Links At Lighthouse Sound in
Bishopville (MD)

Beautiful course. Pace of play is BRUTAL! Too many large groups. Ranger seems to be unable to do anything about it. Greens fees are way too high for 15 minute waits on Par 3s.

Played here on Sept 17 after big noreaster went thru on Wednesday. Course was in very good condition and we ate dinner in the restaurant after food was excellent.

It pains me to write this as I love this layout but the course is in the worst shape I’ve ever seen it and I’ve been playing here yearly for years. I would give it 1 star, it was that bad, but the starter guys are so nice. The dude in the pro-shop however needs a refresher in customer service. Lose the chip on your shoulder bud, it’s golf, we are here to have fun and would appreciate a smile and a welcome. Not too much ask? Spend your OC MD/DE golf money elsewhere this year. Hope they get it together.

I had a great time here. The course is so beautiful.

Overall it was an OK golf experience but not worth the price. Pros: stunning views, interesting holes, friendly staff, got round in 4.5hrs with a 4pm tee time. Cons: course looked like it was used for grazing. Holes 9-14 cart path only. Thats fine but then you find out it’s because the fairways are torn to shreds. Greens were ripped up and pitch marks galore. Either say 1/3rd the holes have issues with the fairways or discount the rate. Note: the wind whips here and a hard course can get difficult really quickly.

only play this course if you have all day to play. i’m a local/ruark member and even i avoid this course, especially in the summer. most days it’s a 5-5 1/2 hour round and the conditions are as bad as they have ever been. if you are not a member or if you don’t have the ability to play here for a cheaper fee, then i simply would not play here. rum pointe is amazing this year and even glen riddle is playing better than lighthouse rn. i hate to say this about a course i used to love but it is poorly managed and i would feel bad letting any body pay what they charge to play here right now. hoping they fix this because i do miss playing here.

I can’t speak for others and anyone who has played over a month ago may have had a different experience, but the course my seven friends and I played on was in TERRIBLE condition. There are some amazing views and plenty of well designed holes, but the tee boxes were neglected, the fairways were in horrible condition (holes 9-15 were cart path only because they were so bad), the greens felt spongy and sadly because it’s a resort course, most of the players don’t fix/fill divots, rake bunkers, and repair ball marks. It’s a disservice for “local guides” to pump up a course when golf enthusiasts want to enjoy a positive experience. This was the first of three rounds on Ruark courses and I’ll review the others, but all three were in desperate need of TLC.

Initially I was excited to play the course since I had never played it. Unfortunately the experience wasn’t worth the cost. The fairways had issues which necessitated cart path only on a very hot day for a majority of the holes. Sending golfers out every 9 minutes which benefitted the course only made the wait time between shots a real challenge. On a par 5 there were 5 groups at the hole. One group waiting to tee off, 2 groups on the hole and 2 groups sitting there waiting. Clearly this isn’t spacing groups on the course as we were told. What it resulted in was a 5+ round of golf! Waiting on every hole and every shot isn’t fun! Interaction with the Marshalls resulted in nothing changing. I won’t be back.

Gorgeous course. 5:10 to play and we tee’d off at 9:38. Absolutely brutal waiting almost 5 minutes each tee box to hit. Ruined the whole day. Rangers couldn’t care less. Those dopes were more interested in where we were from than moving slow players along. Killed the good vibes

Great course. The views of Ocean City are unmatched and the greens are well kept and the staff was very friendly. You don’t have to be great at golf to play here. I am a sub average golfer and I did not feel rushed by the staff or the other 2 some my brother in law and I played with.

Course is nice with nice views but $150 for a water logged and partially destroyed greens is a little much. Either close the course or offer a discount. When we talked with several staff members all they said was no refunds. Will never golf here again, very disappointed

Played June 2025 as round 1 of a weekend OCMD trip. Course was in great shape. Views obscured by fog, but you could tell it would've had incredible sightlines otherwise. Sadly not really a walking course as there are distances between many greens & tees, including the long cart bridge. Bar/grill had nice options for lunch before or after your round. Restaurant was jammed afterwards (Friday night, open to the public) so definitely make a reservation.

Unfortunately they crowd the tee times and send groups off too close together, so our round was longer than it should have been. But this course is absolutely top shelf outstanding. Very hard, a lot of risk reward, beauty everywhere. Arthur Hills is one of the greats and it is kind of a crime that this course does not get even more accolades than it does. It is in my opinion THE best golf course in any of the Maryland Delaware beach regions.

Awesome golf course with beautiful views. We played from the 6600 yard tees, which made it a bit longer than I'm used to but somehow managed a very respectable score. Course conditions were very good, and the pace of play was not bad.

I loved this course! It was on the expensive side, but well worth it. Great conditions and many challenging holes.

Wonderful course truly! From the moment you arrive the staff and people around you are exceptional and super friendly. It’s a tad pricy but you do get range balls included and car in the price 125$ I think it was. I got paired up with some absolute legends and had a blast. We went out at 2:45 and just barely finished into twilight. Most greens were immaculate. I would say in some of the holes the divet situation was a bit much but that’s it. If you’re in the area go here and enjoy!

"Absolutely stunning golf course! The layout is challenging yet enjoyable for all skill levels, with beautifully maintained fairways and greens. What truly sets this course apart is the incredible wildlife. As you play through the course, you're likely to spot deer, various bird species, and even the occasional fox. The natural beauty surrounding each hole adds a peaceful ambiance that enhances the entire experience. The staff is friendly and welcoming, ensuring a smooth round from start to finish. If you're a golf enthusiast who appreciates nature, this course is a must-visit!"

Beautiful course. Staff are very helpful and friendly. It will test your game play. This is the first time I played there. Loved it. Shot an 86. Will play again when I'm on vacation again..

All staff very friendly and helpful. Course was in good shape. Great views of OC skyline.

Amazing, but difficult, golf course. Wind was insane but it added to the fun and challenge. Beautifully maintained and wonderful views.

This course is awesome. It gets a ton of play and people do not take care of it like they should. The longest golf cart bridge in the United States was definitely worth the price tag. The rangers should really get on players for not fixing their divots or chunks on the fairways

thank you for the great round of golf. my first golf course in the states that i have played and rightly one of the best rated. the place is in excellent condition and worth every penny. The employees are extremely friendly, helpful and above all patient with Europeans. thank you again for the wonderful golfing experience

I can't believe they are charging $79-139 (depending on day/time) given the shape it's in. Many bunkers aren't well edged or defined. So much dead area in the fairways. Greens are at least in great shape still, and obviously can't beat the views and layout. But it's not what I expect from a staple course in Maryland like The Links at Lighthouse Sound. I realize the pandemic hurt tourist courses, but they should've disclosed this. Not cool at all. Shame on you guys. I'll be back next year though, and I'll hope it's better by then.

Everything was perfect, but the friendly Marshall keeping everyone moving was the icing on the cake. I was a bit apprehensive about playing an Arthur Hills course on the water in 15 mph winds but if you think about your shots carefully you will come out ahead. I can't wait to come back with my golf buddies. The only criticism I have is that I was rushed out of my cart at the end of the round.

As always the front 8 holes are spectacular. Going through Lighthouses own amen corner (4,5,6) is always scary, exciting and exhilarating, and views upon views! Playing from the tips and you feel how the course was designed to play, but not for the faint of heart. Water, wind, water, length, water and marsh, chills thinking about it. Course was in fine shape, greens, soft and fast. Can't wait to go back.

Beautiful course and top notch service! My first time playing here. Was the first round of golf vacation. My fave of the 4 tracks I played in OC. The course is definitely challenging even on a calm wind day. I had to deal with 30 mph gusts so you can imagine. The holes along the water are gorgeous and unique! The par 3 was intimidating but fair and I really liked the change of pace inland into the tree lined holes. Overall the course is well kept in terms of fairways and greens. The only reason I won't give it 5 stars is the price. Over $200 for weekend round does not make it affordable for most casual golfers. I need to wait a couple years to save up and come back but Def want to Play again!

I play this course every year in May and it's always in excellent shape and challenging. Will definitely keep coming back. Easily one of the best courses in the Ocean City area.