Title: The Emerald Fairways: Best Golf Courses For Stroke Play In Myrtle Beach
Widely known as the golf capital of the world, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, flawlessly combines the genteel tradition of the sport with the landscape’s natural beauty. Across this golfer’s paradise, over 100 marvelously crafted golf courses dot the landscape, each unique with varying degrees of difficulty and aesthetic charm. For a golf enthusiast, the question is not whether to tee off in Myrtle Beach, but where. While each course has a charisma of its own, some have particularly distinguished themselves as prime destinations for stroke play. Below are some of the best such grounds.
The Dunes Golf & Beach Club stands as the crown jewel among Myrtle Beach’s lush golf landscape. The stunning Robert Trent Jones design debuted in 1949 and quickly cemented itself as a must-play course for any serious golfer. The Par-72 course measures 7,450 yards from the championship tees and features a remarkable slope rating of 148, providing a stern challenge to players of all skill levels. The memorable 13th hole labeled “Waterloo” with its sharp dogleg around Lake Singleton is perhaps one of the most revered holes in stroke play golf.
Second to none in terms of historical reverence and spectacular design is Pine Lakes Country Club, or “The Granddaddy.” Dating back to 1927, it is Myrtle Beach’s oldest golf course— a living monument steeped in the heritage of the game. Robert White, the first PGA of America president, masterfully designed the 6,675-yard, Par-70 layout. Pristine fairways, strategically placed bunkers, and meticulous greens make the course a true stroke play haven. The emblematic clubhouse adds to the course’s charm, embodying the spirit of the Roaring Twenties.
One cannot talk about Myrtle Beach golf without mentioning TPC Myrtle Beach, a layout that can beatify and befuddle in the blink of an eye. Renowned architect Tom Fazio did a commendable job in designing the challenging 18-hole, Par-72 course spanning 6,950 yards. A true test of golf ability, TPC Myrtle Beach boasts a slope rating of 145 from the championship tees. The course rewards painstaking precision and tactical shot-making, an aspect of stroke play that golf purists love. Canvasing the natural landscape with an environmental preserve, TPC undoubtedly ranks as one of the best spots for stroke play in Myrtle Beach.
The Caledonia Golf & Fish Club, a Mike Strantz masterpiece, blends charm, challenge, and charisma. Unveiled in 1994, Caledonia stands as a testament to creative design and a demanding yet fair golf challenge—elements that personify stroke play. The Par-70, 6536-yard course, often described as “Strantz’s Mona Lisa,” is a harmonious blend of the natural beauty of Southern plantation-era layout and testing golf. The 18th hole is the quintessential risk-reward situation in stroke play, a tempting try for players seeking final score glory.
Barefoot Resort and Golf comprises four courses, each unique and challenging in their way; Dye, Love, Fazio, and Norman—their design reflecting their namesakes’ personality and golf philosophy. The Love Course is considered the easiest for stroke play, boasting generous landing areas and course conditions often defined as ‘immaculate.’ The Par-72, 7,047-yard course features a mix of wide open and tightly framed holes that make for an exhilarating stroke play experience.
To sum up, the list delineates but a few of the golf course marvels you find in Myrtle Beach. Whether you pine for stretches of challenging fairways with strategic bunker placements or prefer the harmonious blend of natural landscapes with golf design, there is no dearth of golf courses perfect for stroke play in this golfing eden. Each course serves to challenge and entertain, steeped in history, drenched in natural beauty, and maintaining the sanctity of stroke play. Come witness the spectacular convergence of nature and the sport at Myrtle Beach—where every fairway has a story and every swing an opportunity.