Thistle Golf Club in Sunset Beach takes its name from a historic Scottish club of the same title, and the course's page recounts that lineage rather than its own layout.
The original Thistle Golf Club was founded in 1815 and played over Leith Links in Edinburgh, a ground widely regarded as one of golf's earliest homes and shared in the 18th and 19th centuries by several clubs, among them the Leith golfers who later became the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers at Muirfield. The club was active for 15 years until 1830, then lay dormant for 36 years before being revived on 5 April 1866, by which time it had a club room and Willie Dunn as resident professional.
Its best-known achievement came in 1824, when it issued a rule book introduced by a lengthy account of golf's development in Scotland. The club's motto, "Noli me Tangere," is of biblical origin.
| Tee | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Out | In | Total | Par | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 36 | 35 | 71 | ||
| Handicap | 13 | 7 | 9 | 15 | 5 | 11 | 3 | 17 | 1 | 18 | 14 | 12 | 4 | 16 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 8 | |||||
| Thistle Tees | 368 | 402 | 435 | 180 | 509 | 420 | 376 | 198 | 521 | 376 | 403 | 189 | 532 | 196 | 550 | 431 | 432 | 209 | 3409 | 3318 | 6,727 | 71 | 73.6/141 |
| Blue Tees | 346 | 351 | 402 | 154 | 467 | 393 | 352 | 185 | 498 | 344 | 386 | 174 | 502 | 180 | 523 | 422 | 405 | 190 | 3148 | 3126 | 6,274 | 71 | 71.0/135 |
| White Tees | 314 | 322 | 345 | 131 | 441 | 369 | 330 | 154 | 472 | 307 | 341 | 152 | 465 | 159 | 491 | 387 | 341 | 175 | 2878 | 2818 | 5,696 | 71 | 68.4/125 |
| White/Gold Hybrid | 314 | 322 | 345 | 131 | 418 | 312 | 330 | 154 | 445 | 307 | 341 | 152 | 444 | 159 | 423 | 363 | 341 | 175 | 2771 | 2705 | 5,476 | 71 | 67.3/122 |
| Gold Tees | 268 | 271 | 310 | 106 | 418 | 312 | 285 | 136 | 445 | 270 | 328 | 133 | 444 | 119 | 423 | 363 | 308 | 153 | 2551 | 2541 | 5,092 | 71 | 65.7/112 |
| Red Tees | 243 | 251 | 285 | 87 | 362 | 276 | 247 | 98 | 389 | 230 | 245 | 97 | 403 | 91 | 390 | 289 | 263 | 111 | 2238 | 2119 | 4,357 | 70 | 62.5/108 |
| Tee | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Out | In | Total | Par | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 36 | 36 | 72 | ||
| Handicap | 7 | 9 | 17 | 13 | 5 | 15 | 1 | 11 | 3 | 14 | 8 | 10 | 16 | 6 | 12 | 4 | 18 | 2 | |||||
| Thistle Tees | 429 | 387 | 208 | 394 | 419 | 179 | 556 | 390 | 565 | 368 | 402 | 435 | 180 | 509 | 420 | 376 | 198 | 521 | 3527 | 3409 | 6,936 | 72 | 74.4/141 |
| Blue Tees | 393 | 344 | 180 | 369 | 394 | 168 | 548 | 354 | 539 | 346 | 351 | 402 | 154 | 467 | 393 | 352 | 185 | 498 | 3289 | 3148 | 6,437 | 72 | 71.9/134 |
| White Tees | 368 | 328 | 151 | 339 | 366 | 139 | 526 | 338 | 508 | 314 | 322 | 345 | 131 | 441 | 369 | 330 | 154 | 472 | 3063 | 2878 | 5,941 | 72 | 69.5/126 |
| White/Gold Hybrid | 368 | 328 | 151 | 339 | 350 | 139 | 501 | 338 | 435 | 314 | 322 | 345 | 131 | 418 | 312 | 330 | 154 | 445 | 2949 | 2771 | 5,720 | 72 | 68.3/123 |
| Gold Tees | 316 | 298 | 139 | 294 | 350 | 126 | 501 | 293 | 435 | 268 | 271 | 310 | 106 | 418 | 312 | 285 | 136 | 445 | 2752 | 2551 | 5,303 | 72 | 66.7/112 |
| Red Tees | 292 | 273 | 120 | 267 | 257 | 104 | 361 | 267 | 411 | 243 | 251 | 285 | 87 | 362 | 276 | 247 | 98 | 389 | 2352 | 2238 | 4,590 | 70 | 63.5/106 |
| Tee | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Out | In | Total | Par | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 35 | 36 | 71 | ||
| Handicap | 17 | 13 | 11 | 3 | 15 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 14 | 6 | 16 | 2 | 12 | 4 | |||||
| Thistle Tees | 376 | 403 | 189 | 532 | 196 | 550 | 431 | 432 | 209 | 429 | 387 | 208 | 394 | 419 | 179 | 556 | 390 | 565 | 3318 | 3527 | 6,845 | 71 | 74.0/140 |
| Blue Tees | 344 | 386 | 174 | 502 | 180 | 523 | 422 | 405 | 190 | 393 | 344 | 180 | 369 | 394 | 168 | 548 | 354 | 539 | 3126 | 3289 | 6,415 | 71 | 71.7/137 |
| White Tees | 307 | 341 | 152 | 465 | 159 | 491 | 387 | 341 | 175 | 368 | 328 | 151 | 339 | 366 | 139 | 526 | 338 | 508 | 2818 | 3063 | 5,881 | 71 | 69.1/127 |
| White/Gold Hybrid | 307 | 341 | 152 | 444 | 159 | 423 | 363 | 341 | 175 | 368 | 328 | 151 | 339 | 350 | 139 | 501 | 338 | 435 | 2705 | 2949 | 5,654 | 71 | 68.0/123 |
| Gold Tees | 270 | 328 | 133 | 444 | 119 | 423 | 363 | 308 | 153 | 316 | 298 | 139 | 294 | 350 | 126 | 501 | 293 | 435 | 2541 | 2752 | 5,293 | 71 | 66.2/115 |
| Red Tees | 230 | 245 | 97 | 403 | 91 | 390 | 289 | 263 | 111 | 292 | 273 | 120 | 267 | 257 | 104 | 361 | 267 | 411 | 2119 | 2352 | 4,471 | 70 | 62.8/109 |
Tee and scorecard data retrieved from the USGA GHIN course database
How many strokes you get from each tee, by handicap index.
| Tee | Rating | Slope | 0 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 30 | 36 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cameron-Stewart · Thistle Tees | 73.6 | 141 | 3 | 9 | 15 | 21 | 28 | 34 | 40 | 48 |
| Cameron-Stewart · Blue Tees | 71.0 | 135 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 | 36 | 43 |
| Cameron-Stewart · White Tees | 68.4 | 125 | -3 | 3 | 8 | 14 | 20 | 25 | 31 | 37 |
| Cameron-Stewart · White/Gold Hybrid | 67.3 | 122 | -4 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 18 | 23 | 29 | 35 |
| Cameron-Stewart · Gold Tees | 65.7 | 112 | -5 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 19 | 24 | 30 |
| Cameron-Stewart · Red Tees | 62.5 | 108 | -8 | -3 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 16 | 21 | 27 |
| MacKay-Cameron · Thistle Tees | 74.4 | 141 | 2 | 9 | 15 | 21 | 27 | 34 | 40 | 47 |
| MacKay-Cameron · Blue Tees | 71.9 | 134 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 24 | 30 | 35 | 43 |
| MacKay-Cameron · White Tees | 69.5 | 126 | -3 | 3 | 9 | 14 | 20 | 25 | 31 | 38 |
| MacKay-Cameron · White/Gold Hybrid | 68.3 | 123 | -4 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 18 | 24 | 29 | 35 |
| MacKay-Cameron · Gold Tees | 66.7 | 112 | -5 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 19 | 24 | 30 |
| MacKay-Cameron · Red Tees | 63.5 | 106 | -7 | -2 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 17 | 22 | 27 |
| Stewart-MacKay · Thistle Tees | 74.0 | 140 | 3 | 9 | 15 | 22 | 28 | 34 | 40 | 48 |
| Stewart-MacKay · Blue Tees | 71.7 | 137 | 1 | 7 | 13 | 19 | 25 | 31 | 37 | 44 |
| Stewart-MacKay · White Tees | 69.1 | 127 | -2 | 4 | 9 | 15 | 21 | 26 | 32 | 39 |
| Stewart-MacKay · White/Gold Hybrid | 68.0 | 123 | -3 | 2 | 8 | 13 | 19 | 24 | 30 | 36 |
| Stewart-MacKay · Gold Tees | 66.2 | 115 | -5 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 16 | 21 | 26 | 32 |
| Stewart-MacKay · Red Tees | 62.8 | 109 | -7 | -2 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 17 | 22 | 28 |
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