River Hills Golf & Country Club
A Tom Jackson design in Little River, South Carolina, River Hills Golf & Country Club blends rolling terrain, mature forests, freshwater wetlands, doglegs, strategic bunkering, TifEagle greens, and rare elevation change for the Grand Strand.
A wooded Little River course with terrain you can feel.
River Hills Golf & Country Club is one of the North Strand’s classic Tom Jackson layouts, tucked into Little River near the Carolina border. The course feels different from many flat coastal tracks, using rolling terrain, elevation changes, mature pine corridors, freshwater wetlands, doglegs, and natural movement to create a round with real shot-making personality.
River Hills is commonly described as opening in 1989, and the current scorecard lists the course at 6,895 yards from the Teal tees. That gives the layout plenty of length from the back while still offering several forward tee options for mixed-handicap groups.
The course has continued to improve in recent years. River Hills installed new TifEagle Bermudagrass greens in 2022 and overhauled every bunker in 2023, following an earlier 2003 renovation that made the course more playable while keeping its visual bite.
For a 2026 Myrtle Beach golf trip, River Hills is a smart value-and-shotmaking pick. It is scenic, fair, strategic, and quietly tougher than it looks, especially once the back nine starts dragging water and doglegs into the conversation.
Tom Jackson design
River Hills uses rolling land, tight doglegs, strategic bunkering, non-parallel fairways, and mature trees to create a classic ball-striker’s course.
Modernized conditions
New TifEagle greens in 2022 and fully overhauled bunkers in 2023 sharpened the course while preserving its old-school Little River character.
Back-nine pressure
Water factors heavily on the final nine, and holes 14, 17 and 18 bring enough late-round drama to decide matches with a grin and a groan.
River Hills Golf & Country Club gallery
A look at River Hills’ rolling fairways, water hazards, pine corridors, TifEagle green complexes, rebuilt bunkers, and classic Little River scenery.
How River Hills plays.
River Hills is a driving course, but not always a driver course. The doglegs, trees, water, and rolling fairways reward players who pick the right club and the right side instead of swinging at every tee box with fireworks in their eyes.
The back nine is the sharper half. Water becomes a regular part of the decision-making, and the seventeenth is the main event, a par 5 with water left early, then crossing and guarding the final approach.
For 2026 trips, River Hills is best for groups that want value, scenery, and a course that asks for strategy. It is fair from the right tees, but poor angles can turn simple-looking holes into little pine-tree riddles.
| Category | Useful Course Details |
|---|---|
| Teal Tees | 6,895 yards · 73.7 rating · 140 slope |
| Garnet Tees | 6,394 yards · 70.8 rating · 133 slope |
| Orange Tees | 5,719 yards · 68.0 / 119 men · 73.5 / 136 women |
| Carolina Blue Tees | 4,890 yards · 65.1 / 112 men · 69.5 / 121 women |
| Purple Tees | 4,440 yards · 66.7 / 111 women |
| Greens | TifEagle Bermudagrass greens installed in 2022 |
| Bunkers | Every bunker was overhauled in 2023 |
| Earlier Renovation | 2003 renovation improved playability while preserving the course’s visual challenge |
| Course Defense | Doglegs, water, mature pines, freshwater wetlands, rebuilt bunkers and rolling terrain |
| Back-Nine Note | Water factors heavily on the final nine, with holes 14, 17 and 18 as key pressure points |
| Signature Hole | No. 17 · par 5 double-dogleg with water shaping both the tee shot and approach |
| Opening-Year Note | River Hills and PlayGolfMyrtleBeach list 1989; MyrtleBeachGolf.com lists 1988 |
| Recognition | Best New Course recognition from Golf Digest and Southeast Top 50 mention from Golfweek noted by River Hills |
What’s available at River Hills
River Hills offers the core pieces golf groups need for a full Little River round: bar, restaurant, golf shop, carts, club rentals, driving range, short-game practice areas, and a clubhouse grill overlooking the course.
Bar
Club Rental
Golf Carts
Golf Shop
Restaurant
Driving Range
Add River Hills to your 2026 golf trip.
River Hills Golf & Country Club is a strong choice for groups that want a Tom Jackson design, North Strand value, rolling terrain, renovated TifEagle greens, rebuilt bunkers, wooded corridors, and a back nine that keeps every match alert.