351 Ocean Ridge Parkway S.W.,
Sunset Beach,
North Carolina,
28469
Type: Public
No. Holes: 18
Detailed description of Ocean Ridge Plantation, Lions Paw Golf Course
Ocean Ridge Plantation home of The Big Cats Golf Courses is a Public, 64 hole golf facility located in Sunset Beach, North Carolina. This facility has four regulation eighteen hole courses. They are The Lions Paw Course, The Panther's Run Course, Tiger's Eye Golf Course, and Leopard's Chase Golf Course.
Lions Paw Golf Course _______________
The Lion's Paw Course was designed by Willard Byrd. The course opened for play in 1991.
The course was built on rolling hills and features water hazards coming into play on some holes. The front and back nines are completely different. The front nine has Carolina pine trees lining its fairways and many elevation changes. The back nine is a links-style design, which features wide open fairways and undulating greens. Lion’s Paw has multiple tee areas, more than 70 bunkers and generous mounding lining many fairways. Water comes into play on 15 holes and beautiful wetland views can be seen from every hole. The most memorable hole on the Lion's Paw Course is #3, a 204-yard, par 3, which calls for a tee shot to carry water and the oyster shells that line the perimeter of the lake. From ground level, you'd never know the fairway and green form the shape of a lion's paw.
Blue tees: par-72, 7,003 yards, 74.0 / 132
White tees: par-72, 6,457 yards, 71.3 / 128
Gold tees: par-72, 5,872 yards, 67.5 / 118(M), 71.0 / 126(W)
Red tees: par-72, 5,363 yards, 69.0 / 121
Panther's Run Golf Course _______________
Panther's Run was designed by Tim Cate. The course opened for play in 1996. Tim Cate apprenticed with Willard Byrd and his design firm for seven years including work on Lion's Paw, the first course at Ocean Ridge Plantation.
The Panther's Run Course plays alongside a nature preserve that frequently comes into play. The fairways are undulating, and the water hazards are not only challenging, but very scenic due to the brooks, lakes and waterfalls. Wildlife that is typically seen on the course include deer, barn owl, and many types of waterfowl. A demanding and picturesque hole on the Panther's Run Course is #18, a 425-yard, par 4, which requires two well-struck shots to carry a lake that bisects the fairway.
Tiger's Eye Golf Course_______________
Tiger's Eye was designed by Tim Cate. The course opened for play in 2000.
The 18-hole, 7014 yard par 72 Tiger's Eye was the third addition to the Ocean Ridge Plantation golf course portfolio. The course has elevation changes, natural waste areas, native grasses, wildflowers, pine and oak trees, and various water features including marshlands and waterfalls. The generous, undulated, fast-paced greens, which resemble warped plywood, yield numerous pin placements that are obscured from view and guarded by water and/or sand hazards. The mature long leaf pine groves add a Pinehurst look to Tiger's Eye, but the mature, dense hardwood forest that lines the fairways and encircles the greens remind you that you're in the Lowcountry.
Saber Tooth tees: par-72, 7,014 yards, 73.3 / 141
Amur tees: par-72, 6,628 yards, 70.9 / 135
Bengal tees: par-72, 6,120 yards, 68.1 / 124
Caspian tees: par-72, 5,136 yards, 65.0 / 103(M), 69.0 / 123(W)
Tigress tees: par-72, 4,502 yards, 66.3 / 107
Leopard's Chase Golf Course _______________
Leopard's Chase was designed by Tim Cate. The course opened for play in 2007.
The Leopard"s Chase Course is the newest member of Ocean River Plantation's golf offerings. The course offers dramatic elevation changes, forced carries over preserved wetlands and generous landing areas. #18's steeply undulating green is fronted by an impressive cascading waterfall.
Black tees: par-72, 7,155 yards, 74.3 / 140
Blue tees: par-72, 6,645 yards, 72.1 / 136
White tees: par-72, 6,165 yards, 69.8 / 130(M), 76.2 / 144(W)
Gold tees: par-72, 5,458 yards, 67.1 / 117(M), 71.9 / 131(W)
Red tees: par-72, 4,872 yards, 64,5 / 110(M), 68.4 / 120(W)
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Discussion about this course
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$66 (cart included), played on Wednesday, December 1969 at
Played here 10-15-15 as part of a four day package at the Big Cats. Lion's Paw is the first we played, and the layout is excellent, considering the minimal elevation change available to the architect. Upscale houses everywhere, but are not especially intrusive into sight lines or shots, and all are well off the fairways. Fairways are pretty wide with some moguls and sculpting, but nothing too outlandish. Greens are quite large, very irregularly shaped, most are contoured. We found them to be firm on approach shots, but surprisingly slow on putts. Aprons were all very wet, to the point that pitch and run was not feasible. This area has been subjected to very heavy rains and flooding ove the last two weeks, so we were Cart Path Only, which made for a longer round than normal but our foursome still finished in about 4.5 hours. BTW, cart paths are VERY poor, with lots of root intrusions and many potholes, Be VERY careful! IMHO, course is not walkable, due to distances between holes. Staff we encountered were very good. We recommend.