The Best Golf Courses for Water Hazards in Myrtle Beach

Title: Tee Off by the Tide: Top Golf Courses for Water Hazards in Myrtle Beach

If you’re a golf enthusiast chasing the sublime blend of challenge and beauty, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is perhaps one of the planet’s heavenly golfing grounds. Fondly known as the ‘Golf Capital of the World’, the city boasts more than 100 stunning courses shaped by some of the biggest names in golf course architecture. Today, we’re focusing on those that offer the most exciting water hazards, providing equal parts challenge and stunning aesthetic.

1. Dunes Golf and Beach Club:

Designed by revered golf legend Robert Trent Jones, the Dunes Golf and Beach Club deserves to be at the top of this list. Its spectacular water hazards coupled with the majestic Atlantic Ocean as a backdrop give golfers a challenging and awe-inspiring experience. Notable for its water hazards is the thirteenth hole, “Waterloo,” which showcases a sharp dogleg around Lake Singleton. This par-5 hole demands an exceptional strategy from its contenders due to the watery peril it holds.

2. Tidewater Golf Club:

Touted as the ‘Pebble Beach of the East’, Tidewater Golf Club offers some of the most picturesque water hazards in Myrtle Beach. The course runs along Cherry Grove and the Intracoastal Waterway, presenting golfers with spectacular but tricky waterfront holes. The twelfth hole is particularly famous for its imposing water hazard – a shot too far to the left, and your ball will be drifting away on the waterway.

3. King’s North at Myrtle Beach National:

Revamped by Arnold Palmer in 1996, King’s North is renowned for its ‘Gambler’s Hole’ – a risk-reward par-5 that features an island fairway. Offering an opportunity to reach the green in two, the sixth hole makes golfers ponder over the risky shortcut across the water or take the safer, longer route around the lake. Its signature 12th hole, notoriously known as ‘The Island Green,’ is surrounded by a moat of water, demanding precise accuracy from golfers.

4. Barefoot Resort’s Dye Course:

Barefoot Resort’s Dye Course, a signature design by Pete Dye, boasts several dramatic water hazards. The 9th and 18th holes feature visually stunning yet daunting water hazards, stretching almost the entire length of these par-4s. Challenging even the most seasoned golfers, the Dye Course excellently tests accuracy and ball control while offering a picturesque golfing experience.

5. Grande Dunes Resort Club:

The Grande Dunes Resort Club, situated on a high bluff overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway, delivers a unique blend of beauty and challenge. Its 14th hole, jutting out into the waterway, is a par-3 that provides both an awe-inspiring view and a formidable test of accuracy. With constant breezes coming off the water, choosing the right club becomes a crucial and challenging decision.

6. Caledonia Golf and Fish Club:

Caledonia Golf and Fish Club, often labelled as Strantz’s masterpiece, carves through towering live oaks and meanders along the Waccamaw River, offering multiple water hazards. The 18th hole is particularly intriguing. It’s a long par-4 that demands a shot over water to reach the peninsular green, making it one of the most challenging, yet satisfying holes in the region.

7. Pawleys Plantation Golf and Country Club:

Jack Nicklaus’s signature course, Pawleys Plantation, offers water hazards on most holes. Most notably, the 13th hole features a tee box located on a marshy island in the Salt Marsh; hitting the green on this par-3 is quite a feat!

8. True Blue Plantation:

Also a Mike Strantz’s creation, True Blue offers several exciting water hazards set against vast expanses of native vegetation and towering pine trees. Its 18th hole, a par-4 with a formidable water hazard to the left of the green, is one to watch.

This list is by no means exhaustive, but it represents a selection of the most challenging, stunning golf courses with water hazards in Myrtle Beach. The combination of natural beauty and demanding game-play presents a unique opportunity to test your skills against some of the most challenging courses out there. Collectively, they showcase the creative genius of esteemed designers and the rich natural grandeur that Myrtle Beach offers, presenting us with not just courses, but bona fide golfing adventures. Happy golfing!