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Sea Trail Golf Club - Maples Course

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.

3.3 from 476 golfer reviews

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.

Golfers 4

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.

3.3 476 reviews since 2020
  • 5 star 18%
  • 4 star 24%
  • 3 star 30%
  • 2 star 18%
  • 1 star 9%
July 2026

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....

Langley, Manassas
June 2026

Maples would be a keeper for us. A terrific course in great condition

Jim, Scituate
June 2026

Great course, need some fairway improvement but overall good place to place

Kip, Greeneville
June 2026

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.

Woodie, Penhook
Read all 41 recent reviews Show fewer reviews
June 2026

Great improvement on the course and with more time the greens will only get better!

Larry, Morristown
May 2026

Sand traps need sand and inconsistent

robert, falls church
May 2026

Poor fairways, way too much waste and confusing layout.

Chuck, Glenmont
May 2026

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.

Robert, Monroe
April 2026

Somewhat dry, tee boxes were in rough shape

O'Dell, Normalville
April 2026

Course in poor shape. Clubhouse was closed.

Butler, Doylestown
April 2026

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.

Whitehouse, Scarborough
April 2026

Nicely laid out, and the staff is quite friendly. Only issue is the restaurant for the Maples course being closed for remodeling

Curtis, Annapolis
April 2026

Good conditions. Helpful and friendly staff. Pace of play good.

Jonathan, Weddingon
April 2026

Different from the Jones course..not quite as chilly and no wind...a pleasant round

Russell, Columbus
April 2026

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

Daniel, sandwich
April 2026

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.

Daniel, sandwich
April 2026

Way too much waste bunkers. Replace a majority of it with rough.

Matt, Cincinnati
March 2026

Greens too firm

Eric, New Bern
March 2026

Greens could had been more receptive

Massey, New Bern
March 2026

The renovations to the course are fantastic. Our group’s favorite of the three. Staff was excellent

Russell, Boonville
March 2026

Tested is very well

Robert, Waterford
March 2026

Didn’t like this course very much, tight fairways with no grass in the rough

Jeffrey, Roaring Spring
March 2026

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.

Chan, Hagerstown
March 2026

Very good course. We enjoy it very much.

Chan, Hagerstown
February 2026

If not on fairways hitting out of muck. No rough grass

Boyd, Roaring Spring
February 2026

Didn’t play was sic

Hadley, Livonia
February 2026

Didn’t play was sic but told it was ok

Hadley, Livonia
February 2026

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

Steve, Belair
December 2025

When the renovation is completed all of the three courses will be great

David, hubert
October 2025

Disappointing after renovation. Fairways rough, greens were ok, overall conditions were poor. Shuttle to course was an inconvenience. Staff was friendly

Mathew, Rochester
May 2025

To much hardpan in fairways,and no GPS anywhere

Cote, Amesbury
April 2025

Course layout good. Improvements necessary.

Kinchla, Esst Sandwich
April 2025

Enjoyed it very much. We shot 8 under. Greens need work, but we had a blast

O’Neal, Washington
April 2025

Glad they’re closing and renovating it

Steven, Plymouth
March 2025

Needs more work on the cart paths and greens

Kevin, Durham
March 2025

Cart paths are awful

Jeffrey, Etowah
March 2025

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.

Tim, Hendersonville
March 2025

Good setup greens in good shape tee boxes could use some attention

Eddie
March 2025

Great condo. Great golf except for cart paths which were awful

Ken, Cornelius
March 2025

Good course. Recommend they at 150 yard posts/markers visible from the tee

Carson, Hendersonville
October 2024

wont golf sea trail again over priced for quality

christopher

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