Whether you’re a scratch golfer or a rank beginner, you’ve probably dreamed of a golf vacation in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and for good reason. There are more than 100 golf courses in the Myrtle Beach area, and that only points to professionally designed courses by notable golf legends. Put that together with the subtropical climate of Myrtle Beach and the charm of South Carolina’s lovely Lowcountry drawl, and you’re in the equivalent of golf heaven.
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One of the most revered courses is the Caledonia Golf & Fish Club. The artistry and insight of this first solo effort by Mike Stranz features trees older than Augusta and wildlife galore. And not just any trees. We’re talking centuries-old live oaks gracefully draped with Spanish moss. We’re talking picture-perfect setting atop an old rice and indigo plantation. We’re talking tidal marshes and spirited creeks. We’re also talking alligators. Very big ones. And lots of birds. Some, however, like those positioned at the tees, are decoys intended to mark various tee locations.
After you’ve finessed your way to the hole on the two-tiered ninth green, look for a small shack on your way to 10. You’ll find a weathered gentleman who cooks up complimentary batches of homemade clam chowder and serves it to golfers passing by. The course is graceful and beautiful, smooth and forgiving, but demanding enough to keep you coming back. Unless, of course, you can’t take the ribbing from the spectator commentators on the back porch of the clubhouse. They can see the green, and you can hear every last word they’re saying about your shot.
Caledonia’s sister course, True Blue Plantation, shares the same gorgeous genes governing landscape and the golf course design talents of Mike Stranz. But that’s where the similarity ends. Where Caledonia is sweet, True Blue is brutally critical. Designed for low handicappers, it is a challenging 18 holes. Some of Blue’s hard edges have been smoothed in recent years to accommodate those equipped with a higher handicap. Still, the first and last four holes will school you. She’s a tough, demanding sister forCaledonia, but worth every moment. She does mimic her sis in one final way: with an 18th hole visible by those lined up in the clubhouse, ready to assess your shot.
Can’t decide exactly what style course you’d like to play? Take off your shoes and head for the Barefoot Resort. Just kidding about the shoes, but the choices at Barefoot are exceptional. Choose from the resort’s Greg Norman, Pete Dye, Tom Fazio, or Davis Love III designed courses, each with its own personality. This acclaimed quartet of the gentleman’s game also plays well with the ladies, offering a range of possibilities for all abilities. The Davis Love III course winds its way through plantation ruins along huge fairways that demand big drivers. The clever Dye course is waiting to capture careless shots with slightly punishing results, encouraging your best play ever.
Featuring seven holes along intracoastal waters, the Norman course at Barefoot gives you open greens with holes outlined by waste bunkers and vegetation. The Fazio course sports a bounty of bunkers, 90 in all, with features that embrace the vegetation and dunes of the natural landscape. Lots of water (making an appearance on 16 of the 18 holes), undulation, brisk elevation, and a course that doesn’t return to the clubhouse after the front nine, emphasize the Fazio style. Play from the tee advised on the scorecard and this should prove one of your favorite courses on the Grand Strand.
Tucked in right on the edge of the Atlantic coastline, the Dunes Golf & Beach Club course is both beautiful and rugged. In 1947, members of the Dunes Fishing Club commissioned a relative unknown, Robert Trent Jones, to add golf to the fishing club amenities. The club remains private, so the privilege of play is restricted.
The Tidewater Golf Club and Plantation is a classic contemporary course designed by Ken Tomlinson. Incorporating features integrating elevation and natural landscape, the course rewards intelligent risk takers. For a course with the look and feel of a tour-level course, the Myrtle Beach Tom Fazio TPC gives a thrilling game. The Grand Dunes, Rivers Edge, and the Heritage Club are additional favorites.
If 6,000 yards is just too much for you, or if you’d like to improve your short game, Myrtle Beach has that, too. You have more than two-dozen mini golf locations to choose from along the Grand Strand. Volcanoes, indoor thunderstorms, pirate cannons, waterfalls and windmills — what can you say? It’s putt-putt golf! With family and friends, it’s just the kind of fun to have after a challenging, long game day.
Whether you’re looking to work on your long shot or your short game, a trip to Myrtle Beach gives you the golfing vacation of your dreams. So load up those clubs and spikes, and take a swing at of the U.S.’s best golfing.
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