Traditional NC Border Public
Sea Trail Golf Club - Maples Course
The Maples Course at Sea Trail is a 1986 Dan Maples design in Sunset Beach, just over the North Carolina line, playing 6,374 yards to a par 72. It suits groups already staying at the border end of the Strand.
Designed by Dan Maples
- Par
- 72
- Yards
- 6,374
- Slope
- 134
- Holes
- 18
- Opened
- 1986
- Greens
- Bermuda
Why groups book it
What you are paying for at Sea Trail Golf Club - Maples Course
The pedigree
Dan Maples
A Traditional layout that opened in 1986 and plays to a par of 72 over 6,374 yards.
The test
Slope 134
6,374 yards and a slope of 134. Enough teeth to be worth the tee time, fair enough that the whole group finishes with a card worth signing.
The greens
Bermuda
Putting surfaces are Bermuda. The practice ground carries a chipping green, a driving range and a putting green, so the speed is no surprise on the first green.
The verdict
3.3 out of 5
Across 476 reviews left by golfers who booked through us, 43% scored Sea Trail Golf Club - Maples Course four stars or better. None of it is edited and none of it is paid for.
Live tee times
Play the Maples Course at Sea Trail Golf Club.
Checking the tee sheet…
Live rates per golfer, cart included. Booking opens in our tee sheet with your day and group size already set.
The course
The golf at Sea Trail Golf Club - Maples Course
Dan Maples built this in 1986 at a modest 6,374 yards, and the slope of 134 tells you the defence is not length. Waste bunkering is the signature and also the single most divisive element on the property. Reviewers use the word waste repeatedly, and rarely as a compliment. The recurring request is to replace a good deal of it with rough, and more than one player found the routing confusing as a result of how much of it there is. Anyone who likes sandy expanses will find plenty; anyone who does not will spend the afternoon irritated.
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Access
- Public
- Style
- Traditional
- Practice
- Chipping Green, Driving Range, Putting Green
- Address
- 210 Clubhouse Rd, Sunset Beach, NC 28468
The review record is the weakest signal here. Across 513 reviews the average is 3.22, and the distribution is unusual: 155 three star ratings form the largest single group, with 90 fives and 126 fours against 91 twos and 51 ones. That is a course people find acceptable rather than good. The dominant explanation in the comments is a recent remodel that had not matured, with fairways lacking grass in a lot of spots and greens described as okay but not yet grown in. Tee boxes come in for the same criticism. Several reviewers are explicitly forward looking, saying the improvement is real and the greens will get better with more time, which is fair context but not much use to someone booking this month.
Cart paths are the other repeated theme, appearing prominently in the review language and generally as a complaint about their state. Clubhouse issues compound it, with the restaurant closed for remodelling and at least one reviewer arriving to find the clubhouse shut entirely. Against all that, staff draw consistent praise for friendliness and helpfulness, pace of play gets positive mentions, and the reviewers who caught the course in good condition called it terrific and a keeper. Practice facilities cover a range, putting green and chipping green. One reviewer summed the balance up by calling it a good place to play that still needs fairway improvement.
The look
Sea Trail Golf Club - Maples Course in pictures




Getting there
210 Clubhouse Rd, Sunset Beach, NC 28468
Course reviews
What golfers said about Sea Trail Golf Club - Maples Course
Every one of these was left by a golfer who booked through us and played the course. Nothing is edited and nothing is paid for.
- 5 star 18%
- 4 star 24%
- 3 star 30%
- 2 star 18%
- 1 star 9%
Bag attendant was rude to a member of our group. Had to check in at the convention center and drive to maples. Waste of time and energy....
Maples would be a keeper for us. A terrific course in great condition
Great course, need some fairway improvement but overall good place to place
Cause was remodeled recently a.d had not matured. Fairways were la king grass in a lot of spots. Greens were okay but not mature yet.
Read all 41 recent reviews Show fewer reviews
Great improvement on the course and with more time the greens will only get better!
Sand traps need sand and inconsistent
Poor fairways, way too much waste and confusing layout.
This course was in good shape, but directional signage was absent where it was needed. Our condo was actually on the 18th fairway, and I was instructed by the pro shop that we would need to park at the main clubhouse and ride the shuttle. We chose to use drop off and actually park at the condo. I was told that the parking lot was for members only and that the clubhouse was closed only when we dropped off clubs.
Somewhat dry, tee boxes were in rough shape
Course in poor shape. Clubhouse was closed.
I would give the Sea Trail courses a rating below the Pawleys Island courses we normally play. Not the same standard of care and maintenance.
Nicely laid out, and the staff is quite friendly. Only issue is the restaurant for the Maples course being closed for remodeling
Good conditions. Helpful and friendly staff. Pace of play good.
Different from the Jones course..not quite as chilly and no wind...a pleasant round
good course needs a lot of love around rough areas I know maples likes Waste Areas but redesign cutting out some of waste areas would be a plus
A very good course needs some work it had a lot of bare rough areas. I believe Maples got a little carried away with amount of waste area good but nowhere near level of other three but, still a good day.
Way too much waste bunkers. Replace a majority of it with rough.
Greens too firm
Greens could had been more receptive
The renovations to the course are fantastic. Our group’s favorite of the three. Staff was excellent
Tested is very well
Didn’t like this course very much, tight fairways with no grass in the rough
Very impressed with the course. Very well maintained and easy to play. We had a great time at the course. Everyone was surprisingly happy with the course. Looking forward to see the renovation of the clubhouse next year.
Very good course. We enjoy it very much.
If not on fairways hitting out of muck. No rough grass
Didn’t play was sic
Didn’t play was sic but told it was ok
Was not ready to be open waste areas were a mess tees greens & fairways good I played this facility in the 90’s when it first opened I see the progress after a decline
When the renovation is completed all of the three courses will be great
Disappointing after renovation. Fairways rough, greens were ok, overall conditions were poor. Shuttle to course was an inconvenience. Staff was friendly
To much hardpan in fairways,and no GPS anywhere
Course layout good. Improvements necessary.
Enjoyed it very much. We shot 8 under. Greens need work, but we had a blast
Glad they’re closing and renovating it
Needs more work on the cart paths and greens
Cart paths are awful
I have always liked this course. The next thing on the renovations chart should be the Maples cart paths. The greens were better than Jones and I would rate the whole course higher except for the paths.
Good setup greens in good shape tee boxes could use some attention
Great condo. Great golf except for cart paths which were awful
Good course. Recommend they at 150 yard posts/markers visible from the tee
wont golf sea trail again over priced for quality
Vacation rentals
Where to stay near Sea Trail Golf Club - Maples Course
These are the three closest places we book to the course, measured as the drive from the clubhouse rather than in a straight line, so the morning run to the first tee stays short. Lodging is quoted with the golf as one price.
At the course
Sea Trail Resort Villas
Sits on the Sea Trail Golf Club - Maples Course property, so the first tee is a walk from the door. Expect bar/lounge.
- Bar/Lounge
- Outdoor Kids Pool
- Outdoor Pool
7.7 miles away
Village at the Glens
Roughly 7.7 miles from the first tee in Little River, with community outdoor pool.
- Community Outdoor Pool
- FREE Parking
- FREE Wi-Fi
9.5 miles away
Crow Creek Villas
About 9.5 miles from the course, worth it if the group wants to be in Calabash.
- Community Outdoor Pool
- Elevator
- FREE Parking
Closest courses to Sea Trail Golf Club - Maples Course
Pair it with
Sea Trail Golf Club - Jones Course
0.9 miles away
3.8 from 1,070 reviews
Sea Trail Golf Club - Byrd Course
0.9 miles away
3.6 from 942 reviews
Oyster Bay Golf Links
1.3 miles away
3.7 from 15 reviews
The Pearl
1.4 miles away
4.2 from 213 reviews
Sandpiper Bay Golf & Country Club
1.9 miles away
4.6 from 7 reviews
Thistle Golf Club
2.1 miles away
4.8 from 182 reviews
Build the trip
Put Sea Trail Golf Club - Maples Course in a package
Tell us the dates and who is coming. We quote the golf, the lodging and the tee times as one price, and a $100 deposit per golfer holds it.