Cheraw State Park

Few golf courses in South Carolina come with the pedigree that Cheraw State Park carries. The layout was designed by Tom Fazio — one of his earlier commissions — and remains one of the most celebrated public golf experiences in the Palmetto State. Set within Cheraw State Park, the oldest state park in South Carolina, the course benefits from a setting defined by longleaf pines, hardwoods, and the quiet, unhurried character of the Pee Dee region in the state's northeastern corner.

The design works with the natural contours of the land, asking players to navigate tree-lined corridors and thoughtfully positioned hazards rather than brute length. It plays as a genuine test without being punishing, and the conditions are routinely praised for a state-operated facility — a reflection of consistent investment from South Carolina State Parks.

Cheraw itself is a small town with an outsized sense of history, and the golf course fits that character well. This is the kind of place where the pace slows down and the surroundings do as much work as the architecture — a legitimate reason to make the drive.