by LISA D . MICKEY
SOUTH CAROLINA ’ S MYRTLE BEACH has long called itself the “ Golf Capital of the World ” and with more than 90 courses ranging from championship tests of skill to family-friendly mini-golf courses designed for entry-level fun ,
there seems to be something for everyone .
Myrtle Beach ’ s “ Grand Strand ” has ramped up its offerings in golf over the years — attracting top designers from the likes of Pete and P . B . Dye , Jack Nicklaus , Greg Norman and Arnold Palmer — to produce challenging and enjoyable layouts at affordable prices . Courses throughout the region are mapped out against the backdrop of mature live oaks draped in Spanish moss or along twisty creeks laden with sunning alligators in a mesmerizing old south charm .
The region also features the Waccamaw Golf Trail , a collection of 12 award-winning courses built on 18th and 19th-century former rice and indigo plantation sites . Among the dozen dandies on the Waccamaw Trial are Caledonia Golf & Fish Club and TPC Myrtle Beach . And while there are a number of relative newcomers to the Grand Strand , some longtime course favorites have undergone extensive renovations in recent years .
Only a short flight or straight-shot drive south of Virginia , Myrtle Beach may be just the answer for a weekend of rounds when it ’ s still too cold to play at home and spring is too long to wait for satisfying golf .
Check out these top courses in the Myrtle Beach area open to the public .
ABOVE : No . 9 at The Dunes Golf & Beach Club No . 13 True Blue Golf Club
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE COURSES , GOLF TOURISM SOLUTIONS
N OVEMBER / D ECEMBER 2023 | V IRGINIA G OLFER 35