Title: Tee Times and Turf Tales: A Guide to the Best Golf Courses for Advanced Players in Myrtle Beach
Renowned for its miles of serene shoreline and Southern charms, Myrtle Beach is not just another coastal paradise; it’s also a golfer’s haven. As a sports city par excellence, this magnetic location captivates golf enthusiasts with an epic assortment of golf courses. Regardless of your skills or experience, the greens across the beach offer brilliant views, challenging holes, and unique layouts. This article spotlights the best amongst a flurry of options at Myrtle Beach and focuses on advanced players who desire a golfing adventure worthy of their prowess.
First on the list is the Dunes Golf & Beach Club, an architectural masterpiece fashioned by golf architect Robert Trent Jones. This course is acknowledged as one of Jones’ finest works due to its enduring relevance and sophistication. Adorned with Jones’ signature doglegs and water hazards, the Dunes Club is notable for its 13th hole, famously tagged as ‘Waterloo’. This par-5 hazard needs strategic navigation from the tee to the last stroke. Attesting to its high-quality course, it has hosted Senior PGA Tour and Women’s U.S Open events.
Next is Caledonia Golf and Fish Club. This outstanding course offers an amazing set of challenges to advance players on every one of its 18 holes. Imagine teeing off amidst flourishing flora and 18th-century rice plantation relics– that’s Caledonia. Designed by the late and legendary Mike Strantz, Caledonia offers a fusion of challenging stroke play and a feel for the beach’s stunning beauty. The course carries Strantz’s trademark sprawling greens and even a par-3 finishing hole, something unusual yet exciting for skilled players.
For championship-standard strokes, you would hardly beat Tidewater Golf Club’s impressive course. This visual wonder was sculpted masterfully by architect Ken Tomlinson. An alum of Harvard University’s School of Design, Tomlinson created something of a rarity — a challenging layout that’s both scenic and strategic. Each hole demands accuracy and calculation, making it an interesting feature for advanced players. The 3rd and 12th holes, both par-3s, are particularly striking with their uphill battles towards undulating greens that overlook the Atlantic Coast.
Named as honorific ‘International Course of the Year’ in 2000, the Grande Dunes Resort Course is worth a mention. Famed architect Roger Rulewich showcases a blend of scenic views and testing holes over 7600 yards of course. Its numerous doglegs and elevated greens reward long, accurate drives and would certainly put advanced skill sets to the test. The highlight of this course is the 14th hole, a challenging par-3 that is a test of both skill and bravery with its carry over the Intracoastal Waterway.
Our penultimate choice, the Barefoot Resort Golf Course, is stimulated by Pete Dye’s architectural genius. His unconventional and imaginative designs come to life here, and advanced players will particularly enjoy some of Dye’s strategic elements, like the use of native grasses and complex bunker arrangements. The 18th hole, a long par-4 with water running the length of the hole on the left, is a befitting challenge to close out the round.
Finally, we have the King’s North at Myrtle Beach National. King’s North is an Arnold Palmer design that offers a different breed of golfing challenge, and its unique features include the island fairway on the par-5 6th and the multitude of bunkers encircling the 18th green, aptly named “Bull’s Eye”.
Each of the above courses presents more than just a tee for advanced players. They’re masterpieces in their regard, each offering unique challenges, spectacular vistas, and memorable games. So, the next time you plan a trip to Myrtle Beach, remember a golfing adventure awaits your arrival. Enjoy honing your skills and tackling these expert-level greens.
I’ve had the pleasure of playing at the Dunes Golf and Beach Club and it is indeed a marvel of golf architecture. The famous ‘Waterloo’ gives even seasoned players a run for their money. Though I must say, the unique challenges of this course are just what every advanced golfer needs to push their skills. Are there any other courses with such memorable holes that deserve a mention?
Very informative post! I’ve had King’s North at Myrtle Beach National in mind for my next golf trip, now it’s a done deal. Those innumerable bunkers on the 18th green, the ‘bull’s eye,’ are calling out to me. Who doesn’t love a good hazard to test your bunker play, right? Or should I say, ‘sand trap trap’ ha!