River Oaks Resort is one of many family-friendly resorts in the greater Myrtle Beach area perfect for golfers. It sits adjacent to River Oaks Golf Planation and the World Tour Golf Links. Guests can stay in vacation condos with balconies overlooking the courses. Modern amenities like multiple TVs, kitchens and washer/dryer are available in one- to…
With 36 holes of golf by Ault, Clark & Associates (Palmetto) and Arthur Hills (PineHills), Myrtlewood Golf Club is an affordable, enjoyable and centrally-located facility around which to base a Myrtle Beach golf vacation. The on-site Myrtlewood Villas offer comfortable and well-priced accommodations, too. Several of the areas best attractions -…
Grande Dunes is one of Myrtle Beach's premiere developments, combining the semi-private Members Club, accessible Resort Club and a large real estate development. Two hotels - the Marina Inn and the Grande Dunes Marriott - provide upscale accommodations for discerning visiting groups and families.
With 54 holes of golf, Legends combines quality and value with both its golf and accommodations. The Myrtle Beach Grand Strand's largest practice facility is also beloved of golfers looking to work on their game for a few days, while dining options like the Ailsa Pub and the main clubhouse provide ample reasons to linger on property.
With 72 holes of golf designed by noted architects Pete Dye and Tom Fazio as well as major champions Greg Norman and Davis Love III, Barefoot Resort is one of the prime places to stay and play in the Myrtle beach area. Hundreds of on-site villa accommodations are ideal for visiting groups of any size, and proximity to the beach and other area…
The Shaftesbury Glen Golf & Fish Club in Conway, South Carolina, is part of the Glens Golf Group of Myrtle Beach. In addition to the Clyde Johnston course, it is home to an English Manor clubhouse and the Shaftesbury Suites, five luxury two-bedroom, two-bathroom suites on the second floor, overlooking the course and the Waccamaw River. The suites…
One of the premier resorts in coastal South Carolina, Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort is a favorite among beach-bound families and golf groups alike. Accommodations include oceanfront villas as well as inland units that bring guests closer to golf courses like Litchfield Country Club, River Club and Tradition Golf Club. The resort's location in…
Brunswick Plantation Resort and Golf is located in Calabash, North Carolina, on the north end of the Myrtle Beach-area Grand Strand. This 2,000-acre development features a residential community and semi-private, 27-hole golf course. Villa rentals are available for rent with studio, one- and two-bedroom units. There are multiple outdoor pools…
The Sea Trail Resort Villas are located north of Myrtle Beach, S.C. and south of Wilmington, N.C. The property sprawls across 2,600 acres and features three championship golf courses. Villas span from one to four bedrooms in size and are equipped with full kitchens, all within 1.5 miles from the barrier island beaches. Indoor and outdoor pools are…
With villas overlooking the Mike Strantz-designed golf course, True Blue Golf Resort is a great option for visiting buddy groups or families looking to enjoy the quieter south end of the Myrtle Beach-area "Grand Strand." Located in Pawleys Island, the resort is close to the beach, excellent restaurants and several other golf courses - including…
Home to one of two Jack Nicklaus Signature golf courses in the Myrtle Beach area, Pawleys Plantation offers great villa accommodations for families and golf groups looking to stay on the quiet south end of the Myrtle Beach "Grand Strand." Staying on the golf course gives the feeling of being a resident for a few days at one of the best laid-out…
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina will always be golf's all-you-can-eat buffet. Roughly 90 courses call the Grand Strand home, stretching 90 miles from Pawleys Island, S.C. to the southern edges of North Carolina.
As a pure golf experience, International World Tour Golf Links holds its own. In other words, if you didn't know that the 18 holes here were copies of some of the most famous holes in golf, you would probably just think that it's a pretty good golf course. For instance, the Open nine begins with the first at St. Andrews. On the Championship nine, it's the final hole on the East Course at Winged Foot.
What's a golfer's fantasy? Playing the Old Course, Augusta and Pine Valley, of course. With Myrtle Beach being Myrtle Beach, these fantasies too can be fulfilled at International World Tour Golf Links, where all of the 27 holes are homages to famous holes around the world.
There are more than 100 courses along the Myrtle Beach Grand Strand. Golf Channel travel expert Matt Ginella narrows them down to his top five -- make that six -- picks.
Myrtle Beach is one of the world's great golf destinations and most convenient trips in the U.S., but it can also be overwhelming. About 3.4 million rounds of golf per year are played here, and the options are limitless. Brandon Tucker has a primer to get you started.
The Grand Strand might lack ocean views from its 90-plus courses, but there are still dozens of scenic spots. And many of those magical moments come along the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. Golfers playing seven Myrtle Beach courses can gaze at boats and yachts of all sizes. The best of the holes along the waterway might be pretty, but give them they're due respect, too. Here's the best of the bunch.
Coming off the golf course in Myrtle Beach thirsty or hungry, in search of more than a hotdog and a cold can of Bud? These courses have on-site food-and-beverage operations that are tops on the Grand Strand.
A smorgasbord of golf courses lines the Myrtle Beach Grand Strand. Despite some attrition during the recession, more than 85 courses stretch from Pawleys Island, S.C., to the southern reaches of North Carolina. I haven't played them all -- has anyone? -- but I certainly have my favorites. Here are five of them: Barefort Resort & Golf, True Blue, Dunes Golf and Beach Club, Caledonia Golf & Fish Club and Tidewater Golf Club & Plantation.
Myrtle Beach is one of the deepest golf destinations on the east coast. Managing Editor Brandon Tucker shares his ten best courses on the Grand Strand.
A new vacation deal from the Marina Inn at Grande Dunes in Myrtle Beach, S.C. features only courses that have earned "top 100" honors by either Golf Magazine or Golf Digest.
Golfers play the game for all sorts of reasons. In order to maximize your enjoyment of the game, your own motivations should determine the type of courses you seek out.
You have one round left on your Myrtle Beach trip. While you're the best golfer of your foursome, you haven't made any money because the others in your group have been lucky on some of the area's easier courses. But their luck is about to run out. Why? Because Brandon Tucker has some advice on the Grand Strand's toughest golf courses. Play these on your final day and you'll head home a winner.
Planning your next Myrtle Beach golf vacation? Maybe your group is just coming off a winter hibernation, or maybe it's made up of couples who golf together. Maybe you want to play as much as possible, or maybe you're seniors looking to go slow and easy. Looking for a high-end experience, or are you on a budget? For any of these categories (and more), we offer some proven itineraries to fit the bill.
There's nothing quite like springtime in the Carolinas, teeing it up on a coastal course where the saltwater fills the air. And while the Grand Strand doesn't have any bonafide "ocean" tracks, there are a collection of saltwater golf courses thanks to the Shallotte River, Waccamaw River and Intracoastal Waterway among others. Here are five of the best Myrtle Beach marsh courses.
With names not as familiar as Tom Fazio and Pete Dye, another group of talented course designers offer plenty to the Myrtle Beach golf scene. Their golf courses, abundant on the Grand Strand, functional and exciting, attract savvy golfers to this South Carolina hot spot again and again, Brandon Tucker writes.
There are no true oceanfront holes in Myrtle Beach, which is surprising considering it is, in fact, the "Grand Strand." But marsh and waterway holes are aplenty.
No destination can match the variety and sheer quantity of golf courses quite like Myrtle Beach, S.C. The "Grand Strand" still consists of over 100 golf courses, most of which are public. Here's TravelGolf.com's look at Myrtle Beach golf in pictures.
With three golf courses located at the resort -- the Heathland, Moorland and Parkland -- the Scottish-inspired Legends is a Grand Strand vacation in and of itself. Legends' Heathland, designed by Tom Doak, mimics a links from the British Isles. P.B. Dye's Moorland has a great reputation as a tough East Coast play. And the Parkland offers the diversity and beauty of the natural Lowcountry terrain. Tree-lined fairways, multi-level greens and massive bunkers abound.
No golf course along the Grand Strand has played a better host to so much history than The Dunes Golf and Beach Club, located in the heart of Myrtle Beach, S.C. The Robert Trent Jones, Sr. design has served as the playground for hackers, hopefuls and heroes since opening in 1948.
Casual golfers might not recognize the name Dan Maples, but savvy golfers know the underrated architect belongs to a respected family in golf. Maples courses have become synonymous with playable, commonsense golf without gimmicks. Golf Digest ranks seven Dan Maples courses among its top 60 along the Grand Strand, which is more than any other architect.
The Witch Golf Club casts its spell on golfers with a secluded, natural setting without a single home or condo in sight. Architect Dan Maples used 500 acres halfway between Myrtle Beach and Conway to craft something special. It might be priced like a middle-tier course along the Grand Strand, but The Witch looks and plays like one of the big boys.
Set in the swampland just northwest of Myrtle Beach, The Witch is a challenging Dan Maples design that meanders through wetlands without disturbing the habitat. With a 133 slope rating, it can be a scary test.
You'll find wide-open fairways and generous landing areas when you tee it up on the Love Course at Barefoot Resort & Golf. But don't fall into a false sense of security. The closer you get to the holes, the greater the challenges. Davis Love III designed the 7,047-yard layout, which incorporates recreated ruins of an old plantation home on some of the holes on the front nine, adding to a golf course that's filled with Lowcountry character.
The 7,047-yard Love Course remains arguably the most popular of the four premier designs at the Barefoot Resort & Golf that opened simultaneously in 2000. It's cheaper than playing the Dye Course and prettier than the Norman Course. The Fazio Course might be its equal -- or even a shade better -- but the Davis Love III design counters with some interesting nuances and maximum playability.
Each year, Darius Rucker and Co. gather a list of celebrities and pro golfers to tee it up for a good cause: generating millions of dollars for education programs for children through the Hootie and the Blowfish Foundation and developing the South Carolina Junior Golf Association into the nation's top program. Here's a look at some of the action and faces from the 2010 event.
The Dye Club is the most exclusive of the four Barefoot Resort & Golf courses that opened simultaneously in 2000 in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Playing The Dye Club, designed by Pete Dye, costs more than Barefoot's other resort courses. That exclusivity justifies the splurge. The Dye Club looks like a second cousin to both The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island and the Dye Course at French Lick Resort in Indiana.
There is no universal favorite golf course at the star-studded Barefoot Resort in Myrtle Beach, S.C., host to designs by Davis Love III, Pete Dye, Greg Norman and Tom Fazio. A large number of golfers familiar with the Grand Strand agree, however, that the Fazio Course is as good as any in the area.
Barefoot Resort & Golf's Fazio Course sits at the heart of the resort, between the Dye and Love Courses. Like many European courses, the Fazio Course doesn't return to the clubhouse after nine holes, however it is no British linksland layout. This course is thoroughly Carolina Lowcountry, with lush native grasses and forests of live oaks and pines.
Indian Wells Golf Club is located right off Highway 17 in Surfside Beach, S.C. about five miles south of Myrtle Beach. It's a Gene Hamm design from 1984 that, while short for today's standards, guards itself with plenty of trickery.
It's called the International Club of Myrtle Beach because each hole features a tribute to a different country. In addition, the massive clubhouse has a definite European feel to it. The golf course, though, is really all South Carolina Lowcountry.
Surf Golf & Beach Club remains one of the few Myrtle Beach golf courses sticking with bentgrass greens. Most have converted to mini-verde Bermuda grass to combat the scorching summers. Fast-rolling greens, especially on delicate downhill putts, are the course's main defense. Water guards three of the four par 3s. A peculiar quirk -- all the par 5s dogleg left and all the par 4s dogleg right -– would seem to add up to a boring, predictable round. That's hardly true.
Tidewater Golf Club & Plantation in North Myrtle Beach is one of the Grand Strand's prettiest golf courses. It features a collection of holes along the Intracoastal Waterway - as well as several other marsh holes.
When the tide is out, the marshes of the Tidewater Golf Club & Plantation look like a graveyard for golf balls. It's the best looking cemetery a golfer will ever see. The stirring views of the Intracoastal Waterway and the inlet leading to the ocean set Tidewater apart from its competition along the Grand Strand.
Tidewater Golf Club remains South Carolina's most awarded golf course and has more than two decades of rave reviews to prove it. It is the only layout ever to be named "Best New Course" by both Golf Digest and Golf Magazine.
Located about 45 minutes northeast of downtown Myrtle Beach, S.C., Black Bear Golf Club in Longs is a serene, affordable alternative just off the Grand Strand. The course works around 23 finger lakes and there are lots of bunkers. If you play the correct tees, you're in for an enjoyable experience.