Travelin’ Joe Passov has played more than 1,400 golf courses in 50 states and 25 countries, so when Golf Magazine’s travel editor talks, smart people listen.

As part of a recent series on Travelin’ Joe’s three favorite golf travel gifts – available on Golf Magazine’s popular Front9 app  – Passov ranked Myrtle Beach second on his list of three favorite buddy trips.

The Grand Strand trailed only the much-acclaimed Bandon Dunes Resort on the

Ted Frick, owner and director of instruction at Classic Swing Golf School, explains how to hit it close when you’ve been short-sided around the green.

More Video Golf Tips, Please!

Scott Cleve was in Las Vegas, recovering from the completion of his eighth marathon and enjoying a good run on the tables, when he received news that was almost to good to be true.

The Chicago resident opened an email informing him that he had won Golf For a Year in Myrtle Beach.

“Does this look legitimate to you?” Cleve asked his wife. “She said, ‘Yes, you should give them a call.’ … I was there to run and gamble, and what I got via email was the

TPC Myrtle Beach, home course of PGA Tour star Dustin Johnson and former host of Senior Tour Championship, is the area's only 5-star course, according to Golf Digest's Best Places to Play guide. The Tom Fazio layout is a spectacular design, culminating with a virtual island green on the par 3 17th hole and the stunning par 5 18th. Come along as Myrtle Beach Golf Buzz host Blair O'Neal tours the award-winning facility, beginning her adventure in the men's locker room!

Standing on the 16th tee of the Moorland Course at Legends Resort, less than 313 yards and good swing of the driver stands between golfers and an elusive eagle putt. On the scorecard it would appear to be the easiest hole on the course.

The challenge lies in what surrounds a green that is 36 yards deep and 24 yards wide. Pot bunkers, waste bunkers, grass bunkers and an assortment of unattractive options await drives that don’t end up on the dance floor. And it’s great.

The 16th hole, affectionately referred to as Hell’s Half Acre, nicely encapsulates the lure of Moorland (official site). The hole is challenging, visually appealing and, most importantly, fun to play.

“If you make it (on the green), you are in great shape for birdie,” Biddington said. “If you miss the green, bogey is a good score. It’s the ultimate risk-reward hole.”

Moorland is the ultimate risk-reward course in many ways. Golf Digest ranked the layout the 37th toughest in all of America, but golfers seem to thrive on the course’s challenge as opposed to running from it. Legends Resort is one of Myrtle Beach’s most popular multi-course facilities, and Moorland is the resort’s most requested tee time.

Dye used waster bunkers, pot bunkers, water and… 

No layout in the heart of Myrtle Beach could reasonably claim to be overlooked, but the PineHills Course at Myrtlewood Golf Club might be the most under-appreciated.

Grande Dunes, Pine Lakes and the Palmetto Course at Myrtlewood attract a Tiger Woods-like share of the attention for folks traveling through the heart of the Myrtle Beach golf scene.

Unlike nearby layouts, which play along the Intracoastal Waterway (Palmetto, Grande Dunes) or enjoy the distinction of being the area’s first layout (Pine Lakes), PineHills is one of the Grand Strand’s quiet stars.

PineHills delivers value and an enjoyable round of golf. Highly regarded architect Arthur Hills overhauled the course in 1993, crafting a design that has placed an emphasis on playability for mid to high-handicappers while challenging the creativity of stronger players.

Hills enhanced the rolling terrain at PineHills, creating tee-to-green visuals and challenges that define the course, particularly around the greens.

“If you are missing the greens, you have options,” said Matt Daly, the head pro at Myrtlewood. “You can try the bump-and-run but a lot of time it’s going to be your high-lofted pitch shot that is the shot to play. If you miss the green, walk up and see where you are, know what shot you want to hit. Don’t just walk up and hit it.”

The secret to hitting greens at PineHills is… 

In this installment of Nature Valley's Tips From the Pro, Brad Redding, the director of instruction at Grande Dunes Golf Academy, tells you how to find the sweet spot with your driver.

In a market that features more than 100 courses, Man O’War Golf Club has managed to distinguish itself from the competition with a truly original design. A 107-acre lake is the course’s centerpiece and water is everywhere, but it manages not to overwhelm players. Come along as Myrtle Beach Golf Buzz host Blair O’Neal challenges Man O’War’s consecutive island greens and some of the area’s best bentgrass greens.

There are more than 100 Myrtle Beach golf courses but none comes close to matching the rousing start provided by Waterway Hills Golf Club, a facility players don’t forget.

A 27-hole Robert Trent Jones design, Waterway Hills Golf Club has what might be the most unique entrance in the nation. At Waterway Hills, golf bags don’t arrive at the clubhouse in a car, they come via aerial tram. The parking lot is located along the east side of the Intracoastal Waterway, while the clubhouse and course are on the west side.

Players take the tram, rising more than 100 feet above the Intracoastal, across the waterway. The ride offers a stunning (and beautiful) start to a round of golf. The tram ride lasts less than two minutes and drops players off at a clubhouse overlooking the waterway. (In case you were wondering, the tram is enclosed, protecting players from the elements and the ride across is enjoyable)

When the tram reaches the clubhouse, attention immediately turns to golf. The three nines at Waterway Hills – Oaks, Lakes and Ravine – all showcase the architectural splendor that Trent Jones is renowned for.

Robert Trent Jones fans will recognize…

The PineHills Course was the first of Myrtlewood’s two layouts to open in 1966 and it has long been among the area’s most requested tee times. Its sister layout, the Palmetto Course, one of seven Myrtle Beach golf courses to play along the Intracoastal Waterway, opened in 1973 and together they made Myrtlewood a pioneering multi-course property.   What else do you need to know before teeing it up on the PineHills Course? We have five tips will assist you on the first

The PineHills Course at Myrtlewood is noted architect Arthur Hills only work on the Myrtle Beach golf scene. Hills remade the layout in 1993, skillfully using mounding and strategically placed water hazards to change the feel of the course.

We consulted with Myrtlewood’s director of golf, Matt Daly, for a list of the three best holes on the PineHills Course and how to attack each of them. Here are Daly’s recommendations on how to play the best of the best at PineHills:

– The

Meadowlands Golf Club is among the seven Myrtle Beach golf courses that installed new greens last summer, but the player-friendly layout took its refurbishment work a step further. 

Leopard’s Chase Golf Club was the fourth Big Cat to join the pride at Ocean Ridge Plantation, but it’s first in the hearts and minds of many Myrtle Beach golfers. The layout has been regarded among the area’s best since its 2007 opening, and the course’s popularity continues to rise. Before you challenge Ocean Ridge’s most fearsome cat, here are five things you need to know. If You Like The First 3 …: Tim Cate co-designed Lion’s Paw, and he was

The birth certificate says River Oaks Golf Plantation is 23 years old. Anyone that has been to the course during the last month will tell you the 27-hole facility is the closest thing Myrtle Beach has to a new golf course.

Located less than 10 minutes from Myrtle Beach International Airport, River Oaks – home of the Fox, Otter and Bear nines – has always enjoyed the benefit of a great location, but under previous management, the Gene Hamm/Tom Jackson design fell into disrepair, struggling with course conditions.

Those issues are a thing of the past.

Signature Golf Group took over management of River Oaks a year ago and the course’s ownership made a financial commitment to restoring the layout. River Oaks has undergone a $2 million renovation project and the results – as those who have seen the before-and-after efforts can attest – are stunning.

Architect Craig Schreiner, who spearheaded the renovation of Pine Lakes Country Club, led the effort at River Oaks. He oversaw a project that included the  installation of new Champions bermuda greens, new cart paths, new bunkers and drainage, and the removal of more than 2,500 trees.

The greens at River Oaks…

The Pearl, a 36-hole gem located along the Grand Strand, has long been a favorite of area golfers. Come along as Myrtle Beach Golf Buzz host Blair O’Neal goes inside each layout, including the 614-yard, par 5 14th hole on the West Course, one of the five longest holes on the Grand Strand golf scene. The Pearl plays along the Calabash, providing stunning visuals, and two quality layouts means golfers can make a day of their visit, just like Blair did!

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