again soon and see our continued progress. Thanks again.
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Thank you so much for the wonderful Five Star review of Lion's Paw. We truly appreciate your patronage and your feedback. Be sure to check out the other three Big Cats courses as well.